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


pose after the present executive administration has
filed its term the succeeding one should undertake
to reduce the confederation by military force.
Though we hope to escape so unhappy conjunc-
ture as this it would be supreme folly to look upon
it impossible or even in high degree improbable.
Well, what then? There is no Union The CON
ederaton to which the sovereign State of Tennessee
conceded portion of its sovereignty is gOne-civl
war has taken its place: What then? Tennessee
must resume its full sovereign powers and arm her
self so as to assert them, or her SOIL her material
and personal resources become prize for which
the belligerent parties contend, and pass from the
one to another without her voice consent accord
ing to the uctuatng caprces of the fortune of war
Tennessee and Kentucky become the battle ground
of the conflicting considerations they are neither
in position to declare for the other at their
own discretion, even should that be deemed the
right course to maintain their neutrality the in
volatility of their territory. Ipress this question
earnestly on the people of Tennessee and on those
of our neighbor Kentucky. The times may be ap-
preaching when these two States shall have the
alternative of declaring themselves free and self
centred soveregnties or nothing-will they not pre-
pare themselves for such an emergency? Or are
we going to permit ourselves to be dragged captive
at the chariot wheels of the yictors without the
] power of lifting hand or raising voice in
own defence.
1t has been most unfortunate that the great prin-
ciple of State sovereignty has been put forward
and discussed bring it into suspicion and instead
of being looked upon as the sheet anchor of the
tonal existence it is feared as dsorganizng and
archical in its tendency. 1 believe the time has
come when its true conservative value will be APP
preciated by all Here Is an emergency in which
the federal government is powerless for good, mac
ton is its only wise policy, it must do nothing or do
mischief: in government like that of France where
all authority and organic force is concentrated at the
central metropolis, such emergency could have
only one two issues, resistance must be crushed
out at once by Overwhelming physical force, or
revolution producing the entire overthrow of all
government must result-three such revolutions
| have been witnessed in France within the memory
of men still living Not so with the wisely
framed political system of these United States here
let the federal government suffer what it may dislo
cation paralysis or even utter dissolution and Meth
er anarchy disorganization is the result in the
constituent States, they simply continue in force the
sovereign powers which have been exercised with
in their borders, and resume those few which they
had coded to the central government and every thing
goes on if there had never been central govern
ment to depend on Let then Tennessee arm herself
and assume at once that completeness of organiza-
ton which will enable her to act with all the power
and majesty Of complete sovereignty should events
ever make it necessary to do 50. Let her militia
be put in training, her volunteer companies clean
their muskets and brush up their tactics and let
ones be rapidly formed, Where are the campaign
IL,
As military accessories to a party organization we
have always thought them at best useless and have
had our doubts whether they were not mscheivOus,
but now they have the opportunity of real useful
ness let them divest themselves Of every trace of
partzan character and place themselves at the dis
posal of the State authorities to act for the whole
State in any way that may be necessary for its honor
and independence, and for the first time they will
become really valuable body of men. We are
speaking not only of the Nashville companies, such
as Bell Greys, Breckenridge Rangers, &c, &c. but
of all those troops Of fine young fellows from Co.
lumbia Murfreesboro, Franklin, &c, who visited US
during the election and many throughout the State
whom we have never seen. We say to them re or
ganize. You know not when Tennessee may need
your services. Again to those enthusiastic young
men whom we hear Of who talk Of going TO South
| Carolina and Alabama and enrolling themselves in
the military establishments of those States-to these
we say don't do it. stay at home, your own
State is liable at any moment to need your services
/ and your paramount duty is to her should armed
aggression on the South be really contemplated you
may be ia position TO act efficiently for your
sister States at kome than abroad DO you fear that
the personal resources of Tennessee may be thrown
on the side of despotism and you be called upon to
! fight for the enthralment Of sister States? You
have only to remember that IsHAM G. HARRIS is Gov
ernor of Tennessee and your commander-in-chief'
and be quite satisfied that any service which you
will be ordered out, will be consistent with your
incest honor and patriotism.
But does not all this look like movement towards
civil war! Just the contrary it would, believe
exert most salutary check on belligerent tenden-
cies either North or South of US would ask those
! in whom such proposals excite approximations to
glance for a moment with me at recent transactions
on the other side of the Atlantic. \ little over
year ago every State in Europeans agitated with
the expectation of war. The revolution in Italy
cited the cupidity Of both the two States who have
so long interested themselves in her affairs. Both
were on the Qlli Uiue-Austria to regain her power
in the Italian peninsular, and France to replace
y
two States seemed inevitable. A war which
was destined to draw all Europe into its
its chaos of havoc and misery. England trusting
to the forty years peace which she had been enjoy
ing had neglected all her military and naval re-
sources, her channel fleet was outnumbered by that
Of France, her ports were unfortified her regular
troops were queing revolt in India and initiating
war in China, and the question was being earnestly
discussed whether she would unite herself with the
fortunes of Austria whose despotic tyranny she alb
horred or with her hereditary enemy France, whose
policy demanded the obliteration of her influence in
Europe and in all the world bcsides-one of these
courses equally hateful to her seemed inevitable
She did neither she quietly armed herself she forti-
fed her harbors, she augmented her navies with |
vast steamships constructed according 10 latest |
scientific improvements and filled them with Arm |
STRONG guns she initiated her wonderful rifle volun
teer movement and again stands forth the most |
powerful nation in Europe: what is the result! She
had simply to adhere to her original policy of non
Intervention in the affairs of Italy, announcing no
new prOgramme-and Italy has been suffered to |
work out her destinies untrammelled by foreign
intervention, and Europe is at peace.
The position of Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia
among the United States is precisely that of Eng
land among European nations. VIII not these CEN
trail conservative and peacelovng States follow the
wise example-arm themselves and by making them
selves the arbiters of their own destiny, acquire
the power of arbitrating much more, haply of re-
storing the now imperiled and broken union under
clearer guarantees for its perpetuity than have
had for years? Or will they while the North is
arming and the South is armng stare about them
in stupid amazement, holding back till the time
somes when they have to become the passive tools
of the stronger party:
The Legislature too should be assembled soon, but
not too soon for it is not yet sufficiently clear what
are the questions which has to be placed before it,
and until that is done all action would evaporate in
common place resolutions and motions and talk; nor
is even the Legislature as at present constituted,
enough to give satisfactory settlement to impend-
ing difficulties these were not before the people at
the time that the present Legislature was elected,
and, consequently, that body is not in position to
give Inference to the peoples sentiments nothing
but State Convention could do that
Meantime tho Governor of the State is under most