Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-01-18

the Constitution in all its parts, Sc. approve Of
the objects expressed and would most gladly attend
but the late day at which your invitation was sent
does not permit me. The last train Of cars which
would enable me to reach New York in season will
soon pass here, and can not consistently arrange
my business to leave upon so short a notice
But, while [ shall much to my regret be depFiv
ed of the pleasure of meeting the patriotic assembly,
my absence will not be material for there has been,
in my judgment speaking enough the subject and
quite too much, in proportion 70 the acting The
subject is by no means new one to me- and have
nothing to say upon it. except what 1 said years
since. in a responsible position, but, perhaps some
of the sentiments viii bear repeating. Although
recent events have aroused the public mind from ITS
lethargy they have rather revived than increased
the alarms which have experienced for the seeu-
rty Of our institutions. and quickened IN the same
the Indignation which have long felt for all such
violations Of law and disturbers of tbs puGhc peace
Tie safety of the Southern people depends upon
the peace Of the existing relations between the races
and they cannot be expected 70 submit taInely 10
that Offcious and offensive interference winch de-
stroys and degrades them.
This nefarious sectional spirit can never be ar
rested by mere public gatherings, by Well-WFoughI
/ figures of rhetoric, nor by peans to the glorious
Union for all these have been stereOtyped ana set
to music and recited and repeated by good perform
/ ers but if we would have peace, we must do JUS
with a practical hand,-we must act as well as
and extract and crush out forever the lnsldi0us
worm which gnaMs like a canker at the very root Of
]
Germs take care of our disturbers and leave other
States in all theat relates TO their domestic pOliy,
/ 80 free and independent
! The Southern States are numerically the weaker,
but they are So because Virginia the prolific mother
of States and patriotism voluntarily ceded the great
Northwest now forming large portion Of the tree
! North to the General Government, for the benefit
Of all The institution Of domestic Slavery, which
exists with Them is from its nature an interest Pc
| culiarlv sensitive, and before can do them or
| ourselves Justice We must take stand point
with them and feel whatthey have felt and bear what
they have borne; must see that the colonies, IN
| casting of the tyrannOus exactiOns of the British
| Crown were baptised in blood at their birth, as
free and independent States" and that the Const-
/ tuition which united these States, was framed and
| adopted declared in its preamble, to form a
/ perfect Umon establish justice, insure domestic
tranquility, provide for the common defense, pro
mote the general welfare, and secure the blessings
Of liberty to ourselves and our posterity." How
far one portion Of the States have treated another
as free and Independent, and under the practice Of
the last few years. how far justice has been estab
lished domestic tranquility insured, the general
| welfare promoted, IN the relations OF States Win
each other, let impartial history answer.
Scarcely had we completed emancipation IN orr
own State before canOr was raised for the repeal
of the law permitting the citizens Of other States
passing through this or sojOurning in It, upon busl-
ness or pleasure for nine months to bring with them
the servants of their household and retain them
| and return with them, and the act was repealed
without advantage to a single human being in der
ogaton Of State comfy and good faith, IN a spirit
of menace and hostility in violation Of all social pro
priety, and commercial interesi and convenience.
| Churches North and South, which had long form
ed strong bond of union in their general assoca-
tons, and had taken sweet counsel together IN then
conferences and organizations became severed. The
serpent of sectional discOrd had craWled into this
Eden. where songs Of redeeming grace aud dying
! love were sung by children of a common father to-
gether when, if there had been one single spot on
earth exempt from the influences Of this fell section
al spirit it should have been there's and representa-
tives from free States. with true pharisaica sanct
| ~ thanked God that they were not as other men,
and dissolved the connection, because Of the great
| sin of slavery!
Publications for many years have been sown like
dragons teeth over the land calculated and intend
ed to disturb the relations between master and slave
| societies nave been organized and endowed-tunds
| raised and accumulated, arms and deadly weapons
and munitions have been gathered together in build
ings cOnsecrated to the service Of the Almighty to
! aid in the crusade against Shareholders.
Pulpits have been desecrated to the base service
of sectionalism missionaries have been sent forth
! to war upon sl2Yery-strOng combinations Tor the
stealing and running of Of slaves and to prevent
the reclamation Of fIgitves have been formed per
sona liberty bills to defeat the federal laws and
override the constitution have been passed; all right
of equality IN theory and in practice, IN the com
nor property of the Union has been denied them
| and one incessant tone Of Pronunciation has been
]
| era from one end Of the free states to the other
until it has become diused through our entire sys
tenn 1t has not only furnished the virus for party
Inflammation in our political contests, where dema-
gOgues furnish the staple, and ignorance and preJu-
dice and passion and fanataclsm construct the fab
ric, but it enters largely into our religious and So
! cial organizations.
