Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1860-05-26
The Issue of D.a MON.

dafi, CuaTleston, last Satufuhy night. W
sustain the seceders from the Charleston
Convention, and to ratify the platform which
was rejected by that body. incorporated in
the proceedings we find letter from the
Hon. J. II. HAMMOND, q. s. Senator from
South Carolina, which is worthy of particu-
lar attention. Mr. HAMMOND thinks the
.sbest next step" for the seceders is to ap-
point delegates to the Richmond Convention,
and that it may mot be improper to commits
sion them delegates to any other Convex
ton which these times may bring forih'-a
Southern Convention for instance. he thinks
IL essential that the eight seeding Cotton
States should be kept together in the closest
bonds of union and good feeling; desiring
probably to take advantage of the Charles
ton enIcufe to effect what Mr.. YANcEY, in
1858, proposed to effect by means of South
ern Leagues-viz to combine the Cotton
States and '.precipitate them into a revOlu
ton" 1t il not the policy of Mr.. HAMMOND,
any more than it was of Mr.. YANCEY. at
Charleston, to avow bis object openly and
boldly. The cause OF ditunion could not
flourish, If such avowals were made. The
Cotton States must be prepared for disunion
Indirectly. Hence. Mr. HAxAOND's enuneia-
ton of the opinion that the proposed Rich
mond Convention would not have "any ten
dency towards bringing about disunion of
the United States" and the further enun-
citation of the idea that the North does not
believe the South would dare to face
;oh
he intimates it is pressing keenly upon
Us, in Congress, and every where" In
press the South thus with the belief that
the North doubts her ability and courage to
face the tissue of disunion,r and is therefore
'keenIy pressing it" upon her arouse ali
her sensibilities on this subject which touches
her in her tenderest and most sensitive point.
and, Mr.. HAMMOND doubtless think she will
adopt his opinion, that she mus meet tie issue
Of disuaiol and MEET IT NOW. In one of his
street harangues at Charleston, Mr.. YANCEY
said it was probable that the p-n of the his
torian was already nibbed to write the story
of a new revolution. This may be so. if a.
Mr.. HAMMOND asserts, we must meet the issue
of disunion now.
We do not doubt that the idea of disunion
underlies the secession movement of the Cot
ton States, and that the leaders wish to avail
themselves of the proposed Richmond Conven-
ton to further the cause. But they are making
a grand mistake. They are foolingthem>elves
with the belief that the hopes of the people of
the South are based upon the democratic
party. and that combining the democracy OF
the Cotton States against the other sections
The people of the South love the Union. and
these plOtters will discover when they I'M
fold their projects. that they themselves are
doomed, and not the Union.
We apnex the letter of Mr.. HAMMOND:
WASHINGTON, 18th May. 1850.
Dear SRI have received the polite invi-
tation of your Committee to attend public
meeting in Charleston on the 18th inst.
and to address it. Ii would be very pleas
ant to me to be with you. But while SO
fatiguing a trip would be severe tax on my
not vigorous health, should neglect my du-
ties here. at a time when they are becoming
very important, and can, in very few
lines. say To- you all that | could say at your
meeting, to attend which l would have to
travel twelve hundred miles and lose ten days
from the Senate.
Practical craftsmanship consists in taking
the best net step. Honor, honesty and phi
lOsophic craftsmanship require that step
should be taken on a broad line of policy.
based upon sound aud comprehensive princi-
pies. In my opinion the next step which all
these Statrs whose delegates seeded from
the late Convention in your city should take.
md are in honor bound to take, IS 10 apo int
Delegates 10 meet IN Convention at Richmond, on
The day appointed by the seeding Delegations.
At this critical time, with events deeply
affecting any opinions any one may enter
tain IA to what that Convention should do
crOwding rapidly upon US, / think that those
delegates should be chosen from among the
ablest aud most reliable men of each State,
and that they should be clothed with ample
and almost unlimited discretionary powers.
The only instruction | would give them
would be, that they should take care that
these States should receive no detriment. 1t
might not be improper to commission them as
delegates to any other Convention which
these times may bring forth, and which
ia their judgment they might see fit to unite
with.
Whilst the broadest and perhaps truest
policy of the whole country is to maintain
the Union of all the States, under the Fede
raj Constitution, il is undoubtedly a wise
policy TO maintain Union of the slayehold-
ing States and other immediate neighbOrs;
hut il is esseHfidI that the eight seeding OF
ton States should he kept together in the
closest bonds of Union and good feeling.
With their large territorial area, their pres
ent and growing population, and their sur
plus productions, eagerly sought after in
nearly every market in the world, and com
manding annually two hundred millions OF
dollars in specie, they would, If organized
by themselves under our present Federal
Cons tuition, constitute Republic that
would at once command the respect of every
civilized power. They have substantial
basis on which they can stand, whoever
might fall.
Ii is, therefore. their policy, and any other
would be suic,fal. TO maintain with each other
at all times. and in every crisis, the most in
innate aud fraternal association They should
then, as | have said. meet, according to APP
poiutment. nj Richmond, represented by their
best men, invested with almost all power.
Such a meeting do not think. would have
any tendency towards bringin about the dis
union OF th" United States. believe It's ef
feet would be- precisely the reverse. \ large
majority of the people of the non-slavehold-
ing States. misguided by ambitious and ia
naiical leaders, seem bent on our destruction
ignorant that ii involves their own. That il
does, IL is in vain To argus TO them. They are
told aud believe that We are weak, and in the
face Of the fact that we have been strong
enough to control this Government ever since
IL was established. and TO make the country
all that1t Is. they have been made TO believe
that the South dare not face the North, OH
any decisive firld-in short, the issue y dis
unioh And that issue Is Iehdt, Il seems % me,
hcy are noe pressing kocHty on RS, IN Coagres,
aud eueTytchere. We must meet Il, and met Is
now. And. in my opinion, the way To meet
is, not by Wild resolves OF Legislatures, or
Conventions; by absurd brayadoes OF news
paper editors; or. by the reckless defamation
of travelling orators; but by the calm. noise
Icss, yet stern assemblage at Richmond Of the
best men OF the seeding Sintes-betIer per-
haps Of all the SIatss-who shall-saying lit
tie, threatening nothing, cxacting less even