Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-05-19
NUMBER 43


II whether people kindred TO you shall be let alone In
the possession OF their own property and the pro-
II lection Of themselves =
might hs3p proofs on proofs of this sort, which
occur now every day, which have satisfse3 thp most
doubling that It was well done 70 detach Ourselves
Il in time from ASSOCIATE with peopla which ;ve.
i its conservatism up at 20 utterly bef1-s ne
cIamors Of 8 furious mob.
/ That same conservation surrenders a. calmly to
the tyranny Of the Government a. 70 the Blind f.r
| of the mob Yerr President Gala cut armies n srk
ju1ate States institutes blockades, stops Commerce.
by hiz sole fat, and kndles the flames Of civil war
without warrant for these acts IN any part Of your
constitution. Il he were not miuistering to popu-
lar frenzy. too wild TO be controlled, he would De
denounced - . lGwless zsurper, who Is trsmpiing
On all civil rights with the foot Of military die.
tstor. But this Is your affair, not ours. il yOr az
the North are content from your Vindlctive feel
ings towards Us to submit to this, nay, to reJoics
over it. il il not for to endssVor 70 instruct yea
that there is safeguard left for your own prop
| erty and rights We ind in them new Justification
Tor our foresight in separating ourselves fron such
| associations.
Your inquiry, in what NAV we expect to do better
Mltnouf North Is slresdy substantially answered.
we cannot do worse than live under such d0uina-
uon. At worst, it would be better 70 die in the
open nelds, with arms in our hands than be
smoteered IN the dark in the house Of treacherouS
| conquered. rrrf =
We nave all the materials for erecting q strong
| aoo ss@ote government We ara cured of the ambi-
ton OF having splendid government. The expe-
rience Of the late Union s warning To Last ua for
| generations against the lust for 2randeur Wa
want to return the Slmple republican virtues Of the
old time which nave been totally lOst in the infinite
corruptions generated at Washington BY Northern
! politics We shall have few laws. few establish-
ments, light expenditures, no jObbing and haun0-
geneous and contented people.
All this is possible. and the only obstacle which
I a = = 49,
! declares 70 US that Southern independence caunot
| stand and shall not stand againEt the physicaI
power which can be precipitsted upon us- Their
| pride reVolts at permitting as 20 80 away from
them in peace. They rave IS though It Is dishcnor
to their flag If they shall not keep under their
government by force; and you yourself appear 70
have yielded TO the same impulse for domination,
/ when in your last inquiry you desire 70 know
whether the people of the South actually think the
people Of the North TO have dwindled from their
ancient renown to be "poltroons and driVslers."
The only in which this is 70 be understood, s
that in your opinion, 70 consent 70 the -peaceable
| withdrawal of these States would be ignomini0us
to the North. In other words, it is q matter Of
pride at the North, to show that they are our
masters.
This the same assertion of the right Of command
over interiors which we had TO resist within ths
! Union, and which drove ont Of il We decided
that it is better to meet it with free limbs, in
dependent psope, than 10 struggle sgainst il,
! cled BY forms which were used to weaken Us. II
I you will carry it out between people and people,
we are better of as we are for asserting cur equal
/ ity.
But we reasoned that if there be any sincerity at
all in the plea 80 often presented u.s. that il Is not
dominion over Us which yop wanted, but the clear
ing of your own conseiences from the responsibility
! of slavery. and removing it entirely beyond the
/ Government Of which you are part, you would be
constrained after the first burst of disappointment
in the loss of political power ia over to hat it
is best, your grounds, that should part in
/ peace. If you act otherwise, and in1ict war zpon
Us, because we withdraw slavery entirely from your
Jurisdiction. you confirm US in our belief Of your
insincerty and unfriendliEess and Of the vision Of
/ taking our own protection upon ourselves.
But we have reasoned further-that our total
/ separation from you removes some Of the fuel
/ which has kept up the Snti-slavery excitement
| among you. Slavery can no longer be pretended to
be domestic question with you. 1t can no longer
have the controlling place in your domestic politics.
