Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1860-08-17

I
Of that party and, as in the case of Mr. Lincoln,
we must judge of hispubc course by the party he
consents to represent
Who are they? There is not disunionist South
of Mason and Dixons line that know of who does not
belong TO that party. (Applause) We have for a
long time heard mutterngs of disunion in the South
-fnore than muttcrings-more than the whispering
of such sentiments. We have seen them proclaimed
by high men in high places. We have seen con-
yentions assemble for the purpose of promoting
the cause of dsu.ion. We have seen il first assume
the character and name of nullifcation--The State
claiming the right to annul the laws passed by the
whole people of the United States, to annul acts of
Congress-and from that day TO this we have it as
suming one form and another form one face to an
other, one pretext to another, by this man and by
that man, by conventions assembled for the purpose
by open negotiations carried between the States
and by public declarations that the movement was
postponed because not enough States in the South
could be got to go into the enterprise to make il
cessful We have seen all these evidences Of spir-
il of disunion. 1t is not material to say now from
what cause this spirit has sprung but let me for
single moment alude to this subject Why are they
for dissolution of the Union2 What harm has the
Union done? Wrongs may have been done individuals
They may have received wrongs by unjust legisa-
tion upon the part of Congress. Our great men may
not have had their fair share Of public honors from
the hands Of the President. They may have re-
of such wrongs? What is the remedy which
must be sought? 1t is to turn out of their places
in the proper constitutional mode those who have
misadmnstered the government The government
has done no wrong The Constitution and the I'm
ion have done no wrong. They command equal JUS
tice to be done to every and every State and
every section Their agents may have dsobeyed
their injunction, and everything may have been done
wrong through individuals. But individuls are
amenable. What remedy would the destruction of
the Constitution afford? Could they get out of its
ruins indemnity for the wrongs on account of which
they would tear it down? Could it give any salts
faction? Could it make any atonemeut? No.
And yet by some strange perversity other their
minds have been brought to look upon disunion rs
a remedy for political wrongs, 1t has caused none
of them the destruction of it would be rem
edy for nonc but the greatest of all evils to the peo
pie of the United States.
Others have taken different view of it. They
look with disaffecton towards the Union and OPEN
ly avow it. The ultra Southern States participate
in this feeling, and Senators in Congress, men,
know, of character and reputation espouse the same
fatal cause. This is the party of which we may en-
terrain apprehensions that it will effect the dismem
berment of the government. Many of its members
are noble spirited gentlenmen 1t is only upon this
one subjct they have, been misled or have mised
themselves. They have been betrayed into this de-
lusion. In all other respects they are generous and
OF high characters, but the spirit of disunon pre-
walls among them, and is only the more dangerous
when entertained by such men, They openly TEX
about it, they write about it, they invite it. They
have rocked themselves into the belief that the Gov
ernmen must be dissolved They want to meet the
imagined necessity at once; they want to dissolve
the Union Immediately, TO preciptate the people in
to it. The people are not tar-seeng AS they are.
The leaders anticipate overt acts the part of the
Republicans, and want now to effect a revolution in
the cotton States, and establish new government.
These sentiments pervade the South and make up the
body and soul of the party which has nominated
feow-citizen, Mr.. Breckinridge, as its candidate
for the Presidency. Is there danger that by
eccting him you would give new energy to that
destructive impulse, and new power to this disunon
sentiment and TO the cause of disunion Mr.. Breck-
inrdge himself follows in the lead. He is part and
parcel of the great party. You this by his NOM
ination and acceptance of it, and hence forsee
with clearness the disasters that would follow his
success Possibly it may be the policy of those wi o
nominated him to unite Old Kentuky to this new
Contedracy. Old Kentucky is quite an important
State in this Union. (Appause) She is in the heart
of it-she is the heart of it, Immense euthusiasm.)
To obtian her concurrence is of the greatest possible
consequence to those who fancy that they make
"A Republic in the South ore glorious
and more prosperous than the great Republic of
which we now form part. Kentucky and Ten
nessee, which old General Gains called two military
pui'Ss vi tHiOu, nave IAN IN LIle way OF tnat
sort OF treachery to the Union. (Long and loud APP
plause) They are two States not easily overcome,
and though would not wish to diminish the honor
OF Breckinridges nomination, as he himself conceves
it yet imagine there are thousands in the South
who would go for Mr.. Breckenridge mainly in the
hope that it might be the means of annexing Ken
lucky as a sort of frontier province to this Southern
Republic of Cotton States that is to be made (Cheers
and laughter) If they can bring about that union
if they can bring over old Kentucky and made her
on ally of their scheme for the dsmemberment of this
lConedracy and the erection of n seperate Republic
it would he matter of very little consequence
wether Mr. Breckenridge was elected or not
Continued Cheering They would rather have Ken
lucky for their ally than Mr. Breckenridge for their
President. Increased appause.) There is no disun
ionist in the South who would not make choice
fear this. am Union man. and partuary ica-
Gus of everything that theratens the existence of
the Union.
Every one Of YOU, | trust, remembers the fare
well address Of George Washington. Upon the first
dawning of anything like an attemptto ALLEVIATE one
portion Of the country from another he tells us to
trown indignantly upon it and upon the man who
shall ever attempt even TO impair the ties which
bind us together as people, and to be Jealous and
watchful of the Union as the great palladium of our
our rights, The ground of these suspicious and ap-
prehcnsions is more clearly dscerned every week.
believe it is my duty to have Jealous regard for
INC s''ety anu pTcseTNhtlOn OF my country ana the
Union, which take to be one and the same thing.
! (Applause.) Old Kentucky has ever been the strong
est supporter of this Union, and under no circum-
stances trust will she ever be seduced from that
high character. She is sprung of noble race di-
rcctly from the Revolution that established Amer-
can liberty. (Applause,) Our soldiers fresh from
the field of war with Great Britain, and Immediate
! ly after the establishment of independence sought
in this section that bounty land which was all their
country had to give them in return for their death
less services. Shall we, their children, pull down
the work Of our fathers with our own sacreligious
hands, see it torn down by others? If an Eng
lish French, Russian or any foreign foe should
contemplate the tearing down of this government,
would you not shed the last drop of your hearts
blood in defence of your noble birthright2 Shall
we stand by and see the same thing contemplated
the same work done by our own countrymen viii
you allow yourselves 10 be driven In or drawn in
aecompces I, such AN iguominionS act No. Un-
less Keutuckians have changed their blood, and