Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-11-20

The number Of typographical errors which escaped correction
TIE following communication, materially marre 1t that
deem 1t the author repubIsh IN
ner-EDs. UNION AMERIcAs.l
The Great Political Crisis: Position of
Tennessee.
The following thoughts arc presented to the pub
lie over my own initials. though papers have fre-
quentIy been prepared by for the UNION AND
AMERICAN which have appeared regular editorial
matter. My reason for thus adopting a different
course from that previously acted upon is not any
conceited fancy that additional weight viii be given
to my views by the name of the writer; on the con-
trary very large majority of readers will be en-
tirely ignorant who it is that is addressing them,
but desire that these suggestions may be consider
ed as thrown out by an individual who is alone re-
sponsible for them, and not as emanating from the
party which has been so long and ably represented
by this paper-not the offspring of party organiza
ton or of party feeling in any sense. The very few
who will recognize the writer by his initials may
perhaps recognize in him at least some negative
qualifications desirable il who speaks on such
occasions the present-such previous secluslon
from the Intoxicating influence of active partizan-
ship and generally the habit of reflective rather
than active cognizance of the course of political
| events 1.-The many on the other hand to whom the
initials and their owner are entire strangers Will in
fer nothing but the absence of responsibility on the
part of the regular editors of the UNION AND AMERi-
CAN
To commence, then, it would seem almost super
uOus to state that the present is crisis different
in kind and character from any which has arisen
since the Revolution which issued in the formation
OF this confederation. | say il would seem super
uous but it is not So for there are even yet among
us men, not many but still some who pooh pooh the
whole affair a flash in the pan, little high talk
on the part of few fireeaters in Charleston which
will all come right if they let alone, and tell us
to keep quiet and let things take their course. Still
fewer they in this part of the country but yet
not entirely absent, who sigh for vigorous gov
ernment like that of JACKSON to crush out the whole
thing with round of grape, who abuse the South
ern States for resisting their manifest destiny, the
gradual extinction of slavery within their borders
which is already the will Of the majority and there
fore neither can nor ought to be resisted. If we
supposed that any considerable portion of the peo
pie of Tennessee held sentiments such either Of the
classes specified above, this paper would not be
written for on the suppostlOnit would be hope
less to attempt rousing the State to any beneficial
action and on the other, entire inaction would be
the only course from which a favorable result
could be anticipated.
BUTT is evident that the great body of our peO-
pie agree with me, In considering that an awful
emergency has arisen in which, only the profoundest
wisdom and the purest patriotism can hope to rescue
us from tine wreck of all those national hopes which
have been grounded upon the presumed success and
| permanency of this republican confederation. We
witness this conviction in the profound revolution In
political feeling. which simultaneously followed
upon the announcement of the result of the Presl-
| dental election and of the transactions IN South
| Carolina and some other Southern States. We see
one of the eager party contests that has ever
been witnessed, sienced and Frustrated at blow:
men have ceased to be Democrats or Opposition
men, BELL men, BREcKNRIDGE or DOUGLAS men and
think and act and feel fellOwcitizens of cOun-
| try which is in imminent danger, and every man
asks his neighbor what is to be DONE and no one Is
| ready with an answer. Business men find their bu-
siness at stand still and for seem scarcely to
desire that it were otherwise, wishing to give their
whole minds to some possible solution of the fear
| full political problem before them. The course of
| public feeling has been the exact reverse OF that
witnessed in all other Presidential elections there
has always been crisis but hitherto that crisis has
been set at rest when the final decision has been
made men have acquiesced in the result as JdH
| accompi and gone about their ordinary occu-
patons as before, the tempestuOus excitement OF
/ the contest being succeeded by dead
political calm. How different the result
| of the contest Just concluded 1t IS
only after the close of the electoral struggle that
the gigantic dimensions of the peril upon which we
are drifting force themselves upon US, we are ike
the crew of a ship sailing in a mist, which, when
the fog lifts for a moment, IS found to be rapidly
rushing on an iceberg. One unparalleled circum-
stance is, that no one comes forward with sug-
geston as to what is to be done, fruitful as our
country is in politicians and their schemes in ordi
nary times, men now look at another in silence
| and so far from venturing counsel what should
be done, scarcely venture even to inquire fearing
the incalcLlable dangers which seem to beset every
mode of action Gen. Pillows recommendation of
general Convention of the Southern States for the
purpose of inducing the seeding States to pause
and try whether they can modify their position so
as to act in concert with the whole South. is
an exception and merits the most careful consider
alton. and will form the basis of much that have
advance in this paper but there are some things
which Tennessee, State, has to do, think, which
will not admit of the delay incidental to such =
transacton these will be considered further on at
present l propose the question, what is the mode
and spirit in which South Carolina and any other
States which may unite with her in action should
be approached by those who desire to modify
her action. And here, in justice to myself, let
me state my frank conviction that this matter
should be in other hands, that the subject should
be grappled with by men whose names would carry
the weight with them in which mine is entirely def
Gent there are at least two men in Tennessee who,
ought by this time to be heard from, and will
them One of them is the Governor of the State,
the other is Mr. JOHN BELL The Governor is the man
upon whom alone so long as the Legislature is not in
session it devovcs to speak and act in behalf of the
State the other gentleman has been recently recOgnis
ed by majority of the voters in the State the man
most deserving their confidence as the conservator
of that Federal Union to which it is party, and
each them has the distinguished confidence of one
the great parties in the State and both possess the
respect and esteem of a large number of those even
who have been their political opponents. Had eth
err of them spoken, thi writer would have been |
gladly silent but all others remaining silent, have
come to the conclusion that no course of conduct is
80 dangerous as that of folding our hands and blind
" trusting to the chaDter of accidents for something
to turn up which is to rescue from our dangers,
and that if no one else will speak, will, if it is /
only to elicit the opinions of some others.
How then are we to approach South Carolina? In
what spirit, and what proposition should we make!
One thing is evident and that is that if we hope
to be listened to we must approach her as friends,
as threatened with the same dangers as she is, as
needing for our own protection and safety the con-
certed action we offer for hers In one word, we
must speak as men having common cause with
her though differing to the mode of defending it.
ANYTHING like dictation she is but little likely to
listen to- and trite dsqusitions the value of the
Union, however good in their way, may well be
spared. The men who acting for her and think
ing for her have not taken their position without
considering all these things and have come to the
conclusion, do not say correctly or not, that the
Union itself in the hands of the enemies of the
South may be made rather the instrument of OPP
preston than the palladium of the liberties and
prosperity Of its constituent States. Still less should
any thing like intimidation be attempted this coul
only issue in an abrupt and angry breaking off
i, koof