Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-10-20

pact pbalaux Of true men, upon which after a time
ell the children Of the South will rally when The
veil torn away, the ugly linemeuts Of squstter SOW
reignty will amaze sAd coufound its deluded fol-
owers, and Israel will again to his tents and affairs
and no longer Wanderafter strange Gods Surely Inc
South will one day have but one faith and oae creed
and then standing radiant in her armor on the inn
pregnsble rampsrts Of the Constitution she i'll die
tate her own terms 20 divided North, establish the
Truth, and preserve and peTpetUate the Union.
confess that take this step with pain 1t sepa-
rates me still more widely from many with whom for
years l acted in political affairs; and il is quite
likely II will expose me to theirscensure ana repro
aches must risk that. | would fain have TIE
good opinion of old friends, and indeed Of all men
but without IN the least accusing Others cannot
refuse to do, at any hazard, that which my reason
and my conscience tell me il is right, and for the
welfare Of my country that should do.
was Tor msuyiyears q Wing, and afterwards an
Amerlcsn; and l am rot ashamed Of hsviog been
either Looking back along the rath of my life,
see many things to regret much done that could
wish mad been left undone, much omitted that
eoula Wish had been performed But am not sorry
I 70 nave been Wing and afterwards and American,
oy the side OF SO many gallant and true gentlemen;
am Prouu OF u, and Of the principles | avowed and
eourEe that pursued en- the field Of poliiicsl var
rare am wiser To-day, thiHk than l vas yester-
dsy snu nope to be wiser to morrow than an
to-day. My judgment is more mature. and my opiu-
lons,l nope more accurately formed, than when |
| was some years younger. Some have changed and
others have developed themselvas and sT9anjed.
but IN the main, think stand where always did
Ii mJ motives are impugned and unEorthy ones
sought TO be assisred for my present actiep shall
remain entirely silent; for am less than nothing in
lhs present great exigency Of the country ard the
value OF what have writ; er does net Al sf deueu5
| on the motives that actua,e the writer.
Permit me to add word CT two for the ticket I
EnoE the candidates well. General LANE is a frank
ieariess upright honest, uopretendng nan, whose
hon9r Is as spo-ess as his sword. He is no orator.
no lawyer, but plain man, Possessed Of an ample
luna OF common sense | do rot knoR how fami liar
be may be with the rules of oeraphy; but think
the Mexlcans and lpdisns have never complained
that he could not make his marx 1t was discovered
remember that General JACKSON could not SPELL
and the same objection has BEEN since made 10 others
also whom the nation has loved 20 honor. | hope
| the General Is possessed CT that accomplit hment;
Out u untortunaiely he e now and then guilt OF
mistake, We will forgive the old soldier in eonsdera
tion OF the glOries that in large measure owing to
hlm' cluster around the flag OF our country and blaze
on all its folds. He has at least fouqGt like soldier
for his country. and if he had fallen on any oue OF
! MS neids, and st any moment Of the fight it would
have been with his back to the field aud his feet to
! the zoe; and the whole Republic would have mourn
| ed for him as one of the brsvest of ke1 sons
Only four years since, JOHN C.. BREcKIHRIDcE was
nominated BY reclamation for the Vics-Presldency
| and his whole party received that nomination with
singular gladness and enthusiasm. In the Ashland
| distriet IN which the great Wing Leader had his
home, the young Bayard Of Democracy without fear
and without reproach, hsd before then met the Wing
array before that great party had been taus BIT else
where to lower its crest and be had conquered and
what more 70 his honor, had gained the esteem and
| admiration Of his opponents Kentucky has lately
had no honOrs 10 bestoW that she has not thought him
the Worthiess to bear. None anywhere revived hin,
and Few men at any Time have united and deserred
| the good opinions Of their cOuntrymen.
