Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-12-23
Letter from WIN. j. sYkes. ESQ.

! SAAA~S t'-S@~N-N-N-
Letter from WIN. J. Sykes, Esq.
We publish below by request of the gentlemen
to whom it was directed the letter of Mr.. SYKES of
Maury Mr.. SYKES is known as one of our purest
men and most vigorous thinkers. Hence his views
will command respect from those who differ most
widely from him.
COLUMBIA December II, 1860.
GENTLEMEN: Your letter requesting me- " in view
of the difficult and dangerous aspect of public
affairs, to a favor the public with full discussion
Of the question at the earliest practicable time,
has been received.
1t is not convenient for me to appoint any time to
address the people of Maury county in regard to the
existing political difficulties and the perous condi-
tion of the country, but embrace this opportunity
of giving my views frankly in regard to what, in
my opinion, we in Tennessee ought to do, whether
these views such as to meet the appreciation of
any one else or not
Whatever we do must be done with promptness and
decision yet with prudence and elaboration. The
issue is upon us whether we desire it or not and
must make a decision one way or the other.
The force of circumstances will compel us to take
action, and that without unnecessary delay. We
cannot halt between two opinions" We must
soon decide whether Tennessee will go with
the North or South. The indications now are that
there will be no settlement of the difficulties be-
tween the two sections. In less than thirty days
six or eight of the Southern States will have, in
all probability dissolved their connection with the
present Federal Government Wien that takes
place the Union will be dissolved. l shall not
enter into any elaborate argument to show who is
responsible for this state of things; suffice it to
say, l think the whole blame rests upon the Black
Republican party. They have elected President
who declares that this Government cannot endure
permanently half free and half slave" that an in
spection Of the Constitution will show that the right
Of property in slave is not distinctly and expressly
affirmed in it." that he who would be no slave must
conseEt to haze no slave. Those who deny freedom
TO others deserve it not themselves and under
just God cannot long retain it. These are the doc
trines Of the Black Republican party as expounded
by their chosen leader In repeated instances they
have violated the Constitution, they have broken the
covenant. they have dissolved the Union and upon
them must rest all the fearful responsibility of hav-
ing destroyed this Government If this be not their
desire, let them now come forward in Congress and
in their State Legislatures and through Conventions
of their States if need be- and secure 10 the South
ern States their plain constitutional rights and the
Union may yet be preserved. The Southern States
ask for nothing more than their rights under the
Constitution and they will be satisfied with nothing
less than their distinct recognition, and guarantees
for their faithful protection If the Northern States
willing to give these before the 4h of March the
Union may be preserved and peace restored. Ii
they not willing do 1t is useless to talk OF
preserving our present Union
When this Government shall be desolved then
go out Of it for there will be no Union to stay in
NJ Government TO secede from; it will have been
destroyed. and we, must then decide whether we
viii go with the North South That will be the
question which Tennessee will have to decide. If
we decide 10 go with the North under Lincoln what
will become OF our Memphis and Charleston Rail
road. running through Alabama and Mississippi
what OF the Mobile and Ohio Railroad running
through the same States what of the railroad run
ming from Nashville to Decatur? Where will our
sci uulHs md 9th 2
Where will be the market for our negroes. If we
have any TO sell? Now nearly all trade is with
the South, so far as selling is concerned and we
help to enrich the North with the very means OBJ
tanned from the Southern States. The Cotton States
as they called, help to enrich us and the
Northern States 10 impoverish u.s. If we will not
go with the Southern States. they. from necessity
will raise their own stock, tEeir own negroes and
buy nothing from u.s. What will then be our condi-
ton? What will then become of our commercial
cities, Memphis, Nashville and Knoxville? Again
If We do not go with the South will not the South
ern Methodist Church be divided, and what will
then become Of the Publishing House at Nash
Vile the pride of our State and the ornament of that
city? What will become of the University of the
South established by the Southern Diocesses of the
Protestant Episcopal Church. and located in Ten
nessee! Are to lose all these benefits. in order
to with the Northern States, who hate and our
Institutions and intend to destroy them if they can?
