Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1860-11-26
zx,r.et. from the speech Of Hon. A.

Union in consequence of the election of Mr.
| Lincoln to the Presidency of the United
| Statesf NJ eOuntrymen, / tell you frankly,
candidiy. and earnestly, that | do not think
| hey ought. In my Judgment. the election
of no man. cOnstilutioBally chosen TO that
| high Office, is sufficient cause for any State to
| separat.. from The Union. Ii ought to stand
| by and aid still in mai Dtaining the Gonstitu-
! ion of the country. To make point of re-
sistence to the Government, to withdraw
| from IL because a man has been constitution
! aIly elected, puts Us in the wrong. We are
plrdoed to maintain the Constitution. MANY
of us have sworn to support it. Can we
| therefore, for the mere election of man to
| the Presidency, and that too in accordance
with the prescribed forms of the Constitution
make a point of resistance to the Govern
Inent without becoming the breakers of that
sacred instrument ourselves? withdraw our
selves from it, Would we not be in the
wrong?
Whatever fate is to befall this country, LET
it never be laid to the charge Of the people
of the South, and especially TO the people Of
| Georgia, that we were untrue to our national
enga gements. Let the fault and the wrong
rest upon others. If all our hopes are to be
blasted, if the Republic is to go down, let US
| he found to the last moment standing on the
deck with the Constitution of the Uniied
|
| Let the fanatics of the North break the Con-
| stitution if such is their fell purpose. Let
the responsibility be upon them. l shall
speak presently more of their acts; but let
not the South, let US not be the ones to COM
| nit the aggression. We went into the elec-
ton with this people. The result was differ
ent from what we wished but the election
was constituiioually held. We're we to
make q point of resistance to the Govern
ulent and 90 out of the Union on that ac-
count, the record would be made up hereaf-
ter against us. t-'
But il Is said Mr. LincOln's policy and
principles are against the CONSTITUTION, and
t1at il he carries them ont it will be destruc-
tive of our rights. Let Us not anticipate a
threatened evil. If he violates the Cousliiu
ton then will come our time TO act Do not
let US break it because, fOrsooth, be may. II
he does, that is the time for us to strike.
(AppIause.) | think it would be injudicious
and unWise TO do this sooner. l do not an
;icipate that Mr. Lincoln will do anything to
leopard our safety or security, whatever may
ne his spirit TO do it; for he is bound by the
con -titutional checks which are thrown
around him, which at this time renders him
DO erlcss 10 do any great mischief. This
shows the wisdom Of our system. The Presi-
d-nt of the United States is no Emperor, no
Dictator he is Clothed with M absolute
power. He can 0thing unless he is
hack, by power Il Con =; e>s. The House of
E pr, sent aiIves Is A.. sly III the majority
against him. --
In the very face and teeth of the heavy ma
iprity which he has obtained in Northern
States, ID. r. have bren large gains in the
Illus of ReVresent ative to The Cons ryatlre
Constitutional party OF the country. which
here 1 will call the National Democratic par
ty. because hat is the cOgnOmen ii has at the
North. There are twelve of this party cleo
ted from New York 20 the next Congress. |
believe. In the present House there are but
fqur, think. In Pennsy lyania. New jersey,
Oslo and Indiana there have been gains In
tE.. resent Congress there Were lib Rrpub-
lics,us. when 1t takes III TO make a majority
TIE gains in the Democratic party III Penn
SyIvania. OHIO, New jersey. Indiana, and
other States, HOtwiinSi andiHg its distraction,
have been enough tn make a majority of near
thirty in the next House against Mr. Lincoln.
Even in Boston. Mr.. Burlingame, one of the
noted leaders OF the fanatics Of that section.
his been defeated. and conservative man
returned in his stead Is this the time then
to appreh.nd that Mr.. Lincoln, with this
larg.. majority in the House OF representatives,
against him. can carry out any of his uncOn-
stitutiOnal principles IN thai body?
In The Senate Ise Will also be powerlrss.
There will be ii majority Of four against him.
i Il
cr<. by The unfortunate discussions of the
National Democratic party of their States.
Mr.. Lincoln cannot appoint an officer with
out The SPuate-he cannot form Cabinet |
without the same consent He will be in the |
condition of George the Third, (the embOdi- |
m=nt of Tory i>m-) who had To ask the Wings |
to appoint his Ministers. and was compelled |
to receive Il Cabinet utterly opposed to his |
views; and so Mr. Lincoln will be compelled |
TO ask of the Senate to choose for him Ca |
binet. if the Democracy Of that body choose |
to p,t him on such terms. He will be COM
PEELED to do this or let the Government stop,
il the National Democratic men, (fOr that is |
their name at the North,) the conservative |
men in the SeLate. should so determine. |
Then how can NJ. Lincoln obtain a Cabinri |
which would aid him. or allow him to violate |
The Constitution |
Why, then. say, should we disrupt the |
ties of this Union when his hands are tied. |
when he can do nothing against US? have |
heard il mOOted that no man in the State of |
G eOrgia, who is true to her interests, could |
hold office under Mr.. Lincoln. But l ask |
who appoints to office? Not the President |
alone; the Senate has to concur. No man |
can be appointed without the consent of the |
Senate. Should any man then refuse to hold |
Office that was given him by a Democratic |
Senate? Mr.. ToOmbs interrupted and said |
it the Senate was Democratic it was for |
Well, then, continued Mr.. S. / |
Ipprehand no man could he justly considered |
untrue to the interests of Georgia, or incur |
any disgrace, if the interests of Georgia re-
luired it. TO hold an Office under which |
Senate had given him, even |
though Mr.. Lincoln should be President. |
Prolonged applause, mingled with inter
ruptiOns.)
| trust, my cOuntrymen, you will BE- still |
and silent. l am addressing your good sense. |
am giving you my views in calm and dis |
passionate manner. and if any one of you |
differ with me, you can on any other occa- |
sion give your views as am doing now, and |
let reason and true patriotism d eide between |
rs. In my judgment, say under such cir |
eumstances there would be no possible dis |
grace for Southern man to hold office. No |
man will be suffered to be appointed. have |
no doubt who Is not true to the Constitution, |
if Southern Senators are true to their trusts, |
as cannot permit myself to doubt that they |
will be. 60 |
My honorable friend who addressed you
last night, (hr. Toombs.) and to whom lis
tened with the prof Iundest attention asks il |
we would submit to Black Republican rule? |
say TO you aud 20 him. as ~ Georgian, | |
never would submit to any Black Republican \
az JTesSi0n upon our constitutional rights / \
v 81 never CO.'S mt myself, as much as L adj |
mire this Union. Tor the glori,-s OF the past OF
the blessings of the present; as much as 1t |
h,s done for the people IF all these States; |
as much as il has done for civiliz ttion; as |
much as the hopes OF the world hang upon |
Il; L would never submit to aggres sion upon |
nv rights to maintain it longer; and il they |
cannot be maintained in The Union, standing |
on the Georgia Platform. where l have stood |
from the lime of lis adoption, would be in |
favor of disruptiDg every tie which binds |
the States together. l will have equality for |
Georgia and for The citizens Of Georgia in
tbs Union, or / will look Tor new Safeguards
elsewhere. This is my opinion. The ouiy
question now is. can they be secured in The |
Union? That is what l am counssIing with |
yeu tonight about. Can it b. secured? La