Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-04-16
Tne position of Tennessee.

Tennessee Was the first Of the Southern States
,.,;,h .fsr the election Of Lincoln, by solemn
vote of her people, declared that she was willing to
,op6da IN nescefu measures for the solution Of our
r,harrv national difficulties. She decided, by an
overwhelming majority, against convention, that
she might not even seem to question the fidelity of
the North. No less jealous of her rights her in
terest sr her honor than Mississippi Alabaas, or
apy Of the other seeded States, she con3ed in the
oounses Of those whom she had trusted in times past
that our every right would be respected; that every
reasonable concession would be made to give assur
ance of our safety in the Union, if we would but
wait until there was time for action that in the
mean time, there would be no attempt at coercion,
and that Tennessee, unarmed as she was, would be
as free and in as good condition to decide the great
question of her separate independence at any time
after. as before the inauguration of LINCOLN.
There were those who implored the people to
give no heed to such counsel. There were those
who warned them of the danger of postponing their
action until the army and navy and treasury
of the nation should pass into the hands
of our enemies. But their voice was unheeded and
they were denounced rash, and by some whose
secret sympathies were with the Black Republican
party. as rebels and traitors. We need not recount
all the efforts amounting almost to humiliation, to
which the advocates of the peace policy have sub
iected themselves in their efforts to secure the full
flment of the promises which they had made to the
people, and to whom they felt themselves in some
degree at least responsible for the consequences OF
such advice. We are willing to accord to them, IN
the sincerity of our hearts, what they were then
unkind enough to deny to us, the amplest measure
of patriotic devotion to their contry's welfare.
Buff subsequent events have demonstrated that
their Judgment was for the time being clouded BY
an overweaning confidence in our countrymen Of
the Morrill, and especially of those who for the time
being hold the reigns of power Of devotion to what
they regarded as the almost sacred bond which our
fathers had established, made them incapable Of
doubling the good faith and the fraternsl feelings
of those whom we had been taught 10 regard as
brethren yet in that Uery s0eakness, if it may be SO
called, nov lies their greater strength.
Tennessee above every other State in the Union,
has given proof of her love Of peace, her love Of
the Union, SO long as il could be maintained
with homer. Now when the tocsin Of war
has been sounded; when she is commanded
to kneel and accept what, and when, and how il
may please a fanatical, reasonable and perfdous
Administration to grant, her voice hurting back de
auce in the teeth of her wouldbe master, will stil
upto its deepest foundations the sluggish hearts Of
some who still linger in the camps of the Black Re
publican army of the South, and move with death
like energy the gallant spirits that have already
pledged their all upon the issue of the contest.
What will she do? Out upon such question
Can Tennessee, proud, gallant, liberty loving tyran
hating, brave Tennessee hesitate between tame sub
mission to Black Republicanism and manly resiss
lance? Are we but the bastard sons Of the heroes
who have won for our State the glorious distinctive
appellation of THE VOLUNTEER STATE?'
If there be those who doubt, answer them brothers
of Tennessee, with arms in your hands. There il
no time for idle parlcy. The day of compromise hai
passed. The day for reconstruction has passed
until peace, which had been refused to our every
entreaty has been ooHqredupon the battle field, anC
the independence of the Southern States recognized
and acknowledged by our imperiOus rulers.