Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-11-14
WEDNESDAY MORNING. nov. II, 1860
The Political Crisis

The news, communicated by telegraph, indicates
the elimination of the excitement in the South,
sulting from the election of LINCOLN by the surages
of the Northern States. 1t would seem from the
tenor of these dispatches that public sentiment is
consolidated in South Carolina and Georgia and that
the secession, at least Of the former, may be con
sidered an accomplished fact, so far as the deter
mination of the people is concerned. The country
has not been prepared for such prompt and decid.
ed movement, and its announcement falls upon US all
with startling effect. The cry of disunion has SO
often been raised that mea to regard itlightly
The Northern sectionalists believed it to be all talk
evidently, or they would scarcely have yentured
upon the mad experiment of fastening their pOliti-
cal domination upon the Republic. Men ofAthe
highest intelligence even IN Tennessee believed that
it was idle menace, made to sway North
ern sentiment The whole country, outside
Of the Cotton States, has INDUCED in a
fatal error. That error being now dspeled, it be-
hoves all patriots to review their opinions calmly
and dispassionately, formed under the erroneous
impression that the extreme South was prepared
for unlimited submission to LINCoLN's election to
take counsel together as brethren and countrymen,
to dismiss their petty prejudices based upon party
antagonism and to lose self in the contemplation Of
the common danger, and in devising means for pro-
noting the common safety. Tennessee has always
been conservative State from her earliest history
to the present time. She is devoted to the Federal
Union. She is no less devoted to her rights. Her
attitude should be calm but decided. She may exert
a potent influence in calming agitation and perma-
nenty settling the serious issues that have driven
us upon the rocks. She will never consent TO see her
Southern sisters coerced into submission by bayOnets.
Such proposition she knows full well would only
compicate the embarrassment and PROSTATE the
commercial and business interests ofthe country, and
change the whole genius Of the Government from
a coafederated Republic to a despotsm worse than
the Austrian dynasty. Nor will Tennessee willing
" see this Union dissolved, without making one
noble effort to remove the fatal and phrenzed cause
Of the troubles that surround US having their ORR
gin in Northern ambition. Occupying the position
she does in the Union, she may yet. with Virginia,
Kentucky, and North Carolina, accomplish the glO-
rious and christian mission OF the peace-maker.
But she cannot do this by elimination and denuncia-
ton. She must herself be calm, self-poised and
lust. She must sympathize deeply with the States
that have endured the great wrong in common with
herself with such long forbearance and patience
She must act with dignity and composure. She
must address herself 20 both sections in the Ian
guage Of friendship, but Of Plain-spoken truth BY
this course, she can accomplish great work
Otherwise she is powerless.
Frankness is demanded by the eXigency, and it IS
due to candor to say that indulge but small hope
Of any settlement now. The Northern sectionalists
have presumed too far upon the forbearance OF the
South until the people are in fame Of excitement
and indignation. But it is a consummation worth
contending for, and the last hope seems to centre
upon the Middle Slave States. 1t viii be glorious
butmelanchoy Immortality in the records OF history
that the last peaceful stand for the Union born OF
the Revolution-the Union of our fathers-the I'm
ion with the Consttution-the Union fully frcighted
with all our rights and with the hopes OF the world
was made on the soil of Tennessee and of her con-
sentative sisters. 1t will be still more undylng
record. if we maintain the rights Of the South in
the Union, and thus perpetuate the inheritance Of
our fathers.