Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-10-19

awful catastrophe contemplated in this question the
election of Abraham Lincoln, the author of the ir-
repressible conflict. am showing my fealty to the
Constitution, and my fealty to the Union my ALI
ance with Conservative men, by expanding my time
and my labor, 10 the abandonment of my own pri-
vate affairs, the leaving the comforts of my family,
in going all over the country in conformity to the
invitations of my Friends who believe my feeble
efforts may be of Importance to the good of the
country at this time. l am doing all that to pre-
vent that elections and if others will but labor as
faithfully as do in this cause, Abraham Lincoln
/ will never be President of these United States.
/ CApplause.l Now, am asked, and | have been
asked before, if consider that his election would
afford just cause for the secession of the Southern
States. That is matter to come after the ballot
| box [Crles of question; "order, order, and APP
| plausel Be quiet, gentlemen be easy; do not De
too inpatient; and above all things keep your tenn
per. Laughter and applause.l This IS not the
time to fight at any rate that IS certain lhene"-
ed laughter and applause. This is the tune TO vote
| the time to consider how to vote. A voice
| " let Ms have the question. thought But You are
impatient my friend. What is the matter win you!
TApplause and cries of put him out, put HIM out
/ No no: no need of that. But if gentlemen are SO
DESTROYS to have my opinions they ought TO aolde
| nv them when they have got them. [Cries OF good,
| goodul This thing of asking advice OF man ana
then not taking it. is monstrous poor way OF dong
| things IApplause.1 Now am going to say tins
about this question. This question that Is put 20
me is speculation the future; 1t ls-what IS 1t
that consider would happen in the event that some
| thing else happens2 Now | hope to God that some
thing else will not happen and then the speculation
! will be at an end. [Applause1 | am no candidate
| for the Presidency, although some OF you would
| seem to think So by the way you have treated
| me in this canvass l am no candidate for office;
! I do not want your votes but | would like to adj
wise with YOU. and get you to look for good man,
| for any man, l do not care whoW provided 1t
! is not one of the irrepressble conflict men.
TApplause and laughter In the place, there is
! no such thing as the South seeding lido not know
how she could go about it. Applause There
is such thing State seeding, but the South Sc
ceding is a thing | cannot comprehend. l do not
know how to go about it, and | have answer to
/ give as 10 how the South would secede. Now, l am
a citizen of the State of Alabama; | am what is
called States Rights Democrat; believe the rights
| of my State. (Applause.) The Constitution of my
country tells me that certain powers were given to
the general government; and all the powers which
were not expressly given, which are not necessa-
~ to carry out the granted powers reserved to
the States and the people of the States. My State
has reserved powers and reserved rights. Ibeeve in
the right of secession. [Good, good, and applause
Virginia and New York were parties TO this com
lpact How? BY vote taken by the people on it,
No nothing of the sort. But the State of Virginia.
as State, expressed her willingness, when the Con-
sttution presented to her. to join in this com
pact The State of New York did the same thing in
her State Convention. 1t provided that if none of
the other States accepted it, the nine Of the States
who agreed to it should live under it, until they
could obtain the consent of the other States to it. 1t
was compact between the States mutually assent
ing to it. If any dssented, there 10 provision
to force them into the Union; and in a government
thus founded upon the will and consent of sovereign
States. believe in the resolutions of 1898, and '99
that State by its will expressed in State Conven-
ton, may say, | withdraw from this compact. But
that is a mere speculation Alabama in her last
| General Assembly passed Il law requiring her Gov
ernOr. in the event of the election of a Black Repub
lican to the Presidency-after he had ascertaincd
that fact-to convene a State Convention OF the
people of the State to consider this question. This
is question for the people Of my State to decide
shall abide by her decision. | shall not one OF
the citizens OF that State decide it for myself.
