Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1860-12-14

I ne e1tctlOH " MI IflcOin DY sectional
party, upon the asowed principle of hostility
to Southern institutions, is the immediate oc-
casion of the great excitement now pervadine
the South. Serious apprehensions are INDUCED
that as the anti=siayery feeling has become 50
strong as to be able to elect President, that
no justice is TO be had, no quarter to be ex-
pected under its domination, and therefore, il
is unsafe any longer to keep truce with it.
The simple selection of Mr. Lincoln, or any
other man, forms no justifable cause of Itself
to dissolve the Union. He was Constitution
ally elected, whatever we may think or say Of
the principles on which he was supported.
What he viii do, or try to do, remains to be
seen, and until then how could we Justify our
selves before the civilized world or at the bar OF
posterity, for breaking up such government
as this, upon the mere assumption or appre-
hension that he viii perpetrate, or attempt to
perpetrate some great wrongs. I must be
permitted to say, that such course upon such
pretext, would be misunderstanding in true
courage, and unworthy of any portion of the
American people. 1 am not his apclogist.
And it is known to most of you, that 1 did all
I could to defeat his election. I went to New
York, at considerabl Inconvenience, and
labored most earnestly for several weeks be-
foresthe election, to avert what I believed
would be calamity to my country. am now
realizing in all its bitterness, my worst antici-
pations. But what can he actually do? re-
ply, nothing, except what Congress may choose
to permit him. There viii be majority in
both Houses against HIM, He cannot even
organize his administration without the con-
sent Of the Senate, nor get a dollar out of the
Treasury without the consent of both. If he
had the genius and courage of Julius Caesar,
he can be made powerless for good or evil.
Therefore he can do no harm to the South if he
would-nor do l believe he would if he could.
We must allow that he has some patriotism
that he hastalents, and love of his own inter-
ests-and he would be worse than a mailman
to attempt any aggression on the rights of the
South, knowing, as he does, that it would be
followed by instant resistance. He has been
if he has not repeatedly de-
clared, during the late canvass, that if elected,
he would execute the Fugitive Slave Law at all
hazards, and that he was opposed to any inter
ference with slavery, either in the States or in
the District of Columbia. If he shall have the
courage to take this stand and maintain it, land
1 think he will be impelled to it by every mo
tive Of interest and policy, to say nothing of
the obligations of his oath of Office it will be
the signal of a wholesome reaction, and there
viii arise 4 sound public sentiment in the
North, willing and capable of doing justice to
the South, and peace may once more come
over distracted country. In this view of his
action and the happy consequences, have
more than hope-I have a strong confidence
founded on the necessity of the times and the
known motives of human action 1t is alto
yether probable from the reaction already
in the public sentiment of the
North, that the 'liberty billsn-wiH soon be re-
pealed in many, if not in all of the States that
nave enacted them. These measures were
passed in times of high excitement, and were
more the result of passionate spite than from
motives of considerate and permanent policy.
t is not TO be supposed that whole communities
viii persevere in maintaining such laws, when
hey see their country in danger by them-and
specially when they begin to reap, along with
Is, the harvest of death to our common COM
nercial prosperity.
As to the question of the right of taking
laves TO the public territories there is Directs
ue between Mr. Lincoln and his friends and the
'eople of the South. They are expressly com
nitted, in their platform, to the doctrine of
Prohibition by Congress. This would be
rave issue, if we had any territory left upon
Which the question could arise. But in fact
re have no territory upon which the ques-
ion has not been settled in some form
# other, and upon which the country now re-
,oses. So, whether Southern man has a right
o go into a-public territory with his slave on
he one hand, or Congress has the power to
prohibit him, on the other, is for the present
N abstraction, and might, with safety, be de-
erred. The occasion may never arise to test
land if it ever does, it Is likely to be under
ther auspices than those of the Presidency of
ir. Lincoln.
But large portion of our Southern breth-
en- are less hopeful-haye no confidence in
ny corrective to be derived from a change in
'ubiic sentiment, and have become tired of all
They declare immediate seces-
ion the only remedy, and they are prepared
o resort to it with all its responsibilities. Their
rieyances cannot be greater than ours. Indeed,
hey are less, for residing, as we do, near the
order, we lose five, perhaps ten slaves to
be one that is lost by any of the Gulf States.
We are in position, toe, to be more annoyed
Y constant apprehension from the facilities by
7hich we may be assailed. Still we have the
anne grievances common interest, and
re bound together by a thousand kindred ties,
-hich we are unwilling to dissolve. And now,
fter all the speculations we may indulge and |
Il the theories of well grounded hope that re-
ress may come in the ordinary course of pub |
C opinion, and corresponding change of pol |
nd for myself announce without hesitation, |
lat I am opposed to disunion for any existing i
ause. Nothing has yet TRANSFERRED that would
Istify US for a moment, before any rule of
,und morals, or by any test of wise policy,
abandoning such government as this. We
ave grievances; have enumerated them, and
el them, and appreciate them as Southern
an. But We have remedies within the Union
hich We havesnet yet exhausted. 1t is our
lty to ourselves and our pesterity, and it is
lie to the memory of our fathers and their
ample to try all peaeeable means in our pow
I, before resorting to the dernier right of
with all the horrors that may ensue
ON it. Our forefathers spent long years in
linful argument with the mother country,
efore they took up arms. They had no
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