Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-01-15
SUNDAY, JANUARY IS, 1860.
-. Leseher,s Iessage.

The high character Of JOHN LETCHER, Win fetlao-
able men Of all parties, as patriot an enlightened
statesman, and a moderate partizan viii give
weight to his suggestions and entitle them to
thoughtful and dispassionate consideration
Adopting the language Of the Nashville Patriot
Of recent date in the midst Of all the excitement
caused by the brutal and bloody conspiracy Of
JoHN BRowx, we have the outgvings OF Republican
Executives in grave State papera. Whilst condemn
ing the invasion Of Virginia, they are firm IN the
expression Of determination 20 drive the Southern
people from the enjoyment Of the right to carry
slaves into and keep them in tie tarritories-a right
guaranteed them by the Constitution as expounded
by the highest authority known to our government
the Supreme Court This is question whieh.we
shall be compelled to meet unless Repubicanism
recedes from its position, thing altogether i'm
probable at present"
That that party win not recede,' but are deter
mined upon pressing the issue at every hazard, and
going even beyond this point to a virtual subjuga-
ton of one section Of the Union, is placed beyond
question by their recent fanatical and defiant de-
cIarationz made through their recognized organs,
both in and out Of the Congress Of the United
States.
Article s. Sec. ], Of the Constitution referred to
by Governor L., provides for its own amendment in
the manner following, to-wit: The Congress,
whenever two-thirds Of both Houses shall deem it
necessary, shall propose amendments to this Con
stituton or on the application Of the Legislatures
Of twothrds Of the several States shall call Con
ton for proposing amendments, which in either case
shall be valid to ali ntents and purposes, as part of
this constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures
Of threefourths Of the several States or by cOnven-
tions in threeourths thereof as the or the 9TH
err mode Of ratification may be proposed by the
Congress: provided and that
no State without its consent shall be deprived Of its
equal suffrage in the Senate
Whether, in the present state Of the public mind,
the policy suggested by Gov. LETCHER would, if at
tempted result in any permanent settlement Of the
evils which Northern aggression has forced upon
the country, is certainly questionable and is the
point to be considered. But, one thing is certain,
the harmony and peaceful continuance Of our pres
ent Union can only be preserved and is only desira
bic, upon faithful observance of the Federal com
pact and the guaranteed rights Of each and every
State and when a dominant section boldly and de-
family declares its intention to obtain control Of the
government ard administer for sectional purposes,
and in defiance Of these rights and the principles
Of equality there caa be peaceful Union and it
becomes patriots of every party and every section
to recognise the fact
The South exacts nothing. She seeks no aggres-
sion She only asks for equality in the Union and
her Just rights under the Constitution, interpret
ed and declared by the Supreme Court, the autho-
rized arbiter Of all such questions, and beyond
which taere is no resort but to revolution.
No prudential suggestions, such as are contained
in Gov. LErCHERs message, will meet with any fav-
or at the hands Of the irrepressibe conflict party
headed by VIM II. SEWARD This Is shown in the
incorporate spirit with which the suggestions of
Gov. LETcHER are received by such Journals as the
New York Tribune. That paper, whilst admitting
Gov L. to be a practical politician and statesman,
and man of a fair share Of practical wisdom
says:
Thus following in the wake of Senator Mason,
he proposes first to consider the question whether
or no the Union be preserved To this end he
advocates tie calling Of a General Convention of all
the States TO ascertain If common platform cannot
be found upon which they can all agree 10 stand.
and agree 10 harmonic on the question Of slavery.
