Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1861-02-15
Letter from Benton County.
BEsros Cousin, Feb. 4th, lsel.

Dear Chronicle WE you permit an humble
reader once again to speak through your widely
read columns2 If so, would speak for my coun-
try. Never before in the annals of our history has
the political sea ragged with such violence and mad
dened fury. Never has political commotion in any
country threatened so much mischief as now seems
inevitable to rs from the drift of popular feeling
throughout our distracted land Do you cite me to
bloody France, to distracted Greece or to the fall Of
Republican Roms2 They afford no parallel to the
ruin, injury or disgrace that would be given to a
nation to civilization and Freedom, by the destrus-
ton of our country; or % the misery, hor or aud
rayings of her commngled citizens.
Calmly, gentle reader does it not seem that God,
the ruler of all nations framed this lard for his own
chosen people2 Point you to land 50 climate
favored, SO dversely facilitated for communication,
and the production of almost everything. Youcan-
not. Then l ask you calmly, soberly, to reflect
whether not you just6able before the eyes Of
God and nations in destroying country, a govern
ment which has given US SO much peace and hap
piness, SO much prosperity and SO great name.
propose not to moraze but it does seem an insult
to high Heaven to destroy country so dvnely fa-
vored2 Never was there a country in which the
very commercial products of each section SO greatly
demanded union. This is apparent from the mere
classification of States: Wheat States Corn States
Cotton States, &c. Now, Mr. Editor, let me ask
why this Government is to be knocked into pie
Methinks hear a murmur; " Negro-Lincoln--
political demagogues-am traitors" Very
Ineligible truly But let not be frightened al
a mole-hill and run away with the Union because
South Carolina kicks up fuss with principle held
by some States up toward the arctic region; which
principle has been so exceedingly dead and mac
tive that it has taken her Of years to discov
er their existence.
If sir we of the South, more particularly of the
border States, have borne the wrongs for which the
cotton States are now seeding, for twenty years
without feeling it-does it not seem strange thai
they, the extreme Southern States, should so sud
denly start up with such intense sympathy for oUF
oppression, and, by way of redress, kick the Union
TO peces2 refer to statutes passed against the fu
gitive slave law. But this among other things ha!
been only a pretext for dissolving the Union. 1
the seeding States were wrongcd, there was con-
sttutional provision for redress. Was it Employed
No. Again; these personal liberty bills, the grand
prnnn mobile with disunionists are perfect shadows
of Observation-Disclosures, and therefore no law a
all.
But wish to know, Mr.. Editor, if the people of
Tennessee will allow South Carolina and the Other
seeding States to take her by the and lead he
out ef the Union, to seek her rights in a Southern
Confederaey, or in anarchy civil war and chaos be
fore she has sought her rights after the provision
the constitution. South Carolina fears our loyalty
to the Union and seeks by all means in her powe
us into futurity wLere military conquest will b
the order of the day. Will Tennesseeaps suffe
themselves thus to be led asty from the wise teach
ings of their illuStrious forefatherS? Will they no
stand up and rebuke disunionsm, and set an exam
pie to encourage States that are now halting between
two opinions? Let US not forget the blood it cos
to establish this Union, or presume to compute tn
amount it will cost to destroy it. Let US listen t
the grieved spirit of Washington crying from tn
dark recesses of the past 'sever not the bond tina
has so long bound us in one common love-" But
has become almost useless to talk, for Judgment ar
fled to british beasts and men have lost their rea
son." But let the madmen rave-yea, they "shal
digest the venom of their spleen though it do spli
them" Let but the conservatives of the Who'll
country staud true to the "star-spanged banner an
the home of the brave" and be encouraged by tn
voice of every commercial interest and product
crying Union, Union. Let them be encouraged b.
the voice of foreign friends who with us shed thei
blood to achieve our independence, now crying 70
" Union in America And England too, woul
have us united. Everg patriot says we should b
united prosperity says We must be united-adver
sity echoes, "orwe fall" You can safely Judge fror
this the sentiments of old Benton, which nigh
have expressed in five words; "0uR UNION AN
OUR RIGHTS"
Pardon the length Of this, and remain,
Yours with many well wishes,