None wondered at this, none se+ med TO envy him,
| none could deny that he deserved hs honors, AID
that he wore them with rare and admirable modesty.
| Young, handsome brave and eloquent, with large
and cultivated intellect aud much dignity Of de-
moanOr. be is eminently unaffected frank generous
and genial; 90 that none, think, have been much
| with him, without coming to admire him aad TO
! feel for him an sfectionAte esteem. / have never
| seen person who has seemed to me more worthy
| Of 1t; DO one who has seemed TO have a larger
charity for the foibles and short comnEs Of others
That he hiss been maligned since hs nonin alton for
the Presidency tits not unusual 60 tits not wor-
| thy Of his or your notice
/ Whenever new national party is organized, if il
| would command success il must inscribe upou its
banners an undying hostility to that system of
ruPton by which the treasury is punderedt to reward
| parusans, the othces of the country are used as
brides, and free thought and IN independent vote
| are punished by loss Of employment and want of
bread in the house. One Of certain delegation to
Charleston who was in the market be and his fell
lows, said, on leaving Washington to attend the
| Democratic Convention, that he never saw man
like Brsektnridgs; Is for" said he, che will not
promise anything" kaoH Of no other man in the
Union ana certainly there is other candidate who
has the position and popularity, with the iBeliua-
ton snd will and the freedom from the trsmmes Of
pledge and obligation that will enable him to mi
tlate a reform which is rapidly becoming indispsu-
sable, if we would not have the Republic die
and rot. ] believe that since he has been Vice
Plesldest be has never interfered IN any case 10
ask for any one, contracts, patronage, or place
! lie has made no premises of Cthce in the event Of
bis election, for he has had party or ca5sl insist
| ing On and intriguing for his nomination l know
him to be 50 ardent lover CT the Union, sober and
resecng statesman opposed 10 the practice of pro-
scribiug men for Aer opinions far ab9ve the tricks
and chicsne Of factou and hating and rcorDing all
that ssVors Of corruption aud makes Of the State
| carcass 10 be prcyed upon by the hounds / an
sure that he has never been in the least degree re-
sponsibe, even by approval, for the removal from
office Of the friends Of Mr. Douglass course, III
deed, in taking which the President is far more
| Likely 10 do him injury than service
/ sm content with these candidates; and for the
the principles which they represent l earnestly
nope Tor Their election. That depends upon the
| South To maintain the Constitution and therein
perPetu,to the Unicn; is her task
q" Tie CONSTITUTION, as q compact between the |
States and 10 which the Staies alone are partios
The USIoS, Of these perfectl- equal StatsE t-est-
ing together as peers; and created by that Con-
stiutten this confederation Of republics which is
also, for certain purposes, that and one nation at
the same tine: union of States, and not of some
Stses and some Erovpcss: the equal rights of
every State, everywhere, and not ess in the terri
tories, which ere their common estate than else
where; the right OF every State TO demand prOtee-
ton, II the Congress of the assembled Safes. of
the rights of their citizens and their OWL in those
territories and equal opportunity for each State in
every section, fairly and honorably compete With
each other IN the effort 10 PEOPLE the young terrific
mes and so to mould their institute ms as they grow
and ripen into States IF TIE South inscribes
these just and equitable principles on all her ban
ners and ssears her children to their maintenance
upon the sacred affairs Of the Gods she will at last
succeed ia obtaining their recognition everywhere;
and then 1t wall no longer be unWse in her to cou-
sent that the Union shall i'll expand and new
stars IN the Soutb and ia the North be lighted up in
the sky. II these principles are not trus that is
not Wlse and it IS also rot Wise if being true they
are to be trAmpled under the hoofs of arrogant
Power, bounded on By sleek Hypocrisy and grim
FanaIcism. If she is true 20 herself, all will be
we'll. But if she yields cue j9 or one title Of the
fade
Forgive me that have greEn SO gsrrulous and
will endeavor TO forgive myself
/ have the honor TO be.
very respectfully,
your fellow. citizen,
ALBERT PIKE.
Messrs Read Fletcher, j. Murray, R W. Mill
saPs, and Others
oF.