Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1860-01-06
ssr The fallsxiug B. ..he psr.ias.a. ANA

sg- The following Is the pertinent and
. eloquent peroration Of Mr.. Nelson's speech
the other day in the House of Representa-,
tiyes ~.t .,,...l
Before l take my seat, trust the House
will indulge me in giving utterance to one
or two old fashioned sentiments which, in
days past and gono, were common to the
whole American people. 1t may excite
the derision of portinn of the disunien
lists of the North and it may provoke the
contempt of the free eaters of the South
but L say there is one class of sentiments
which, although the leaders in the excite
ment may strive to create feeling of dis.
cord in the minds of our citizens, trust
all will hold in common. What are they2
We love our country; we love its noun
tains, its hills, its valleys, and its streams;
we love its peaceful Sabbaths, its church
going bells, its English Bible, and its
glorious liberty Of conscience. IApplause.
We love that feature in every American
constitution which abolishes all hereditary
honors and distinctions, and enables the
III
genius, to climb.
''The steep where flames proud temple shines afar.
Applause in the galleries We love
| the star spangled banner which has waved
in triumph over many a field cf battle,
and protects our commerce upon every
sea. We love the memory of the worlds
only Washington [Applause on the floor
and in the galleries. We love the name
and the fame of every hero who has
fought, or bled, or died upon. the battle.
fields of the country. TRenewed applause.
OF them it may be said:
"Thcy fell devoted but undying:
The very gale their names seems signing;
The waters murtnur of their name,
fhs woods nrc- pcoplett with their fame -
! The silent pillar-lone and gray
Claims kindred with their sacred clay;
Their memory sparkles Ter the fountain
. Their spirits wrap the dusky mountain,
The meanest rill-the mightiest river
Rolls, mingng with their fame forevcr!
[Great applause in the galleries.
We not only love these, but above all,
trust, we love this glorious Union, pur-
chased by the blood and treasure and con-
secrated by the prayers Of our fathers, and
preserved by the valor Of their children
We love this glorious Onion, repeat, and
we want no abolition. no secession, no dis
union, no nulitication, no civil wars, no
recking carnage, no blazing fields, no
burning cities, no military despots to arise
and bid
"The blood rcd paths of conquest hail.
No, sir, no; VIC want none of this--none
of these; but we desire to live on as we
have lived in times past free and
united people; one in mind, one in heart,
one in interest, one in feeling, one in all
that makes nation great-one in all that
makes people happy. [Great applause
in the galleries"
| trust in God that these sentiments
will FIJI and swell the American heart as
long as the gliding streams trcmble in the
sunshine, leap joyously, and roll to their
ocean home; as long as the blue moutains
clap their hands or bathe their faces in the
sky; as long as the God Of our fathers shall
lead us in perils to come, as he has led us in
perils that are passed, by pillar of cloud
by day and pillar of fire by night.
1t is with sentiments such as these that,
although my voice is unknown to fame :;
although take for the first time my seat
in delibcrative assembly, | would firmly,
earnestly, yet respectfully invoke gentle
men of the North and gentlemen of the
South to come up and lay on the altar of
our common country this distracting ques
tion, which does no good, which crentes
incessant excitement, which arms the slave
against his master, which causes feeling
of dissahection toward this great and glo-
rious Union to prevail. l ask nothern
men, can you, on an abstract question
like this, make no sacrifice in behalf of
our country? l ask southern men, can
you, on a question like this, which is prac-
tically settled, at least for years TO come,
make no sacrifice, and can we not all agree
in adopting this resolution, patriotic in
. its terms n resolution which | am snre
will commend itself to the appreciation of
the whole country, aud which carries no
, sting in regard to any member of this as
sembly? say then, Mr.. Clerk, without
occupying further the time of the House,
that | advocate the adoption Of this
resolution; and call on gentlemen of
this House, ADLER, older, having more ex-
perience than myself, call upon them to
rally to the standard of our country to
come up aud let us link our shields TO-
! gether in behalf of this Union aud our
! beloved institutions aud endeavor as far us
. in us lies TO hand down unimpared aud
undiminished to our remotest posterity
{ those blessings of civil and religious free
I dom which we enjoy above all other nations
under Heaven. Loud applause