Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-02-07

MI. Speaker: fr fS with some mlSg1Vlngs
that arise to address the House of Repre-
sentatives at this late day of the session, mol
would undertake to do so, but for the i'm.
portance OF the resolutions now pending, and
| the influence they must necessarily exert 10
bringing about an amicable adjustment of the
unfortunate controversy, now going on be
| tween the two great sections OF the Union
We have evidently arrived at a crisis in the
| history of our country when the strength and
permancncy of our system OF government
must be tested. W. are to-day standing up
on the verge of a mighty volcano, which
| threatens 10 burst forth, and Overspread the
| whole country with ruin and desolation.
Patriots everywhere, are awaiting with deep
| solicitude and intense anxiety to see the re.
suits likely to grow out of the unparalleled
excitement that now pervades every section
of our distracted land. The sigus of the
times are, indeed, portentous. A dark cloud
of gloom seems to be rapidly gathering over
| us The Union and peace of thirty-three
States are likely TO be broken up, thereby
| hazarding the fortunes, happiness and lives
| of millions of independent freemen Already
do we begin TO feel the symptoms of the
| mighty shock, which such sad catastrophe
| must necessarily produce. Your State stocks
| have gone down week by week and day by
day-irade has been tagnated,-commerce
| paralyzed--and banks suspended. while the
Il
| you full in the face. Sir, if we would avert
| these direful consequences,-if We would pre-
| serve our glorious system of government un-
/ impaired-if we would avert all the horrors
| of civil war-our beautiful and thriving
cities from being converted into smoking
| ruins-our fair fields from desolatiOn, and
one brother from imbruing bis hands iu the
| blood of another, we must arouse ourselves
| TO full sense of the importance of the &C.
/ cosiou-fha solafru nhli ti0ps ro<fiDu m
US. and perform we'll our part in the fearful
| scenes now being enacted upon the political
stage. In the midst of the wild excitement
with which we are surrounded, let US be COO,
calm, and selfpossessed in all our acts and
deliberations. My humble, but devout pray
er is, that our counsels may continue TO be
marked with moderation, but at the same
time with firmness and determination. Let
Us one OF the States of this great Con-
federacy ask for nothing but what is right,
and submit to nothing that may be wrong.
Mr. Speaker, the course which Tennessee
In connection with Virginia, North Carolina,
and Kentucky. will pursue must be important
in this crisis. Occupying central position
iu this great confederation of States they
cannot fail to exert powerful influence,
either to perpetuate or destroy our present
system of government. As the heart throws
out the blood to the extremiti"s of the bu-
lion in this crisis, be felt in every ramifica-
ton and extremity OF the nation They set
up no claim, however. to dictate to other
States what they should do or should not do.
That, as matter of course, must be left to
them. shall, however, look with confidence
ID the action of these States in the adjust
ment of existing difficulties. The great
statesman of the West, never uttered a more
philosophical and statesman-like sentiment
fhan xrba mo said. .sif tho ITni0o IF
States is ever threatened with disruption,
shall look with confidence 10 Virginia, North
Carolina, Kentucky and Tennessee, to perpe-
tuate and preserve it. Why! Because they
are in the very heart of the nation. Sir, the
first symptoms of decay in all the works of
nature are first seen and observed in the ex
tremities The boughs and branches of the
majestic oak die first and fall 10 the earth,
and when man is on the point of dissolution,
vitality leaves the extremities first. So it
must be with nations. How fully, but yet
how painfully has this great fact been exem-
plified in the history OF our. hitherto, peace
full, happy and prosperous, but now distraci ed
nation. The first State to nullify the FEEDER
al Law, and trample the Constitution under
her feet. was Massachusetts,, on the extreme
North; and the first State to denOunce the
Federal Union, and raise her voice for seces-
sion was South Carolina, on the extreme
commenced, which 1 fear is being carried on
to its final consummation, unless it be arrest
ed in its wild and rapid tide by the good
sense, conservatism and patriotism of the
great masses of the American people. But
let me not be misunderstood in The allusion
have made TO South Carolina. For the res
pect have for the memory of her Marions,
her Sumpters, and her Rutledges, / would
not do her the least injury or Injustice. do
halia-a hot orir nd
ton ought be INDUCED in by any one, in this
hour of trial. Its tendency is TO evil, and
that continually. 1 do not mean to call in
question her chivalry. or her patriotism; but |
L do undertake to say. that for many long |
years the seeds of disaffecticn and alienation |
have been sowed upon her soil, which have |
grown up, and now ripened into |
bitter fruit,-that she has to some extent, lost |
that vital principle and life-giving power of |
which are essentially necessary |
among the people of all the States, to pre- |
serve aud perpetuate it.
But let me return to the thread of my re-
marks. l repea. that the position which |
Tennessee shall take, cannot but be impor- |
tant in this crisis. Aside from the favorable |
standpoint she occupies to view the storm
now raging, she has ever been true and faith
full to all her constitutional obligations. no
OuC Sldtc vi tDc OuiOn " HCI tohS
the beam out of your own eye, before you |
to take the mote out of your broth
er's eye" No demand has ever been made up
on her, for her services to yindcate the nation
al honour and national rights, that has passed
by unheeded. The battle-fields of Emuckfa,
Talladega, New Orleans and every battle
ground in Mexico fully attest this fact.
blows fell first and thickest, there
have her gallant sons ever been found bait
rrrns int md Of
common Country. In addition to this, she
has ever been Union-loving, and conserva-
tive State. She could not have been other
wise in the very nature OF things. Never
until the lessons of wisdom left upon record
by q Jackson, a White, or Polk, shall have
been erased from the memory of her people.
can she be otherwise. But while she has
been thus true and faithful to all her consti-
tutional obligations, loyal to the Union, and
ever tenacious of the National rights and
honor. she cannot be less true, loyal, and
faithful-tO herself. To say that she will per-
NIT a wrong to be Inflicted upon her, or
right trampled upon with impunity, let the
declaration come from what quarter it may,
is a gross misconception of her true cnarac-
Ter. What State then, ask, within the broad
limits OF the Union, occupies more favor
able position. to assist ia the adjustment of
our national strifes and dificulties-allay
Ne htOi IL Ho" idRtugs dHu EcstoIe peace 10 d |
people!
Mr.. Speaker. with the patient indulgence
# this House. propose to allude, in a brief
way, to the Causes which have led to our I'M
Happy differences. In doing so. / desire to
peak plainly and truihiully. No one who
DreteDds to be at all conversant with the bis
DRY of the causes which have produced the
will for a moment deny. that
hey consist in aggressions by the North up
p what We of the South conceive TO be our
fights under the Constitution. 10 the SUM-
ight of truth md reason, 1 pr, pose to en-
luIre into the nature, character aud extent
If these aggressions. Much has been said in
egard to John Brown forays, and Montgo-
merry raids. but have never been able to at
ach that importance TO them which others {
rave seen proper TO give to them. 1t is true,
hey were lawless invasions, despicable and
roh, hr,f A. L,