Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-03-20

The PaLliet depicts in eloquent terms the
magnitude of the consequences involved liz
the questions" presented in the Peace Con.
ference Proposition. What are those very
grave consequences The very existence OF
the Union" Who says so! Not We. 1t Is
neither of the extreme parties whose wicked
intentions give such alarm to the F4fri0S Ii is
right in declaring substantially that uheywould
would satisfy the extremist OF neither section,
who, according TO its notions, aTTayed against
them, ION the principle OF baleful ard mis-
chieyous selfpreseryatiOn.' So far Dis hese
are concerned, therefore, the proposition set
ties nothing
1t must be, then, that others, as well as
Southern extremists, are getting little
restless under Black Republican domination.
Union and AnaeTicU.
Will you not come to the issae, neighbor
You do not consider the existence of the
Union involved in an adjustment of our ma
tional disputes, as we infer from the above.
We do. We have suggested the. proposition
presented by the late Peace Conference as a
rallying point for the people in the North
and in the South in their approaching State
elections; you look upon that proposition as
impracticable, and spurn it as afordingla
basis of settlement, because it will not salts
fy extremists. You appear to think that the
extremists-in other words. the fanatics of
the North and the secessionists Of the South
are alone to be consulted and satisfied.
We think the extremists in both sections
ought TO be informed Of their errors, and in
voked to correct them. We do not believe
they are a majority in this country, and il
they persist in their mad and wicked
schem es to break up the Union, the masses
OF the people ought to rise up and put them
down. We believe that, if permitted fair
showing, they will do that, and restore the
government to its original integrity. At
last We are for afording the people an oppor-
tunity to try the experiment. II that is
granted them, and they fail, We shall then
consider "the next best STEP The only
material obstacle which we see to this test is
the efforts of those who are determined, in
any event, TO disrupt the Union. We feel
perfect ly assured the people will surmount
that obstacle. We shall endeavor to
strengthen them in the patriotic effort. We
have said the success of that effort would be
to dissolve the Republican organization, and
to overwhelm in defeat and shame the leaders
Of secession; and that both these elements,
therefore, would be arrayed against it. A
decision against them would not, of course,
satisfy them, but IT you'd settle Tie perman.ncy
of the Uaion, and ooercs them into loyalty 10 Il, By
the free consent of right-thIking and patriotic
people asserting The juatice. equality and binding
force of the C5nsi,u.ion as Il rIs ordnned By its
makers and construed By the chosen juis-conslilts
Of the Republic.
So far as the Union and AHleric0n intimates
a restlessness, on our part, under Republi-
can domination, we have only to say We
never approved of the principles or purposes
Of that party, and have exerted ourselves
from the inception of its organization to de-
feat its ascendency. But we to-day, contrary
to our wishes and endeavors, fluid il in pos
session of the government legally and con-
stitutionally, notwithstanding the almost
unanimous popular vote of the Southern
States against it, and but majority OF three
hundred thousand or less IN its favor in the
North. How this extraordinary result was
but we shall so far as in US lies, strive to pre-
vent the apotheosis Of the instrument which
brought it about, while we at the came time
labor to render it innocaous while in power,
and compass it's overthrow on the first posi-
bic opportunity. And all this, we trust, in
the United States of America.
1t Is entirely true that we cannot combat
Republican sectionalism directly in our State
elections, except in choosing members of
Congress; but we can assert the public SEN
sinent of the State against everything which
iafringes the Constitution or imperils the
Union. We can also give voice to the State
in demanding continuance Of the Union on
the basis Of the Federal Constitution. We
hope we VII be able to do this In spite Of all
opposition.