my State decides to go out, shall go with her; II
she decides to remain shall remain with her;
could not do otherwise. [Applausel 1t Is grave
question for any citizen to consider whether he
would dissolve, aid in dissOVing the bands that
connect the States under this government. 1t IS q
grave question:; one that hope God, IN his proYr
dence, will keep me from considering, by the election
| Of some opposed to this lTrepTesslbe eOntiIcl
idea, Tappiausel. But when the time comes for me
to make up my mind, it will be in consultation, with
my fellow citizens in Alabama. You in New York
have nothing to do with it. Applause. Whatever
| deliberations You choose to make as citizens Of
New York as regards the vote of your State il
would be alone for you in New York to make
and have no interest in that question eXceP
incidentally; and have right TO advise witt
you, say any thing to you about 1t. But IN thI'
| L
YOU for IT is an election of to administer thi:
government for the next four years, for me as vel
| as YOU But whether my State or any other State
shall 90 out of this Union, will be for each State &c
determine for itself; and when the hour shall come
to determine it-and according to this question i
will not come until after the election-it viii be
grave hour and that hour must bring its own de
termination of the question: it will be influenced by
surrounding circumstances. and the expressed sym
! pathy. it may be, of New York, and other states
| and IF lar,ya other
these events yet undeyeloped in time, for me- mere
ly TO crafty political antagonist to express az
opinion here upon this question, would be the wild
est folly. (Applause) That opinion VIII be rem
dered to the people Of my State whenever they ask
for it: it will not be withheld (Applausc-thres
| cheers for Yancey) Now | am asked one other
question. l am asked whether | will aid the gene
raj government and the other States, II any portion OF
the South sccedes, in maintaining the integrity Of
the Union. Yes. my friends the integrity OF the
Union am struggling for 1t, and shall strug-
gle for it until the day OfelectiOn and with my LIES
blood if it shall be required. (Applause) But Is II
meant in this question here by the integrity OF the
Union the preservation Of an administration which
shall trample upon any portion of the South? If
then will tell him, | will lead any State IN resisting
it to blood. )Applause) The common right OF re
Sistance to wrong that belongs to the worm; these
are not all the rights that meant to be secured
By our fathers in the Declaration Of independence,
| when they cnt them loose from despotism and the
dcspotc IDEAS of the old world. The serf of Russia
has the right Of revolution. The hog has the right
| of resisting YOU when you go to stick knife INTO
his throat The right Of revolution is poor right:
it is no right at all it is only the last expiring throes
of oppressed natiGnalties. applause the audience
rising in their seats and waving their hats.) Yes,
there poor oppressed Italy that for centuries has
grOaned under the armed heel Of pow rful des-
potism; that knew no right in the masses save the
privilege of rendering up their hard earned earn
Ings in order that their masters might revel IN IN
| famous and criminal luxury and wealth. Poor Italy
| is trying to raise up her bleeding and bruised
| body. and is now. perChaDCe, on one knee. with
manacled hands, struggling for this great right Of
revolution. Have we no better right? Have our
| fathers provided better fate for Us? They
made this government, resting upon the Will Of
sovereign States, compact between sovereign
States, not States made by force to come with the
Union not consolidated masses, not conquered people
That is not form Of government; ours Is Il tol m
| of government where the people have wllled 1t. 1t
| is a selfgovernment where the States have made
| compact with each other. When that compact Is
broken and is violated, the States have their
! served rights and one of the great rights Of the
people, right that rises above revolution because
it is the right of manhood of civilization, of nelt-
! gent public opinion, of freemen-when a Govern
ment becomes oppressive, and subVerslve OF the OBJ
| jects for which it was formed, then have the
! right to form new Governments (Applause)
| Government should not be changed for light and
| transient cause. But whenever the whole of the
property of an entire community shall be sweptaway
by policy that shall undermine it, DEALT direct
Death blow; when the associations of enlightened,
virtuous Christian people shall be destroyed by
policy that shall insiduously undermine and neces
SariIy produce conflict between castles and races;
when these rights of the people are threatened and
they what is coming and determine not to wait
until the last of that policy shall be performed,
but the very moment that their equality is destroy
ed in this government, and the Constitution, as their
shield is set aside and irresponsible majority
takes the place that constitution to deal with their
rights they will-then, in my opinion, 1t becomes
the duty of State so oppressed, to protect their
people by interposing their sovereignty between the
general government and the people. Therefore,
when that is done, if Abraham Lincoln, any other
man in the Presidential chair shall undertake to
Federal bayonets to cOerCe State into this Union
answer that question, because it does not efectmy
State-I will fly to the standard of that State and
give it the best assistance in my power. But con-
slider moment. Where should we be? Suppose
South Carolina shall choose to secede in the event of
the refusal to admit slave States into the Union.
Suppose Georgia should choose to secede Georgia
has deliberately resolved-it is part of her cOnsti-
tution-t IS the duty of the government Of Georgia,
in the event of the refusal to admit State into the
Union because it is a slave State to call cOnVen-
tion of the people of the State-and that convention
has made 1t duty of the State to go out OF the
Union. Ii Is already a law of Georgia, that 1t will