Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-10-16
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1850.
TheLo,.on of the Hour.

the Union to the hands of those who are pledged
to sustain it and the Constitution upon which It is
founded and the enforcement Of the laws under
which it is governed" So do We. But we desire
those to whom we commit it to say in bold and I'M
mistakable language-language clear as light-whst
are the guarantees of that Constitution, which
sectional enemies, as well as ourselves profess to
be gyided by, and what are the laws under which
we are to be governed. We wish no equivOcation,
no ignoring; no yelling of rights beneath mere
shibboleth no Sinking of great issues under pOpu-
lar phrazes and terms that chung to and conSedSd
by all parties. The real issues must now be met
In great emergencies mere words will not do
Principles must be grasped and held forth to popu
lar gsze The party that the people of the South
now support must Enthusiastically declare its prin-
cples, and its aims. No prophet of Khorassau will
serve such a crisis The Patriot proceeds -
Cannot the Union and American meet US on this
grouIdT Can it Got see that union of all Union
IS absolutely necessary TO preserve the Union?
What can be gained by holding sectional view. and
urging sectional action Can Mr.. Breckenridge be
elected2 Would not the withdrawal of Bell and
Douglas be tantamount 10 a declaration of sectional
war And in such a war, who has the majority
The North unquestionabiy. In opinion such
course would elect Mr.. Lincoln beyond peradven-
ture
The Patriot asks, what can be gained by holding
sectional view and urging sectional acton" Can
Mr.. BRECKBRDGE be elected:7 We answer that Mr.
BREcKNRDGE can be elected by that course, mas
much as it viii prove to the North that we are de-
termined to have our rights. Black RepubEcanism
owes its present undisputes ascendancy to the
weakness that the South has displayed by her igno-
minous teuds and divisions-to the imbecile policy
Of inquiring, in some quarters, whether not the
North would object to any contemplated policy be-
fore Ventured to adopt it, and to the spirit of
faction instead Of devotion TO our own rights which
has prevailed among US. No people ever gained or
preserved their rights other than by bold persist
ent and manly assertion of them. If we do not our
selves nanfully stand up for them, they will never
be granted US, a boon, by our enemies That
poor tate which allows itself to become the prey
OF factions and the victim Of weak intestine quar-
rcls and divisions, while the enemy is already
laundering at its gates is not only destined to decay
but the verdict OF history viii be that it deserves its
fate. Mr.. BEECKHRIDGE and ms party T2anfuIly hold
up the only lights that guide us through the
gloom Of this crisis, he Constitution and the Equal
ty Of the States" The people of the South are IN.
worthy Of their proud position if they refuse TO
seize this standard and bear it on to glorious vic
AlCg al 40 LSNi anu
cd But where is Mr.. BELLS strength as a Mon man:
Have lis friends exhibited it in the three great
central States Of Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana.
where the recent elections have been held and where
the Union sentiment ought to be stronger? The very
divisions of the anti-Lincoln men have served to
confuse and scatter our strength. If we had met
the enemy. IN these States. in one bold, solid de-
fiant column our chances must have proved better
for success The result shows at least, that they
could not have been worse. But even if Mr.. BRECK-
NRIDGE cannot be elected by urging sectional
action If to urge our rights be sectional-can he
be elected by the soft conciatory policy of singing
paans to the Union. the Constitution and the laws
Fanatics are not to be appeased conciliated, by
this poetic patriotism Bigotry may not be moved
bv tears. entreates and appeals. We must meet
them face to face and for every blow they give, we
must answer them with the calm courage of united
and determined action. And should we them after
exhausting every constitutional remedy, still find
ourselves pressed by their naughty, Unwarrantable
and tyranical demands we shall at least find our
whole strength consolidated, our energies concenra
ted and our courage united to defend ourselves
against the unconstitutional and longcontinued
assaults of faction that mean nothing hut our
debasement and destruction But the Patriot SAYS
would not a withrawal of BELL and DoUGLNs be
tantamount to a declaration of sectional war? Our
answer is that our safety requires that we should
meet war with war The sectional war already ex-
lists 10y the act of our enemy.
Can the Patriot doubt or deny this Does not that
journal remember that when the Mexican forces
crossed the Rio Grande. and desecrated American
soil bv assaultng American troops, at Pao Alto and
Resacl De "a Palma, the Sth and 9th OF May 1876
the Congress of the United States declared that "war
existed by the act OF Mexico Such declaration
then was an imperative necessity. failure TO
make 1t would have been craven and dIsgraceful in
the eyes Of the civilized world The time had come
TO chas6se our enemies and gloriously was the act
performed. Our arms conquered peace, and
obtained indemnity for the past and security for
the future" We do not mean 70 say that the time
has no arrived tor the South TO take mp arms.
But do say that the events OF the last few days
demonstrate that she should he united prepared ard
consolidated Cor the great political shock Of No
vember
If tie South shond not be thus prepared. she
viii find herself IN pittiful plight than were
the Grecian States when Philip of Maccdon was
maturing his plans enthrall and subiugate them
They were then told by the great Atheuian orator,
that instead Of uniting Ike treemen 10 defeat the
pretensiuns OF the willy Macedonian king, they were
standing idly about the marketpace- and asking
what news thus inviting and stimulating the
aggreasor to carry out his designs upon a people
who were too weak and indifferent 10 their own
rights TO offer manly resistance. If these people
had been united and determined, they would never
have been the prey Of tyranny.
1t cannot justly be said that the people OF the
south are urging sectional action, when they only
demand the observance Of the Constitution, the
enforcement Of the DEGREES Of the Supreme Court
and the equality Of the States against dominant
sectional party whose purpose Is TO overthrow these
sacred outposts of our rights
The Democratic party, in upholdIng the Consti-
,,on.l rights of the South, does seek to invade
tho riqLts of the North, but the contrary, holds
.ba,, sacred and inviolabe. 1t only asks for equal
-;,ts and privileges 1t is the true party of peace
T. ,,Isnts the standard upon right and equality,
which can alone insure perpetual repose. Il the
,.ton will rally to its standard, peace and ever
Letting upion are guaranteed to 1t, by the princi
pies it thus adopts
Bpt even if the BEILrEvEIETr party should MI
r.culousIv succeed in carrying the election, what
does the country gain? Only bitter and postpon'
Cd controversy. The great questions at issue be-
+,vean the North and South viii stij be open. The
s.beedirp wounds" which irritate the body polite
will not be thereby stanched. dhe Black hepap