Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-11-11
The Eleetlen Of LINCOLN.


We make the following extracts from the Detrsit
Free Press of The sth
For our own part we deny the right Of secession |
9yone State o. any number Of States.
The right Of revolution is inherent in every peo
Pile, and may rightly be undertaken when the evils
Of the existing government are greater IMAM would
be the evils of revolution. But revolution may not
be rightly undertaken until such time as the exist
ing government has committed grievous wrongs, the
only remedy for which is revolution.
Until the government which Lincoln will admins
tar shall have committed wrongs TO State or sec
ton the only remedy for which is revolution, seces
sion viii be inexcnsabe rebellion
IL is the duty Of the present Administration, it
will be of that which is to follow, TO execute The Fed
erdl lars IL euery State
We would prefer that there should be twenty
years rather than that a State should be per-
mitted to secedo until the right of revolution had
accrued.
The paper from which these extracts are taken is
the leading DoUGI4s organ in Michigan Mr.. DoUG-
Las in his speech at Chicago, July 9th, 1858, (See
Debates of Lincoln and Douglas, page 81 said:
In other words Mr. Lincoln advocates boldly and
clearly war Of sections war of the North against
the South of free States against the slave States
a war of eXtermnation-to be continued relentless
ly, until the other shall be subdued, and all
the States shall either become free become slave
If Mr.. DOUGLAS be correct IN his opinion of LIN
coLAs policy it certainly is the duty Of every South
ern State and every Southern man to arm at once
for resistance to the war of extermnation' which
Mr.. DoUGIAs says, Mr.. LINCOLN advocates boldly
and clearly" But we 60 not propose to discuss
that question now. We simply desire to respond
TO the conclusion of the article from the Free Press:
We would prefer that there should be twenty
years. war rather than that State should be per-
mtted 10 secede until the right of revolution had
accrued.
Tennessee does not propose to secede, but she will
not permit force to be used against any Southern
State that may see proper to withdraw from the
Union We do not desire secession. We would re-
ioce tie see it avoided but if it does come, have
to say in the language of Hon. B. II. HILL in his let
ter of October 18th
We can't fight our brothers and neighbors to
preserve JgfOrce Union with people that prefer a
platform that condemns us to Constitution that
protects. If Northern people believe patriotic
| Union speakers and papers to the contrary, they
will be woefully mistaken"
1t is well for the North to understand this at once.
If any Southern State will secede let her depart in
peace It will be better both for those that remain
and those that leave Coercion is ciUa par. The
moment tIaI a Eeuefdl gun Is ufeu upon SeCSolne
State, that moment will there be in States that have
no thought of secession tens Of thousands of men
in arms to meet the Federal forces There will be
fears of servie instruction but slaves viii be armed
as they were in the revolution to fight for the lives
liberty and honor of their masters. There will be
no hating to inquire whether State has the legal
or constitutional right to secede. There viii be nc
delay to ascertain whether they are engaged in Sc
cesson or revolution. The only inquiry will be for
the flag that is unfured over the Southern host and
then for those who dare attack it. 1t is better fol
the Government to lose one, two, three or a hall
dozen States than to engage in terrible civil war
| and lose the whole South.
We therefore 5eseech Northern journals, North
! ern men, to at once abandon the idea of coercion
Their threats will but infame the public sentiment
in the States where secession is spoken of and rem
der what is but probable, certainty. Without
coercion we can have peace and quiet in every de
partment of life, whether not there is secession
But with coercion we will have utter prostratior
of every character of business, and bloody and
/ relentless war.