But may be asked, what sort OF Government the
Southern States will establish. That is easily an
swered They will establish COnfederacy of States
upon pure States Rights principles. protecting the
rights OF the minority as well those of the major
ity, and will discard all the Agrarianism Fourier
ism, and Ant-Rentsm of the Northern Black Re-
publican States. They will doubtless adopt as has
already been indicated by Mississippi, the present
Constitution with few amendments, making plain
what may now appear doubtful. As few changes as
possible will be made, because this movement will be
controlled by the wisest, BEST and most conservative
statesmen of the Southern States though at this time
some of the most rash and violent are the most
noisy. They will, however, am satisfied. not be
the chief actors in constructing a Federal Govern
ment for the Southern States. The present Consti
tuition is entirely satisfactory to the Southern
States and all they complain of is that it has been
and will continue to be violated by the Northern
States.
Some apprchend danger from the reopenng of the |
African slave trade. There is no danger of this. !
especially if the Middle Slave States go with the Gulf
States, as any who knows the sentiment of the
people of these States must be satisfied But if we
do not 90 with them and they do reopen the Afri-
can slave trade, it will injure much as if we
were with them; because then they will not permit |
US to send negroes INFO their States, and conse
quently our negro property will become almost |
YaluelCss in Tennessee.
In regard to the expenses of the Southern Repub-
lie it is only necessary to state that the South has
directly and indirectly sustained nearly the whole
of the present Government and If that is so,
be shown from statistics, certainly she can sustain |
a Southern Republic. Os the exports from the !
United States in 1853, SOS, $780, jl were from the !
Southern States, and only POP from the |
Northern States. / cannot in this letter 20 into that
subject at length. ] have only to say, that if a !
Southern Republic were established, the duties |
might be reduced one-thrd or one-half. and then
be ample to carry on the government with the ut
most success Then Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia,
North Carolina and the Northern portions of Alaba-
ma and Georgia would receive the benefits which
the Northern States receive from the Southern
trade. They would become the manufacturing and
stock raising States Of the Southern Republic
As to the danger apprehended by some that the
Southern States would not remain together, | can
zee grounds for any such fears. Their interests
their feelings, their sentiments would all be similar
They would all be slave States and that has been
the question: the agitation of which has disturbed
and IS now about to destroy the Union. there would
he no danger from that. We would be a homoge-
leUus people and we would remain together [
also believe that If the North western States would
abandon their Black Republican doctrines. Ihey too
you'd soon become members of the new C0nfeder-
aey' under such Constitution as would forever put
90 rest to the slavery question Their interests and
elI geographical situation would incline them TO a
soon 90. WY WYNN
WI thus disruption take place peaceablv. or will
wa Dc me consequence: That depeuis ON the
North. The South desires ueaca oTj III III t.e
but II attacked will defend herself If the Nortb
desires peace let all the matters connected with
separauon sach as the disposal OF the public urop
erty. the payment of the public debt the r.,-;F,fF
of the Mississippi river, &c. be arranged nnom
fair and honorable means by treaty. and then al
will be well IT, however. they want war tba
South will have to defend herself, and upon the
heads of the Northern people will rest all the
blame.
1t is useless to hold Southern Convention to
make propositions to the North. That can be done
by our Senator's and Representatives in Congress-
asking amendments to the Constitution and by our
State Legislatures making appeals to the Northern
Legislatures, which will be in session during the
month Of January. If the propositions made by our
Congressman are rejected, and if the propositions
made by our Legislatures will, in the language of
the New York Tribune, not even be considered hE
the free States, much less submitted to-" then the
South can and will be prepared to act together The
objection to holding a Southern Conference with
view a settlement of the difficulties. and for the
purpose Of remaining in the present Union, is that
we can ascertain the sentiments Of the Northern
States through the action of their CO1greSsmen and