Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1860-08-24
tFrom. the North Carolina PatriOtl
The Presidential Contest


There is approaching terrible crisis in the coun-
try. Should il turn outunfortunateIy, that Lincoln
and Hamlin should be elected there remains no
doubt but there are thousands of inconsderate men
in the South standing ready to take the advantage
of the modification and the excitement of the oc-
cason to precipitate the slave States into 6sunon
The evidences of this thicken every day. Conser-
vative men of all parties in the Union beginning
10 see that there is ahead of great danger to our
peace, happiness and prosperity.
The Charleston rs. C.) News eonfesses substan-
TALLY the true meaning and design of the seceders
in attempting at Charleston and actually succeed
ing at Baltimore in distracting the Democratic par
ty. In a late issue of the News it uses the follow
ing language
1t may be asked: What hopes have we from
the Presidential struggle? On this point we have
not time to-day, to date in full. Our hopes are
higher than any to be founded on a mere Presiden-
tial result The contest will leave the South united
as party united as section united IN The purpose
Of seLf-dcfence, and ready, if ever under aroused
excitement and common Indignation, to meet the
real sectional issue, brought up under forced
tional array, TO solve it by either submission TO
Black Republican rule at Washington, or a resort to
hee otcn selgoverncent "a a separate and independ
ent FORM"
The Southern leaders who forced secession at
Charleston, and again at Baltimore, have been act
great confederacy. To this end one great step is
taken when the Democracy Of the South is severed
from the democracy of the North. This gained,
and it is deemed easy task to make the severence
general.
If our Democratic brethren really desired the de-
feat of the Northern sectional ticket of Lincoln and
Hamn, they could easily do this by uniting with
the conservatives Of the Nation in their support of
the National Constitutional Union candidates, Bell
and Ev rett. No honest man, North or South,
doubts the national patriotism qualification and fit
ness OF these great men to govern this great nation
so as to procure and protect the constitutional rights
and the interests of the South the North the East
and the West. No honest man doubt for one
moment but that Bell and Everett would be elected
if the Democrats North and South would unite
with the national men in their support. 1t is equal
ly clear that the Bell and Everett men have the
only national ticket in the field, and that matters
could not be bettered by any attempt on their part
to cooperate with either wing of the divided De-
mocracy. But both of these wings profess to be
anxious to defeat the Republican purely sectional
ticket and if sincere, they could certainly do this
by uniting with the friends of Bell and Everett
and this they could now do with less sacrifice of
principle than by uniting upon either Douglas or
Brecknridge.
We are not prepared to say that the men who
sustained Douglas at Charleston and Baltimore are
dsunionists. However much we may differ with
these men, we do not think that they really desire
TO dissolve the Union but of the leading Southern
seceders we have to think differently. 1t is quite
ridiculous to suppose that they have the least hope
of electing Breckenridge and Lane. But their real
hopes to have all the candidates defeated except
Lincoln and Hamlin, and strange to tell, yet it is
certainly true, that the reckless spirits who now
rule the Southern Democracy really desire to see
the Republicans succeed, because, as the News as
serts, we shall reap by this result aroused excite
ment modification and common indignation in all
the Southern States. 1t is for crop Of such things
as these that the Southern Seceders labor-not for
the peace, quiet and unity of this great country
not for triumph in eecting a national man Presi-
dent The true object of these Seceders is to bring
about such intense sectional modification and ex-
element in the slave States, that in the hours of
sectional madness she may listen to their counsel
ling to resort 10 her segoverRp,ent IN sep
ardte and Independent FORM"
The true objects and designs of these Southern
SecederS are not known-ds they fancy. Had they
declared at Charleston, at Baltimore that their
purpose was the division and separation Of the Dem
ocratc party, they would have failed. Further,
had the conservative admirers of the Constitution
and the Union, that are to be found in the Demo-
cratic party, known much of these Southern Sc
ceders before they went into convention they
now know of them, these Southern Disunonists
would have failed in their purposes to divide the
Democratic party as an important preliminary 10
disunion. He is blind man who can't now see
that these Seceders had purpose before they went
into the convention to do the very thing that they
have done. They wanted to be separated from their
Northern Democratic brethren. They desire to be
cut loose from all persons and things North. AS is
avowed by the News they anxious for a contest
which "leave the South united party, united as
section, united in the purpose Of right and seLt-de-
fence; in short in plain English to have the slave
States in proper condition to be precpitdted into
dsunon. The fact that these Seceders held an
overseers convention at Richmond whilst the con-
vention was being held at Baltimore, by their con-
duct saying they were ready to cowhide the North
erR allies into terms, shows purpose TO separate
from their Northern brethren in a manner as often
sive and incurable as possible.
1t is high time that the eyes Of the country should
be opened to the conduct object and purposes o
these Seceders among whom the Hon. VIM. l.
Yancey, an avowed disunionist, is ruling spirit
If the Democratic party had been sufficiently oh
serving of these disuniOuiss in their party in adj
vance, the party would not have been destroyed
These Seceders took Breckenridge and Lane a
their candidates for a blind. They have no hope o
clectng them. But had they followed the example
of the Republicans at their convention at Chicago
and nominated representative men, resident far il
the South, their sectional disunon purposes woult
have been more easily discovered-their footprint
could not be so easily covered up
The only hope of these Seceders, in whose toll
now struggle the Southern Democracy, is to max
object nearest to their heart is substantially accom-
plished.
Mr.. Lincoln, Northern free-sOiler, on the on
idea of anti-savery extension, on the great issue
an irrepresSbe conflict is to be elected these Sc
ccders really desire, we fear, and the appeals tina
will be made to an excited South, are already bcin
prepared aud considered by those who, for reason
as well imagined expressed, viii act on the pru
cpc that it is better to reign in He'll than to sery
ia Heaven.
Let this purely sectional triumph once take place
= which could be easily and certainly defeated b
, the Democrats uniting with the Bell and Evere
men, and in Imagination we can hear the very az
peal which these Southern Seceders confdentl
hope to make with entire success in separating a
the slave-hodng States from the free States.
strains of burning and indignant eoquence, III
South will be asked whether she is willing longt
10 to live in col federacy of free and slave State
Is when the free States presuming their numeric
majority of States and electoral votes had deteTmiI