Last though not least. comes the foray Of John
Brown at Harpers Ferry, ushered IN with stealth,
fraud. robbery murder, treason, and attempted IN
- f.|.a rrnFI 10 Fl1g
have paid the highest human penalty for crime,
! and were it not for those who were as guilty as
| himself but less manly and courageous, his ashes
might rest in peace But history remains, ana when
! it is attempted invest it with sanity and brave
/ and heroic virtues the truth should be told, even
! though we would gladly be spared the recital HIS
! course in Kansas vas marked by every species OF
wrong and violence, and his pathway can be traced
/ by bloody footprints along his whole career FROM
/ theft to murder. he went TO the heighbOrhOJd OF
his exploits under false name, and gathered arms
| and implements wherewith to enable lnturIated
| blacks. if he could arouse them, to murder mas
ter and mistress and children end the peaceful I'M
suspecting inhabitants generally, and then, at the
| dark and silent hour Of midnight, when not even
the pale moon and trembling stars looked out. when
! honest men were sleeping, when thieves and mUr-
derers prOwl and evil beasts roam for their prey,
the assassin whettcd his knife and bTardlshcd his
bloody pike, and murdered the Unsuspecung and
defenselcss and for this his crime Is invested with
romance, and sugared over with panegyric, and he
is called brave and heroic by those whose evil SEN
timents urged him on and by those who furnished
the snews for this unnatural and wicked wap
What would have been a dastardy murder IN
others was herosm in him, and the sentimental
struggled for the privilege Of clasping his hand,
vet dripping with the blood of his victims an
anti slavery woman, gentle. kind and vrtuous pass
ed by all other sorrow and restitution and suffer
ing that she might be permitted to 90 to the teloas
cell and nurse the murderer who had sought to
arm and turn loose at midnight the ignorant and
lawless, and brutal, upon her terrified sArleknE
and defenceless sex.
He has been canonized BY the basphemOus or
gies of those who demaRd anti-slavery Bible and
an anti-savery God as a second St. John in the will
derness of Harper Ferry who was to prepare the
way for their grim deity, and to make his paths
straight by an underground railroad. when the
culDrlt after a fair. impartial and patient trlal
had been condemned, and was eEplatns ms crimes
bells were t0lled, minute guns were fired and
gatherings were invoked, as though the spirit OF a
patriot OF sage was about to pass from earth to
heaven. and II was declared that the gaOWs
would hencef0rward be more glorious than the cpesa
and crucifxon; and could he have been executed
Jereea brO of these insgators and apologiss it cer
tanlv would have borne one resemblance to that
event and one O8'y.
His unfortunate family are now made the re
clnients of a noisy OstentatoUs and vulgar charity,
that the mischief of his example may be increased
and perpetuated when had relief to them have
been the object. no such parade-day display would
have signali1ed IA.
The peoplc of TIM Southern States have fcR, and
that most deeply, what every rejecting and patriot
ic mind has seen. and they have a right to demand
and will demand Of Us, not mere up service, nut q
practical fulflment Of constitutional obligations
that we retract and repeal our hostile legislation,
that we return fugitiyes from service, and that we
meet them in the true fraternal spirit Of constitu-
tionaI equality This we must do and do promptly.
and when it is done, shall again witness pacific
relations.
The Federal Government is bound to protect each
of the States against invasion, and If tOrays and
armed bands from one section, are to hover around
the borders Of States for the purpose Of invading
their territory, to murder their citizens, destroy
tLe;r property aad subTert their government, the
State thus menaced and assaulted, however pqEaEtHt
and ample in her own resources, may dellanq tie
securitv provided. and that with prOprety though |
no qya0iRi Of force can euer HaiHtdil the Union.
This sectional strife. wicked as It IS WaDtoA and
disrraceful if permitted to proceed oannut fan 10
produce more serious consequences than 1t mas ever
foresbadowed: and when it's votaries shall have sub
vered all constitutions and laws save such rs con-
form to their own mad standard. they must close |
tboir career of blood and violence, with knives at
Il L. fol +ha