Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1860-12-04

We be BRETHREN Separate tbyseif I pray
thee from me, if thou will take the left hand
| then II will go TO the right; if thou depart to
| the right hand then will go to the left.''
That Mississippi may be enabled TO speak on
this grave subject 10 her sovereign capacity,
| l recommend that Convention be called to
meet at an early day. The State thus assem-
| bled will have right to decide for itself the
mode aDfz measure of redress, for all viola
tons of the rights of her citizens or the
| rights OF the rights of the State, either by
| The Northern States. the people Of the North
| ern States. or the Federal Government.
1t the Government is to-day in more imi
/ nent peril than at any time since Washing
| ton crossed the Delaware. That danger arr
| ses not from the fact that Mr.. Lincoln is to
| De president for the next four years: that,
| were it unattended by other threatening cir
| cumstances, would be a matter of small mo-
| ment. But when it is remembered that
| struggle has been going on, between the two
| great sections of the Confederacy, for forty
| years, the North struggling for domination.
| for the power to injure and Cypress the South,
| the Southern States defending their existence
as equals in the Confederacy, asking nothing
| but what was given by the Constitution and
| guaranteed by oatbs; and when that domi-
nant, hostile. Northern section has attained
| numbers sufficient to place itself permanent
| ly in the ascendant, aud add the powers of
| the Federal Government to its means of OPP
preston, well may we regard this as the
| great danger that constrains men OF all par
| ties in the South to bury party feuds and
band together for defence Our deliverance
from this great danger. in my opinion, is to
be found in the reserved rights of the States,
to withdraw from injury aud OPPRESSION
| which was retained by those who formed this
Government, for just such an emergency rs
this Embodied in the reserved rights of the
States, is the soul of American lib1rty-the
great saving principle to which alone the
Southern States can look and lire This sa-
wing principle must perish under Black Re-
publican rule. Then go down into Egypt
while Herod reig1s in Judea, it is the only
means of saving the life of this Emanuel of
American politics, and when in after years 1t
shall b. told you, that they who sought the
lite of this Prince OF Peace and fraternity are
dead. yen may come up out OF Egypt. and
realize all the fond hopes of patriots and sa-
ges, of peace on earth and good will among
men, under the benign influence OF re-unit
ed Government, deriving its just powers
from the consent of the governed.
That the State of Mississippi may evince
to her Southern sister States the interest she
feels in the Common danger, | recommend
hat commissioners be Appointed 10 visit such
OF til IN ;ls may cOnvuke their Lrgisla' urrs
or call conventions 10 take INTO con>ldera-
ton the ihr, atening attitude of the Northern
States and the Northern sectional admins
lion about to be inaugurated at Washington
That they may be inform that Mississippi
does not int,-Hd to ST. limit that admini-tra
li"H aud We may barn in The most autnen-
tic form what are Ih, ir aims and purposes in
he premises.
L recommend that an appropriation BE-
made, to each volunteer Company, OF sufi
cirnt sum 10 pay all reasonable EXPENSES at
tending rncampm-nts, on days appointed for
'.xercise add instructions; k, ping TIL ir arms
and quipments. SO hat the young men who
give Their time and undergo the labor Ofpr,
paring themselves as soldiers TO defend the
rights of the States may not be required to
exprnd one dollar of their private means.
7, commend that coat of arms he adopteo
for the State OF Mississippi. In view of the
unsettled condition OF our political affairs,
and the probable great arrangement of mon
etary and commercial relations of the coun
try, and to prevent The ruinOus sacrifice of
the prop rty of the people of this State.
recommend that an act b. passed staying the
bringing of suits and the collection OF debts
by execution sales, until the close of the
n, xt regular session of the Legislature.
AS it is more than probable that many of
the citizens of the border States may seek
market for their slaves in the cotton States,
L recommend the passage OF an act prohibit
ing Tue INTRODUCTION OF slaves luLO JHls OtdIe
unless their owners come with them and be-
come citizens, and prohibiting the introduc-
ton of slaves for sale by all persons whom
soever.
Permit me, in conclusion, again to refer to
The great danger to the State which has
brought you from your homes, and to exhort
my cOuntrymen not to be ''caught by the |
fatal bait of temporary ease and quiet" not
TO submit to great, digraceful and certain
evils from dread ofothers which may prove |
10 be imaginary. If we falter now. we and |
our sons must Ply the penalty in future |
years, OF bloody if not fruitless efforts to re-
trieye the fallen fortunes of the State, which |
If finally unsuccessful must leave our fair |
land blighted-cursed with Black Republi- |
can politics and tree negro morals, to become |
a cess-pOol of vice, crime and infamy.
Can we hes itatei when one bold resolve |
bravely executed, makes powerless the ag
gressor, and one united effort makes safe our
homes? May the God of our Eaters put it in |
the hearts of the people to make it.
JOHN j. PETTUS.n