Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-07-18


that an irrepressihle CONFLICT Is raging between The
States Which shall result IN the emancipation Of The
Southern slaves, leaving y0N only the alternative to
surrender at discretion or yield to violence. Il
Idle to shut our eyes to Che nature Of the Issue
offered by this party. Il IS folly 10 attempt TO turf
over volcano. 1t Isvain to cry peace, peace VIXEN
there is no peace!
As a further proof of the spirit and character Of
the Republican party, Il hold in my hand book
which Is of little consequence as the expression of
the opinions of its author, butbecomes Of immense |
significance endorsed it is by the eminent Sena-
tor from whose speeches have read, and by some /
sixtyeight Republicans Of the House of Representa-
tiyes, who represent constituency Of seven mil-
lions Of people It is a book called " The Impend |
ing Crisis Of the South its reputed author being
person named Helper who processes 10 be a |
North Csrolnian As sample Of its contents, hear
the following. 81 So
The saveholding oligarchy says we cannot
abolish slavery without infringing on the right of
property Again we tell them, we do not recognize
property IN men,"
For the services Of the blacks from the 10th Of
August, 1920 up to the 4th of July 1859 an inter
vel of precisely two hundred and fortyeight years
ten months and fourteen days, their masters, if
willing, ought. in our Judgment to be compelled TO
grant them their freedom and to pay each and
every one OF them at least sixty dollars cash in
The sum necessary to carry out this notable
scheme, amounting to several hundred millions of
dollars, 1t IS proposed to raise by conscatIng two
crops OF Southern cotton The whole book is afro
cous and incendiary in the highest degree yet 1t
has received the written endorsement Of the repre-
sentatlYes OF seven millions of American citizens
and among them the gentleman who is the candidate
OF the whole Republican party for Speaker of the
House! II Is true that some of his friends say he
endorsed 1t without having read it. But if this DO
true, am informed that he has refused again and
sgain when called on, Co disavow these sentiments
ON the floor of tie House and yet with this sgnif
tant silence he continues to receive the unbroken
| vote Of his party.
The nature of the issue we must finally meet is
| further shown by the non-acton of many States.
What can be clearer to an unpePverted mind than
the duty of every State to prevent its people from
rrespssslng on the rights and property of the citI-
zens of sister State The comfy of nations would
require this between alien communities, and surely
the bonds of our constitutional brotherhood should
| never be weaker than the comfy Of nations. Yet
! few or none OF the Northern States have adopted
measures to prevent the spOiation Of our slave pro-
perry and to enter them at most points to reclaim
this description of property is an unwelcOme and
dangerous Grand Nor is this all. About one half
of the Northern States Gall Republican States,
think have passed laws making it criminal offence
for their citizens to give any assistance in the rend
ton of fugitive slaves THIS is not the regard
any other prOperty but they hate slavery and viii
trample on so much of the constitution as recognizes
| snd guards H. -
The natural result of ali these things is alienation,
|
approach the crisis. until at last the more advanced
disciples begin the iFrepressble conflict" in lOgi-
cal way, and collision ensues.n The ignorant and
fanatcgl throwing off even the forms of social and
POLITICAL duty, invade with violence Southern State;
and, though am far from asserting that the great
mass of the Republican party contemplated the late
atrocOus proceedings in Virginia, yet assert with
profound conviction of its truth, my belief that the
horrible tragedy is but the foFeFanHss of blazing
border war, unless the spirit they are fOmenting in
cd hxy of
| conservative opinion. The very manner in which
their leaders and the organs of public opinion, with
the marked exceptions have referred TO, comment
ed the act is enough to starte every lover Of his
ooqntpY They regret it. they deplore 1t, they even
condemn il, because It was against law, and they
stand for the law. These are the hOueyed and quail
flied phrases with which they characterize the most
atrocious act ottreason. murder and rapne eomoln-
ed that ever polluted the soil Of Virginia and then,
if afraid that their Pebukes were too severe, they
Immediately proceed to eulogize the man and his
| motives.
