Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1861-04-19
Z POSITION THEN AND now


with some severity Lincons Inaugural and de-
nounecd it a document; and for this inter
probation Of its intent we were freely censured and
charged with incendiarism in the attempt to stamp
awarlike aspect uqon speech which meant moth
ing hut Cancellation and peace After events have
gindicated he truth Of Interpretation the In
augural meant war, and the interval between its
PRONUNCIATION and the striking of the first blow was
marked by criminal duplicity--a treachery that
deepens the gniiI Of the original intent We have
referred to this subject however not merely for the
purpose of indicating the accuracy Of our Judge
ment in degning the true meaning and intent of
the Inaugural, but for the additional purpose Of
showing what then thought should be the
course of Tennessee and the other Border Slave
States in the event of collision between the Gov
ernments at Washington and Montgomery Here is
the language used the aforesaid 9Th of March:
1T is not our purpose to argue the question
of abstract right Involved in the issue between the
North and SOnh--the time for that has passed, and
we have time aud again, condemned the conduct
of both extremes. But we do contend that, in ev-
cry view OF the case, wecan find no justification for
the resort to force which is contemplated by the
Administration, and honestly believe that such a
course can have no other effect than to unite the
whole South in armed resistance. When the war ia
once begun, Tennessee must furnish her quota of
troops for the Northern army, on the demand of the
President or by refusal, make herself party to
the so-ealled rebellion This is practical question
that must be decided without any reference to the
right or wrong which gave rise 10 it. The spirit
which can prompt an effort ut coercion under the
circumstances viii also suggest that the loyalty of
the border States be tested by calling ont the mill
tia to subiugate the Gulf States and in view of
snch state of things it is at least legitimate to ask
the people of Tennessee what they will do In
case of pcaceable secession, can readily suppose
that the Border States disusting the Southern
Confederacy, might prefer to maintain their present
status in the Union. hoping for additional guaran-
tees of their rights; but should war be waged upon
.he seeded States, we confess our inability to see
how the former can avoid alliance, offensive and
defensive, With the hitter. And there can be no
neutrality in such n struggle the question recurs-
"What win the people Of Tennessee do ~ Our po-
sition, from the beginning, was M honorable and
hnal settlement or secession, and hat attempted
ercion would amount to the same thing. We have
scen nothing to change, but much to confirm that
position.
1t will be seen from the foregoing extract that
orr position--talen Immediately after Lincoln s
elecon--wGs sour rights in the Union, or eur
rights ont of the Union" and that our second posi-
the event of a hostile collision We took the first
position from honest conviction that honor, jus
tice, selErespoct prospective peace-all demanded
that the South should insist upon its rights and so
guarded as to be beyond the reach of Northern ia
naticism, and that failing in this demand a sepera-
ton was preferable to union of diScord embttered
by insult and aggression. The many considerations
which prompted to take the second position, we
shall not attempt to enumerae--a few will suffice,
and however unsatisfactory they may be to some of
readers, they fill the measure of our convictions
Of right and to those convictions we conform our
actions.
The Black Republican Administration is geo
graphical in its origin aud Organization and was
brought into power upon the single fanatical idea OF
undying hostility to the peculiar institutions of the
South Alarmed for the security of its rights, under
the domination of a sectional party whose religion il
hatred of slavery, the South demanded addiditona
guarantees as the only condition upon which wout
submit TO an Administration so constituted. Th,
demand was made upon Congress, and it was refus
ed. 1t was renewed through the agency of a Peac,
Conference and again refused The people and tn,
Legsa lures Of the North appealed to, to saw,
the Unic n 10y conceding the constitutional rights
Of the South but all in van-the voice of reason
and justice fell unhecded, upon their ears, and thu
spiGt which kindlcd the flames around the victim
Of blind and henzied faith in wItchcrait, sternl,
denied our rights and laughed at our appeals 10
simple justice. And this be it remembered, is thu
conduct Of people who have long been in tn
habit of stealing Southern property, aud who's
statute-books are defed with enactments in palra
bic violation of the Constitution and the laws q
Congress.
But we shall be told that these things will b
remedied as soon can get at the people of tn,
North We once believed this, and urged delay a
certain TO bring us remedy for the wrongs com
planned Of That the hope was decisive is proven
by facts that cannot be conroyertel If the Blacl
Republicans ever intended to conceie the reasona
BILE demands of the South, they would have clear
Indicated that purpose whe2 they saw the Unio
about TO be dismembercd but instead of doiu
this, they stood by, in obstinate inaction willis
stato after State dissolved its connection with III
Union. If they ever intended to concede our dc
mands, they would have done it when the Peac
Congress urged and besought them to do SO as tn
only means 10y which to retain the Border Shy
States in the Union and Of bringing back thos
which had seeded. II they ever intended to a,
knowledge and secure our just rights, they woul
have studiousy avoided collision until the propose
Border State Conference could have met and close
It's deliberations, aud they would as an evidence O
such intention, have evacuated Fort Sumpter in a,
coriauce with repeatnd assurances to that effect
But since they would not recognize and secure ii
rights of the whole South, TO save the Union il
tacp--since t-ey would not do il TO secure the COZ
tinued allegiance of the Border States-since the
would not DO il to avert the countless horrors
civil war itar sheer nftuaton to believe that the
ever entertained The rcmolest idea of making o.