Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-11-22

with authoritative guarantees that they will abide
by the provisions Of the Constitution on this subject
And further that the South shall have equal rights
with the North in all respects. What Tennessean
can be found who loves the Union SO wen as to be
willing to remain in it after refusal tie part Of
the North to concede these guarantees? For my
part as an humble citizen Of Of tie South. tspeak-
ing the sentiment as l think of nine-tenths Of the
whole people Of Tennessee,) insist these guar
antees. And whilst am willing, for the sake of
peace and the preservation of the Union, to submit
to grievances that are suferable and to try every
reasonable expedient consistently with our honour,
cannot see that the South can be satisfied with less
withoutpositive disparagement and disgrace.
And when the South shall have tried all these honor
ablemeans of Cancellation before suggested and shall
have our most reasonable proposals rejected and
insult thus added to injury, for one, am for dis
solution of the bonds which have united us together
and for clingng to the Constitution as a sacred in
strument, throwing away the Union as worthless
thing,
For the purpose of efecting these objects and
bringing to a speedy elimination the acrimonious
strife which has so long disturbed our peace, am
of opinion that the pcople-nine-tenths of them
desire call Of the Legislature by your Excellency
There is no force in the objection made by the
Banner of Saturday, that the members of that body
were elected fifteen months ago, without reference
to the present emergencies, and that they were
elected as partisans upon partisan issues. insist
that the questions which have recently arisen are
above all partisan issues. They involve the honor
and Constitutional rights of the whole South, and
no true friend to the South, suitable guardian of
his own honor, could stoop so low to remember
them or permit them for one moment to influence
or control his action as a legislator And surely
there is no force in the objection that they were
elected fifteen months ago without particular refer
ence to these emergencies, when the fact will be
conceded that they are of intelligence, general
ly well-informed, from intimate recent assOca-
tons OF the wishes and opinions Of their people on
these momentous subjects.
The Bonner objects to conyening the Legislature
on the ground of expense. Who cares for a few
dollars and cents amounting to five or ten thousand
dollars? The session not probably continuing more
than one or two weeks. In contemplation of the
great emergency before us, involving the interests
and the honor of the State and of the whole South
What Tennessean could be found, who could be in
duced to stop and count few dollars and cents
l will answer this objection of the expense of a
called session of the Legislature in the language of
a distinguished Senator from North Carolina, in his
speech in favor of the war of 1912, the floor Of
the American Senate. In answering the objection
made to the probable ostof the war, Sir, (said
he) this Is not question of finance, of dollars and
cents. 1t is aquestion involving our lives, our
liberties and our sacred honors. and whatever
may be the cost of the war in their preservation
it is as a sounding brass or tinklrg cymbla."
In my next Imay analyze the programme put forth
by the Ba,sner in its leader Of the 10th, contem-
plating "a mass meeting Convention of the
people irrespective Of parties" For the present,
win merely say, in general terms, it won't work
WELL for the reasons that it is nefective-tOo slow
-unauthoritative and different from the plan in
progress with the other Southern States
With great respect for your Excenency, as an up
right statesman, am yours, &c,
LONE THE PEOPLE,