Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-10-27

Southern Feeling-.Read she Overt Act
The Bell organs in Tennessee are daily endeavor-
ing to scare the people of this State into the support
of Mr., Bell by charging that the friends of Brock
inridge and Lane in South Carolina Georgia and
Alabama are in favor of secession in the event Lin
coin is elected They fail to tell their own leaders
in those States have publicly proclaimed that LIN
colas election is sufficient cause for dissolution
of the Union" We ask them to read the following
article from the Philadelphia Eceaing Journal.
leading BelLEverett organ in Pennsylvania. The
Journal of the 22d says:
II is the policy of the conservative Republican
, papers-if any can be justly so denominated-to
nersuade such of Northern citizens as are not
disposed to precipitate political, social and fnan-
cal crisis in country that the election OF LIN
coin will inaugurate an epoch OF peace and pros
perity unprecedented in our history, and that the
Southern people will acquiesce in the event with
great cheerfulness and unanimity. We feel quite
confident that all promises Of the kind are unwar-
ranted, and that those who make them do not hon
estly believe what they profess. We hear great
deal about the Souths waiting, even if Lincoln Is
elected for what called the "OCGt act That Is 20
saw some definite, decided violation of Southern
rights under the Federal Constitution But what
is the use in cheating ourselves IN tins matter,
with propositons-w ifs ard butts? The overt
act' will be the election OF Lincoln and Hamlin-
the triumph of political party, sectional IN Its re-
presentation and belligerantly hostile to the whole
South in its declared principles and purposes That
fact alone will be sufficient TO divice the Union-to
contravene the theory of the Confederation-to vO
late the Constitution and destroy the equality and
sovereignty of the States under it. Win the South
wait for more? Should it stand still, with its arms
folded until its throat is literally cut and the ashes
of civil cOnfagration scattered broadcast over
| Its homes and households? Are men at the North
so simple as to suppose that, when purpose OF
conquest and subjugatlOn is distinctly avOwed,
proud and brave people will abide the issue until
they are actually throtted and hand-cufed! The
wrong to the South will be cOnsummate in the act
of putting Northern party 10 power at Washington
| in converting the government from national TO a
sectional governmental turning almost one-half OF
the States out of the political partnership into which
they entered equals, upon well defined conditions
of mutual compromise and advantage, and depriylng
them of all fair share in the administration OF the
affairs of the firm. This is the covert act" which
will absolutely destroy the very essence of the con-
tract and this all that the South will think II wise,
or safe, OF honorable to wait for. Certain 'Repub-
lican" papers, in this locality, would tell us that the
North has not harmed the South and does not
"nean to harm il" by the election of Lincoln. W hat
balderdash and twaddle is this! Not harm the South
| by the transfer of the Federal Government to
party which swears 'irrepressble conflict with Its
vital institutions its domestic peace, its lives, its
property its sacred honor. DO not the Republican
papers and speakers declare that the partZans OF
a Northern conspiracy against the South are sue
|
atrocious and revolving tragedy OF St Domingo. Wall
follow as the natural, if not inevitable, result? Do
we not know that if the Antl-savery party Of the
North should get control of the government the ne
grOes of the South led on by the John Browns of Now
| England, would gain courage enough to revolt in
night and spread rapine massacre, and bestial de-
! bauchery from the Ohio to the Gulf? Do we not
| know that with Abolition party dominating the
whole land. with all the moral If not physical power
of the National Government in its hands, the South
| +bo JinsNr arnisS arias of
AbolitiolIsm and flooded, through the agency Of an
Ant-slavery postal department with such pestllent
and revolutionary sheets as the New ork Tribune!
Do not know, that with such spirits as Gddlngs,
and Greeley, and Sumner, and LUyejOy, and Seward,
at the head of the government, there would be a
sudden stampede of the Southern slaves to the North
and that the basis of all the property and wealth and
industrial prosperity OF the South would be stolen
away and protected agains: recapture by TIE pollt-
ical cOnfederates and accessories Of the thieves
Do we not know, that the Supreme Court of the
United States would Re, as speedily as possible Oc-
cupied with Anti-slayery Judges who would do the
bidding Of their masters, and hold their seats
by basely sanctionng the most infamous sys-
| TEN of robbery, and denying the clearest pro-
| visions of the Constitution? Do not know. that
! under the rule of Northern free-negrO dynasty
| the Fugitive Slave Act would never be faithfully
| executed, and that the PassmOre WilliamsOns of
/ PENNSYLVANIA would yindcate the Yilest crime of
| hypocritical philanthropy by pleading before our
| courts the doctrine OF the higher law" and the
natural equality of the black and white races? Do
| we not know, in short, that with the Federal Gov
eminent placed in the hands of the Abolition party
| of the North, the Constitution would be trampled
upon the South deprived of all security and peace
| and the whole country involved in conflict, tumut
| and disastrous disruption? Why then with these
inevitable consequences starring US IN the face,
should we hope for repOse and prosperity. Why
should we trust those who say Ill the name Of the
| "ReDublican' party that the South will suffer no
harm if that party is successful and that no harm
! is intended? And why should the South wait until
the negro has put the torch to the home Of every
| family and the knife to the throat of every man,
| woman and child? The whole mischief is done
when the Abolition party triumphs by the vote Of
the Northern people. The election OF Mr.. Lincoln
will sound not only the tocsin Of the South, but Of
the Union The moderate and conservative menu
bers of his party will not be able TO control itn0r
,riHhe. They Will be swept away by the mad and
furious passions of an army Of tanatica enthusiasts.
there will be no peace. There will be servile war,
biood-shed and revolution. and no arm will be able
to stay it, The fond fools Of prudence and patriotic
so5riety will have helped to raise storm which
they cannot ride and direct Ali the weak dreams
OF the political OptimlSts will be dashed In an hour.
the flood gates Of anarchy will be opened with a
crash and the last and tarest experiment OF popu-
lar government ever attempted will be blasted be-
| yOnt redemption. We no alarmsts. We wish
| that though the worst may come to the worst, the
Union may yet stand. But we would admonsh
those VINO, we think, are presumIng so far on the
suferance OF the South, and We would ADVISE them
| to look to the end