Now not 20 20 into a consideration of the precise
topics, or the exact phase OF those which would be
presented at such Convention. beg to ask where
in such body Of men would differ IN their discus
sons OF their action except, perhaps in Inferior
tv of character and talent from the discussions and
action Of Congress. At Washington, there is now
sitting authoritative assembly, deliberately chos
en-. composed Of the abest men of the country from
all sides and representing every hue Of political
opinion holding daily sessions and discussing con
stautly and fully those very questions and points
which Gov. LeJchcr deems IL of much impur-
ta1ce to come to an understanding about What
more does Gov. Letchcr WANT What more can he
haveg And IL 'he counsels and discussions of these
Congressman are insufficient have we not been stated
with those OF other gentlemen of Cninpnce vcntila-
ting their hopes fears judgments, Ohjurgatons and
invocations through the medium of reCcn. Union
saving meetings, from Edward Everett down TO
James Brooks Have we not heard from EX-PrcsI-
dents Fillmore and Pierce by letter from Charles
O'Conor and Caleb Gushing by w0ldof mouth from
old Gov. LinC0ll and young Gov. Hunt, well as
forty 0thgrs. Conventions are very well 20 discuss
topics that are In need Ot discussion, to decide
questions 8uthOrltatlycly that must be decided But
in this case we have had and daily having piles
on piles, heaps on heaps, rcams on rcams of discus
sion. Where Is the need of more.
aSgrery and Freedom hare been SCI face TO fuce and
o. az 8cttujs ground hare nothing tCtt JH 10 fgt /
out Mr. Letcher himself by vote and voice helped /
60 put things this basis by voting for the Kansas
Nebraska BILL aud of course he is ready stand by
his own action. The question cas fought cot ia hsu-
g1S Il JrN be rJltgt oft jg CugIg other Ilrgii0ru
,rtce S1cerg aims 10 get t00ib0d unless Congress- com
poses the question By keeping Srrcy JritR lis present
iiaiitS. agrees upon some such principle was .
embodied in the Missouri settlement; which latter .
act would be SIMPLY 90 undo the work of the last /
five years. work which Mr.. Letcher has had as .
much hand IN doing as any man in Virginia
We conclude. therefore, that a Convention of all /
j
IL stands, and we think Gov LetcheF himself (
must see the subject 10 this light Indeed we may
infer much from his own suggestions. He him
self declares that IN case of holding the proposed
Convention and arriving at no satisfactory settle
meut Of the siryery question, thea the Convention
should proceed 20 a discussion of the question of a
peaceabe separation of the free and slave States
Gov. Letcher's Convention therefore Is a contin-
gently Disunion Convention; and in this point of
view, if IN no other, he cannot expect it 10 be re
ceived with favor in the free States. Anything
that sayors of disunion in the face of the resoute
position of the Republican party the question. |
and Of the recent professional and trading Union
saving meetings in the North, is singulary il-timed
and out Of place For this reason. If for no other,
Gov. Letchers proposition receive no favorable
response from the free States, and most certainly
none from the Republican party. The members and
Representatives Ofthe republican organization every
where would regard insult an invitation to at
tend body whose ultimate object was SO obnoxious
GO their whole course of thought and action sug-
gested by Gov. Letcher.
It viii thus be seen that there can be no settle
ment with the dominant and defiant party leaders at
the North other than an unconditional surrender to
their demands of all the constitutional rights which
the South claims to just participation in the com
mon territory But who believes that their demands
would stop here? Who believes that one castle sur
rendered another would not be stormed and carried;
until, in their own language, the sun should not
flSt upon u ul'tsteLs llpL sNt ulVi- a SLtthe WHO
does not know that the demands Of SEWARD and the
demands of HELPER. of WILSON, SINNER HALE
CHASE. WADE. CLIPPINGS and other able and distin-
guished champions of the dominant party at the
North, are but the demands Of the great body Of
their unpatriotic, selfish and reasonable followers
constituting 4hat party
Nothing can save the country from the impending
danger that threatens it but a united South coope-
Al. -. nj. ,+-s. .a
the North acting together as one party, standing
upon the Constitution, and determined 70 tight for
it by every in the spirit in which fathers
fought in the days Of the revolution. And it, in the
language Of the Tribune, Freedom and slavery (
have been set face to face, and have nothing left bat
to fight it OUT the sooner the national men Of the