Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-12-11
Lettcr to mr., stephens.

"a REPUBLICAN (" has addressed letter through
the columns of the New York Tribune to Hon. A. H.
STEPHENS of Georgia, from which we make the ex-
tracts below. These extracts show the real difficult
ty with which the South has to contend in obtaining
her constitutional rights from the Black Republi-
cans Their religious convictions are against us.
Anti-savery is not only their politics, but their
ligion. Their Constitution is anti-slavery Con-
stituton. Their Bible is an anti-slavery Bible.
Their God is an anti-slarery God and their consci
ence will worship other. In this lies the greatest
we fear insurmountable, obstacle to satisfactory
adjustment. We copy from the letter to Mr.. STE
PHENs the following
SIR: In common with thousands Of Northern Re-
pubcans, have read your statesman-Gke protest
against the i'll considered secession movement of the
extreme South. But while its conciiatOry spirit has
awakened my sincere respect for yourself, the con-
dItiOns which You prescribe essential 10 the per-
manence of our Union seem to me inadmissable on
the part of the North and wholly inconsistent with
the possibilities of the case. Believing that Union
is still theoretically possible between the two sections.
lin spite Of the discrepancy of our principles upon
terms honorable to both, let me briefly state the
case. and ask for it your candid consideration.
The people of the South q use the word in its le-
gal sense) maintain slavery in their States as fun
damenal institution Of society. They prefer to dis
slaves While of this opinion they cannot Of course
accede to any proposition which would delegate to
the General Government any power of Legislation
that subject This, as Northern men, can readily
comprehend.
We, the people Of the North, on the other hand,
are profoundly convinced that slavery is politically
blunder, and morally crime. While convinc-
ed we cannot as honest men, directly indirectly,
consent to endorse sustain it. To take any such
action through the Governments of our own States.
or through a General Government, of which we
may form part, is impossible. To return your
fugtives or to permit the introduction of slavery
into the National Territories, places US in a false
position, degrades US in own eyes, and violates
our sense of right
Mr.. Stephens how can you, or any other honest
Southern man, look at the matter from our stand
point and then ask to do so contemplate an act!
What would you say if VIC should propose to you
Union and Constitution whichguaranteed murder,
polygamy adultery, infanticide. essential
cOllHisn of the compact? You would spurn such an
alliance. So must we do, if you require US to
force fugitive slave law and to guarantee slavery
in the Territories. Do you say that the cases are
not parallel? Perhaps not. But while we re-
gard them, what is to be done? That the conscience
of the North, after thirty years of dsunon. is to-
day placed in this dilemma, is of the hard facts
of the case.
However lamentable you may deem our error as
a statesman, you cannot ignore this difficulty If
political alliance between our sections only be
continued at the sacrifice of honesty and scfrespect
on either side. then it can no longer be desirable.
If the maintenance of your pro-slayery Georgia
solutions of 1850, with your extra plank of in
slant repeal of all personal liberty bills by
Northern Legislatures, is indeed the Southern uti-
matum, then dissolution of the Unionis inevitable.