The proofs might be accumulated to the bulk os
volume, but forhear. You need not be told that
have not presented them in spirit of disOyalty to
the Constitution and tie Union. love beth IS de-
| VOtedly as any man who hears me. But the time
has come for the true friends of the Union to look
impending dangers in the face aud he best serves
his country who honestly prOclaims the Periis that
menace T. And now, HndeP the responsibilities that
| surround me, and by the warrant OF the proofs
have presented, and of many others which are east
" accessible charge that the present and Interior
purposes of the Republican party are
To introduce the doctrine of negro equality into
American politics. and to make it the ground of pos
tive legislation hostile 10 the Southern Sates
To exclude the slave property of the South from
all territory now in the Uniou or which may here
after be acgqiredi
To prevent the admission in any latitude, of
another slaVeholding State asa
To repeal the Fugitive Slave law, ard practically
refuse to obey the Constitution on that subject;
To refuse to prevent or punish, by State action,
the spOliaon of slave prOperty but, on the contra
ry to make it criminal offence in their citizens to
obey the laws of the Union, in so far As they pro-
tect property in African slaves:
To abolish slavery in the District of Columbia;
To abolish it IN the forts, srsenals, doekYaFds and
other places In the South wherr Congress has excu
sive jurisdiction;
To abolish the internal and cOastwise trade;
Is To limit harlss, and frown upon the institution in
every mode of political action, and by every form
of pAblia opinion;
And finally by the Executive, by Congress, by
the postal service, the press and all other accessible
NODES agitate without ceasing, until the Southern
States, without sympathy or brotherhood IN the
Union, down by the unequal struggle, shall be
compelled to surrender ANONYMOUSLY, and emanci-
pate their slaves,
Hence IEepeat that the spirit and purposes Of the
party are utterly 4t war with the Constitution and
she great objects for which it formed. If that
instrument is allowed to remain permanently viola
| for our institutions and liberties? Broken in one
important part it must fall to pieces. The tr
umph of these principles would subvert Southern So
! ciety, and desolate of the fairest regions of
America; while, in the end it would be equally dis
| astrous to al parts Of the Union. The Republican
masses do not realize the actual condition Of things,
nor the COMMISSIONS that may ensue. Perhaps even
the leaders do not for they laugh derisiYey at our
| responsiveness. And yet these aggressons cannot
| be ccnsummated. Resistance IN some form is inev
| table. Some members of the Co4federacy may
| contemplate it in the form of a separate political
organization Kentucky, while single ray of hope
penetrates the thick darkness. will resist under the
| Constitution and within the Union. Resistance, l
| repeat, is certain.
o. that the millions of cur Northern brethren could
know this truth and know also that it springs, not
/ from az insulting or arrogant spirit hut from the
simple INSTINCT OF seifdefense. 1t is idle to sup
| pose that we will surrender our dearest interests
without struggle from the apprehension of failure
Those who think have read history to little pur
pose. There is no example in any age of spirited
people who have been deferred from defending their
! vital rights upon such ignoble grounds. | remem-
| Der, when boy, reading the Grafton of DemOsthe
mes for the crown, occasion when his aceuser
going behind the forms of the proceedings srraigns
ed him as the author of the public mlsfOrt1aes, be-
cause he had aroused the Greeks to last struggle for
their country against Phillip of MaoedOn. The re-
suit had been fatal TO Athens. He defended himself
| blythe memories of those who died at Platea, at
Marathon at Selamis, and of all their heroes who
reposed in the public monuments He stirred their
| souls by recitation of Grecan glOries and then
what tho we failed. we did or duty; we acted in
the spirit and character of our ancestors. The re-
suit is such as God gives to each" Re-animated by
an appeal so noble and so true, the dead body of
Athenian liberty for an instant sprang upon its feet
and although the man accused Yves the enemy OF
their master, AleSander. those degenerate Greeks
touched with some portion of their ancestral eour-
age rose out of the depths of their national ahase
meut, and crowned the worlds great orator as
public benefaGtOF
What tho Democrats Have Done.
In the matter of admitting new States in the Union