Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-11-24
MarNlAnu .
COMMUNICATION.
The Evn and tho Remedy.


more startled than when the distinguished Senator
from New York, WILLIAM H. SEWARD, in his cele-
brated speech delivered at the city of Rochester,
Monday, October 25th 1858, announced the doctrine
Of the irrepressble conflict
Opinions uttered-purposes avowed by such
man-deserve something more than mere passing
notice Of all living men, none speak so authorita-
lively the sentiments and purposes of the Black
Republican party as he. Others may have contrib
uted much, perhaps MORE towards the crea-
ton Of that public sentiment that feeling Of impla
cable hate towards the South and its institutions
yet none have studied, or understood it so we'll
None know so well its length and breadth its hight
and depth None have done so much to organise
and direct its forces, TO shape and point out
its future destiny Let longer deIude
ourselves with the vain belief that we know
better than he, the object end and aim of that par
ty. 1t is the part Of wisdom, long since grown into
trusm, to learn from the enemy" what he
thinks, what he intends Forewarned forearmed.
Let US not shut our eyes to the truth, however
fearful, because it is enumerated by an enemy. 1t
viii bring no consolation to our distracted minds
when the great day of reckoning comes, that our
ears were closed to the admonitons of Apr caching
udISeE bGGduSc COlG rum Olle NLOul we tlSS
pissed, from him who was tie chief plotter of orr
destruction.
Shall tell you what this collision means9 They
who think that it is accidental unnecessary the
work of interested fanatical agtators and there
fore ephemeral. mistake the case altogether 1t is
an irrcprcssibe conflict between opposing and en-
during forces, and 1t that the United States
must and will, sooner or later become either en-
tirelv a slayeholdng nation, entirely free-Iabor
nation. Either the cotton and rice fields of South
Carolina and the sugar plantations of Louisiana will
ultimately be TILED by free labor, and Charleston
and New Orleans become marts for legitimate mer-
chandise alone or else the rye-felds and wheatfeds
of Massachusetts, and New York must again be sur-
rendered by their farmers to slave culture and to
the production Of slaves, and Boston and New York
become once more markets for trade in the bodies
and souls of 1t is the failure to apprehend this
great truth that induces so many unsuccessful at
tempts at final compromise between Slave and Free
States and it is the existence of this great fact that
renders all suct pretended compromises. when
made, vain and ephemeral. Startling as this saving
may appear to you fellOwcitizens, it is by no means
an original or modern one. Our forefatbers
knew it TO be true, and unanimously acted upon it
when they framed the Constitution of the United
States They regarded the existence of the servile
system in SO many Of the States with sorrow and
shame which they openly confessed and thew look
ed upon the collision between them. which was then
Just revealing itself and which we are now accus-
toned to deplore, with favor and hope. They knew
Illl GlLlcF VI TIC ON!lNE system must CNcuS-
lively prevail
We have copied this extensively from the Sena-
tors speech that the reader may understand its full
purport and meaning, and that we may not be sus-
pected of having hurried to our conclusions, upon
the vapid utterings of insane fanatics. That the
Immortal WASHINGTON is atoning in hell for the
sin of slavery" that the CONSTITUTION is a league
with death, and our Union a covenant with hell,n
that orr men are tyrants, knayes and mbeciles, -,
and women no. we will not write the
damning word these and other ike denunciations,
daily and hourly belched forth from the lying, pu-
trid Threats Of raying fanatics, we may afford to
treat with contempt regard only as f1tful gusts
of passion, to be followed soon by sorrow and re-
pentance, or selfdestruction.
But to the declarations of one of the greatest
minds of the age, the most influential leader of his
party, we are obliged to attach a different impor-
lance.
The opinions and purposes here avOwed are not
the ncOnsiderate uterances of passion, but of long
lifetime. study and deliberation. And mark his
words Do not we beg of you, by all that you hold
dear on EARTH reject his reasoning because leads
to the admission of an unpalatable truth or because
it comes from our great arch enemy, WILLIAM H.
SEWARD. We do not, indeed, as he does, rejoice at
the existence of this fact we deplore it it makes
our very heart grow faint, in view of the conse-
quenccs to our whole country. We try to shake it
Oil as we would frightful dream. But no, it will
not down at our bidding. There it stands great
living fact which cannot be ignored. At whatever
! peril, we must meet it.
at is the failure (he tells us) to apprehend This great
truth Gle TrYreSsble conflict that induces so rnang M
SUGGEST attempts at final compromise 6etlpe the Stare
and free States: and is the existence ar his redt fact
that renders all such pretended compromises tce made
| rain and c]heneral"
And is it true. your respected cotemporarv NAV
well ask with unaffected surprise is it indeed true,
that We are even now in the midst of an rrepress
ibe coniict-that the day Of compromise has passed
/ by Ave true as that the sun lights our earth or
reason ilumines the pathway of truth. We NAV
postpone, but we cannot by mere expedients avoid
the evil day. 1t is upon US even now. We sleep
upon a burning volcano. We have pOndered well
what we say We accept in all kindness, as we
doubt not it was intended, the admonition of the
Banner. that we should guard our language well.
But we must know the truth and the whole truth
Not select few, but ali, all at least whose duty it
will be to meet and struggle with the impending cri-
sis of our country trials The eyes Of the slave
have long since been directed with longing gaze to
this star of hope. 1t is not he. whose mind, if he
should read will be most enlightened by our words
No It's we who sit in the very midst Of darkness
and, through very fear of dissolution of our Gov
ernmcnt shut out the light which might else disclose
the dangers which threaten We but play the
part of the foolish ostrich which buries its own
eyes in the sand that its pursuers may not see it.
We have dweit with the greater length and ear
nestncss on this important feature of the subject