Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1860-07-27
MIR. keitt,s Letter.

4 noteworthy incident OF the Preslden-
al campaign is the letter of Hon. L. .KEITT,
,z.racts from which We lay before the read
ers of the PATRIOT this morning. The hon
orable gentleman affirmed his readiness last
winter, in the House of Representatives, un-
der certain Circumstances, to rend the Union
from turret to foundation stone; aud this
letter shows that he mas not changed bis
views since the break up of the Democratic
party, and the nomination of BRECKINRIDGE
and LANE upon sectional platform. lie
sees the two sections arrayed in hostility
against each other, and hears the rallying
cries which urge the opposing forces 10
deadly combat, and is unwilling to intcrpose
word to stop the unholy struggle. He sees
the imminent danger Of the success OF the
sectional enemies of the South, yet he will
avail himself of no stratagem, will not seek
q more defensiDle position from which TO as
sail the enemy, but will hurry OF the fight
with the chances of success against him. Ii
defeated, instead of collecting together his
scattered forces, gathering new recruits, and
preparing for a final contest under auspices
which may be more successful, he would cast
away the ensign of the Republic, and rae
the temple Of our liberties to the ground.
Now. this is not the sort of generalship that
the South needs-not the sort Of counsel
that she ought to heed. She must trust her
fortunes to chiefs of more prudence. more
discretion, and less ardor for the crossing OF
swords 1t will do to make leaders of such
men as KEITT when all appeals to reason
have been exhausted, and no recourse Is left
but an appeal to the God Of battles. We
trust that time may never come, but should
it come, our cause would be so just our ac-
ton will be self-yindicatcd before the age,
and before posterity.
This letter of Mr.. KEITT, like the speeches
of Mr.. Mcqueen. Mr.. RHETT. and others, to
which we have heretofore recently directed
attention, is significant of the dangers which
underlie the Presidential contest. The
threats which have BEEN made to resist the
election of a Black Republican, are not for
gotten, but Teafirmed, and it would be I'M
just to the coun try to assume that those wbo
have made them heretofore, and repeat them
now, are not III earnest. Resistance
aud attempted secession must be con-
sidered in contemplating the probable
ity of the election of the Republican
candidate, Mr.. LINCOLN. The defeat of Mr.
SEWARD for the nomination was at first as
sumed to be sacrifice of the great leader oil
the republicans to the inauguration of more
moderate views, and as such, in some quar-
tiers, accepted as peace Offtringi but the
recent development of sentiment amongst
the ultra leaders South, places the question
in a different aspect. Assuming with Mr.
KErrr that the cultivation and refinement OF
yield to the purposes of the fanatical, and be
was, therefore, laid aside for an ignorant pre-
tender, a man of low instincts and base pas
sions, his election has come to be regarded
with more hostility than would Mr.. SEwARD's
The dangers of resistance and secession
which have threatened, are, therefore, still
impending, and we believe nothing but the
defeat of the Republicans can remove them
To this end, it is the duty of all who love
the Union, who desire peace and continued
prosperity, to address their most active ei-
forts. Party and party leaders should not be
permitted to intervene to prevent "a consum-
nation SO deyoutly TO be wished" What
are party ties, what are men. when the ex-
istence of the Institutions which have made
us q rich and prosperous people-blessed us
beyond the lot of any other people upon the
face of the globe-and are rapidly placing
our nation first on the list of the great pow
ers which give law to the world? For tbs
salvation of these institutions who would no
sacrifice party, and party men? Convince
US that by yielding up our party and GU
leaders, we can avert the dangers that ar
darkling over the Union, and much as W
love them-proud as we are of the great an,
good men under whom our party is mar
shalled,-we will give them up, with strue
gle, perhaps, but as a necessary sacrifice
COUNTRY before PARTY or MEN, shall ever b
a maxim for our guidance. We trust tina
our countrymen, everywhere. but particular
in the North, whose patriotic impulse
prompt them to make an effort to preserv
the Union, will unite upon some commo
ground, and route the fanatic horties VIII
would bring disaster and death upon it.
J.J. SULLIVAN laid upon our table yestei
A.. n =