Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-03-02
A Palmer QUESTION.

A Palmer QUESTION.
If the people of State. by an overwhelming
majority decide that the " eonneetlon OF thst
state With the Federal Union" is not dissolved,
80 nat the laws of the State require
m citizens TO be obedient to the laws OF the Federal
Eorernment-shal the citizen of the State thus sit
mated obey or is be Unsuitable in continuing his
onnos;tion 10 the oppressed loiH Of the people to the
Sostitution and laws of the State. and to the Con-
stituton and laws of the United States? Is the
r,tizen who arrays himself and is found endeavor-
inc TO array others against the viii of the people,
ana against the State and Federal laws not guilty
Of sedtion, or something worse Banner.
We do not know that we precisely understand
the Burners question. If it means to ask whether
citizen may not differ from the expressed will of
the majority, and may not freely and boldly express
that difference, without being guilty of "sediton,
or something worse?" we answer unhesitatingly,
no, neyeri As citizen, he is bound only to obey
the expressed will of the people when that will Is
embed led in the law not to approve it; and If he
ccnseientousy believes that will to have been IN
luenced by error, deception or falsehood, 1t IS
not only his right, but his duty, to raise
his voice and exert all his influence to
reverse the verdict and to change the decree OF the
nopular will. If it be "sedition, or something
worse for the citizens of Tennessee, to express
doubt that the people acted advisedly or wisely in
refusing to call a Convention at the late election,
and in not demanding satisfactory guarantees for
their rights, then we live under the worst form of
despo:ism, instead of under free governments
where even the will of the minority is respected /;
and it would be well to revive the alien and sedton
ltws of the elder ADAMS and provide that every
man who raises his voice against the powers that
beu should be fined and imprisoned for his audaei-
ty. We suppose that such act would be natu-
rally one of the '.first fruits" of Black Republic
can administration whose damnsble doctrines need
some such bulwark to defend them against the ha-
tired and contempt they are sure to meet in Tonnes
see even if they have failed hitherto TO receive the
full share of reprObatiOn they deserve. Such an
act would be proper accompaniment to the bloody
doctrine of coercion which it is understood, meets
with general approval from the Black Republican
leaders.
If it be 'sedition or something worse" to reason
with the people to show them wherein they may
have been misled or deceived, then it would be
proper to suppress the freedom of thought freedom
Of speech and freedom of the press and erect hasty
verdict, which thousands already avowedly regret,
into despotism over the minds and speech of free
citizens thus establishing tyranny more to be abb
horred than the NEST absolute monarchy. No free
citizen would live under such a despotisn, if he
could escape from 1t. And every freeman will re-
sist it, at all hazards and to the last extremity"
long as he has a tongue in his head or an arm to
his body.