Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1860-10-15
rhe Consequences of D,sunion.

of the Union. no Federal Government can
ever exist. If to rid ourselves of the present
rule of Massachusetts aud Connecticut. We
break the Union, viii the evil stop there
Are we not men still to the South of that,
and with all the passions of men? Imme-
diately We shall sec Pennsylvania and a
Virginia party arise in the residuary confed-
eracy, and the public mind will be distracted
by the same party spirit.
" If we reduce our Union 10 Virginia and
North Carolina, Immediately the conflict viii
be established between the representatives
of these two States, and they will end by
breaking into their simple units.r
Col. Clemens continues
L have so recently read the opinions Of
| Gen. jackson in your hearing that | pass
them over for the present. Indeed it is hard.
! ly worth while to adduce authority against
the right of secession, since, when conceded
| it amounts to nothing more than a right OF
seli-destructiOn. 1t is at best the poor right
of elfmurder-attended by all the conse.
| quences of that objectionable sin-grief and
shame and wretchedness TO those who are
most dear to us, and who are best entitled TO
| our protecting care.
| If secession could be peaceably efected-ff
| the Northern and Southern States could be
| by common consent divided into two sepa-
was shed. nor one blade of grass DESTROYED
| in making The change, it would still bring
unnumbered evils in its train. There would
| be standing army 10 be maintained of not
| less than 10000 men, at a cost of 1000 900
per annum. \ navy must be built I'D. and
the money for that purpose dragged from the
pockets of the people. There would be
long lIne OF frontier extending from the At
lantIc Ocean to the Western limit of Missou-
ri, and from the Rio Grande, which it would
be necessary to stud with military posts and
every mile of which would require to be
secured by armed patrols, for the double pur-
pose OF enforcing the revenue laws, and pre-
venting the escape of fugitive slaves Every
harbor along the vast extent of sea-coast,
from Delaware bay to the mouth of the Rio
Grande, would require an appropriation of
millions for lis fortificatiOn. The people
would be ground down by taxes, and de-
moralized by the constant presence of troops
among them who acknowledge no restraints
but those of military law. Incessant quar-
rels Wonld grow up between you and your
Northern neighbors, and bloody wars would
deSolate your frontiers, if they did not spread
destruction throughout every portion of your
territory.
But iellow-citizens, it is idle to talk of
separation OF this Confederacy, either peace
ably or forcibly. 1t is bound together by links
too strong for human hands 10 break You
may create disturbances-you may cut each
others throats-its smiling fields may be laid
waste, and its fourishing towns given up to
the fames, but the Union, in some form. will
endure forever. You may convert it into a
grand consolidated despotism, but you can
not discover its parts. L do not believe thar
in the event of civil war. the North can con-
quer the South. or the South can conquer the
North. What l fear is, that some military
leaders will conquer bOth-that wearied and
impoverished by eXactions and sickeued 10y
carnage, the people will gladly welcome any
change which promises exemption from such
evils. aud giveup the little liberty that is lett
them in the hope of repOse. In any event
you will still form part of the same govern
ment-yOu will still belong to the same coun-
try. Ii that respect yOur destiny is fixed
The dream of Southern Confederacy is the
widest vision that ever troubled She brain of
a moonstruck enthusiastic dream inter
rupted by bloody confiictsawith your neigh |
b0rs, and vile dependence on foreign |
power"
As separation into two confederacies is an |
lmpossIbiity as long as the Mississippi flows |
from the North TO the South and civil con-
hlct once begun can have but one termina- |
uon- In the language OF Gen. Jacksan, s'the |
victory of the injured would not secure to |
them the blessings of liberty; it would avenga |
their wrongs, but they would themselves |
share IN the common RUM /
Believing this TO be the condition to which |
you must be reduced by internecine war. [ |
mpiOrc you to pause, and consider well be-
tore you allow yourselves to be plunged into |
it. Ii is easy enough to talk of laying down
1ur lives upon the battle field for punctillio.
ana allow me to add in no spirit of vain
that l know of nothing which
would be easier than to carry such a resoIn
feet ho1
;onsldcr-if there We're no considerations
to our judgments, or affections.
Jut such as relate 10 our personal safety But
you and are not In that condition. There
ire others for whose Well-being we are bound
% provide.
Ii traternal strife does come shall endea-
or to meet my share of its dangers and re-
possibilities as firmly as the most fiery
plrlt among you. L will agree to make
very plain "a battle field, and every planta-
ion fence breast work, and when all else
as failed, will as cneel fully lay down nv
lie upon the last spot which is sacred TO free
ON But have no love for such scenes.
nd no desire to become an actor in them.
ola IL TO be the duty of a good citizen to
ook well at all the consequences, before
lunging into revolution, either under the
l1ueuce OF his oWn passions, or at the dicta- {
ion OF ambitious leaders. Conceding his
al right TO stake his own life upon the des-
crate game. it is still certain that he has ,
o right to tri1e with the lives and bapni-
ess OF others. We have ready refuge
ON tyranny, but in the meantime what is
D become OF the wife who sheds halo around
our hreslde. OF these gentle and tender girls
no are scattered like lovely flowers through
his assembly-Or of the little ones voubaVe
1T at home in the sweet enjoyment of secure
nd peaceful sleep? They are debarred by
AZURE, and the customs of society, from TAX !
lg part IN fierce conflict.
Where life is lost, freedom won
nd when we have gone down to bloody.
lough 1t may be honored graves, they will
main to become the victims, or the slaves
our murderers. Am L wrong, then, in
SKIING you to be certain that some intolera-
lie grievance exists, for which there is no
Fer honorable redress, before becoming a !
lrty to disunion? Lay your hands uponl
BUR hearts and tell me, if you can, what
lat grievance is. What wrong are you suf-
ring? What oppression weighs upon you?
ne sun which will rise tomorrow from be-
nd yonder mountains, in its long Journey.
Ill shine upon no land so happy, so blessed a
ours. 1t will travel on from continent to
sometimes in joy, and sometimes :
SoFroW-looklng down upon the chained
ptlve In one place-upon the lordly propri-
or IN another--upon the widows anguish
another, and the lovers raptures in an
her; but no where else will it's beams be
addened by the presence of universal peace:
universal plenty; and of universal free
IN: Why, then, should you wish to destroy {
e Government under which. and by which, n
this has been secured? What desire can Q
u have to substitute for that splendid and "
orIou picture, landscape whose waters Z
tears, whose vegetation has been blasted b.
lire, and whose Inhabitants have been HI
nned out by the sword? W