While the South was within your government, your
| demagogues hsd = theme On which they could
! debate, and rouse the populace 20 frenzy-bsfgre
which the timid men Of Thoughts gave way in hope
| lessness, or to which the ambitious pandered for
power. BY use Of it. they got control Of immense
] revenues, fat jobs and good Offices There WA ~
hope for this rage of GntsiaVery petitions 70
! whilst there Was the South TO be cruelty exrsri-
mented upon, an interest Of slavery left, which
could be offered up sacrifice. The rSge at eur
escape from this incessGnt persecution, shows how
highly we were estimated the material for party
I uses NOW L0Ak We tAk6 OUF%tlFe1 lESm llt utlU
| of your home politics, your demagogues must ind
! some other topics for domestic contentious The
slavery question is converted into q public enc,
with another relation-One Of war, for subjugstion
Of an independent people, or peace, eommsrce and
| friendly intercourse with them.
1. ought 10 be peace. The Northern conscience
ought 70 be at rest and Northern parties gppeassa.
If Il be otherwise, the fault is not Il cannot
be otherwise without great crime, and the crime Is
not ours. We ask % be let alone, and 70 walk in
. ! fro natl or T1paN Nv ourselves WhR1aVnP q
sists this by force encourage fFatriGidal war
to suppress our freedom OF action, OF 20 punish
with fire, slaughter and devastation for the making
Of thst choice is q heinous offence against justice,
humanity, religion and Eberty-Su that hfts the
civilization Of this continent above the barbarian Of
| Africa.
But of all this we shall be guiltlssa. Every man
in the South, if he were marching 70 his death, may
lift his hands fearlessly towards Heaven, sad say
! with the cslmness Of the great Rsformer, in the
presence Of prosecuting council " cannot do 9TH
| erwise, so help me Godw
had not designed extending my letter to this
great length, but my heart is in the ssbsct and il
has grown under my pen insensibly 70 myself.
have written without preparation, and with entire
freedom, conscious of design 10 give offence even
to your prejudices, but desirous to make, in re-
sponse to your inquiries truthful exposition OF the
state of mind at the South.
You may derive from 4 these coEclusions-thAt
| wa cannot return to the same Government with tbs
North; We cannot SO live in peace with you; We
desire to live apart from you, but in peace with
! you If you will We have no wish 20 invade your
territory, SssSIl your flag, or harm your people.
We find no fault with your enthusiasm fo the stars
and stripes as the emblems Of your own Govern
menk. We content th&s you should cherish
them and support them with your best blood and
breath. But not content, and We viii never
slloU, that you shall plant them on our territory,
Is emblems of sovereignty or Of conqess over Rs.
We have 8 country and flag Of our own, 70 which
our affections and our duty are pledged. We shall
ingly but with the ealmness Of Uabounded trnst in
righteous cause, not the power Of Lincoln, upheld
by the wild hories be can muster in the North and
aided by the lavish contributions OF your migrate
merchants, can prevail against US.
Il is amazing TO me that any 'solid thinking man
among you should desire TO prevail in this strife. II
yon could succeed In overruning and subduing the
South, your work would only be begun. Tbs hun
dreds Of millions which it will have cost you, in
treasure, and the hecatOnbs of lives, viii be but
inEnitessimal fractions of what it viii cost you to
"occupy and possess it. What was won By srms
must be maintained By armies There viii be, OF
course, no more States. You will have obitsrAted
them You will have subject provinces under pro
consuls and they must needs be strongly enfrench-
ed to maintain themselves in hostile cOunsry The
quetude Of the subjected will be 8 snare 6nEue-
dued "rebels' would bettke themselves 70 the
swamps, and the passes Of the mountains % Walt
upon the chances for striking blow against the
alien oppressor. A generation will grow up taught
from the cradle to hate you IS roooer race and 70
. dedicate their lives to the duty OF svenging upon
You the slaughter Of their fathers
How long would constitutional forms survive
among yourselves under the grinding military rule
BY which such an undying warfare must be snstain-
ed? And how long would it be before the Generals
of some Alexander would be fighting for mastery
over the fragments Of your Republic, and bidding
against each other for the help Of Southern swords
The unerring lessons Of history teach that such
would be your fate if there not in the infexi-
BILE purpose and indominatase courage Of the South
4 power to curb your wicked passions, and save
somethin9 of constitutional liberty for the hopes Of
, the world.
; l.. 5. s / M 8.