Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-01-02

Sectional interest and anim0sity will deepen the
irritation, and oil hope of remedy is rendered VAN
by the fact that public opinion at the North has IN
vested great political error with the sanctions of
a more erroneous religious belief.
We. therefore, the people of South Carolina by
our delegates in convention assembled, appealing TO
the Supreme Judge of the World for the recflfude
of cur Intentions, have solennly declared that the
Union heretofore existing between this State and
the other States of North America is dissolved, and
that the State of South Carolina has resumed her
position among the nations of the world, as free
sovereign and independent State, with full power
to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances,
establish commence, and to do all other acts ana
things which independent States may of right do
And, for the support of this Declaration with
firm reliance on the protection of Divine providence,
we mutually pledge to each other lives, our for
tunes, and our sacred honor.
THE SIGNING OF THE SECESSION oRDISaNcE
The Charleston Mercury thus describes the scene
attending the signing of the Secession Ordinance:
The scene was one profoundly grand and inn
pressive. There were people assembled through
their highest representatives; men most OF them
upon whose heads the SHOWS of sixty winters had
been shed patriaIchs in age-the dignitarles OF the
land-the High Priests of the Church Of Christ
reverend statesmen-and the wise Judges OF the
law. In the midst Of deep silence an old man. with
towed form, and hair as white as snow, the Rev.
DR.. Bachman, advanced forward, with raised hands,
in prayer to Almighty God, for His blessing and
favor in this great act of tbs people, about to be
consummated. The whole assembly at once rose to
its feet, and with hats off listened to the touching
and eloquent appeal to the All Wise Dispenser OF
events.
At the close of the prayer the President advanced
with the consecrated parchment, upon which was
inscribed the decision of the State, with the great
seal attached Slowly and solemnly 1t was read
unto the last word-"diSs0iced" --when men could
contain themselves no longer, and shout that shook
the very building, reyerberating, long continued,
rose to Heaven and ceased only with the loss OF
breath. In proud, grave silence. the Convention IT
self waited the end with beating hearts.
The members of the Convention then advanced
one by one and placed their signatures TO the ordl
nance; after which, amidst the most tunultuops
applause. the President proclaimed the State OF
South Carolina separate, Independent nationality
A PredictiOn-The Horrors of Civil War.
We put upon record the prediction that the first
collision of arms between the soldiers of the Cen
eral Government and the /ctizens Of any seeding
State will be Immediately followed by the with
and by their making common cause in war with
their assailed Southern sister, 1t is entirely nIna
teria far the result is concerned whether the
collision is brought on by an attempt to enforce the
revenue laws upon seeding State. by the holding
Of fortresses within their boundaries, or by any
! other forcibe act The news of an action of bat
tie would excite every Southern State. They would
not look at the immediate cause that brought it on
| the time for deliberation with them would have
| passed. and that of action would come. This is as
] certein that is governed by natural law.
A war; bloody civil war, with the whole South, is
bound to be the result of any coercIve policy, how
ever that coercion may be applied This IS the fact
that has got to be looked fall and square in the face
| To support the Republican policy of coercion the
mothers, sisters and daughters of the North must
expect 10 see their fathers husbands and brothers
torn from them, drafted out by thousands, to be
food for cannon and disease in the canebrakes and
rce-felds of the South. The farmer must leave his
field, the mechanic his workshop, the professional
man merchant his office or store, and join the
Southern coercion army. We must become nation
of drilled soldiers; martial law must take the place
of the civil and common in great degree. Great
as are the sufferings of the country, we must ex-
pect TO see them magnified athousand-fold.
| We have never seen such war as that would be
between the North and the South, which the ire
pressible conflict desires to inaugurate. In other
wars our enemy has been thousands of miles of,
and could only be reached upon the sea or by dis
tant invasion. But, in a struggle with the South it
lies side by side and wonderful facilities for deanly
| conflict exist. The whole force of each could be
brought to bear upon the other, and only the stream
of the Ohio would separate the hostile parties.
| Then the forces upon each side being all Ameri-
cans, the descendants of a common stock-the most
courageous and warlike race upon the earth-full
of vigOr, enterprise resolution and perseverance
! it would truly be conflict of giants, in which
neghbor would be srrayed aga nst neghbor, as We |
|
the Republicans would resort to this deadly strife
might be expected to take part in it. and the
horrors of instruction and the enmity of race be
added to that of kindred and countrymen troci-
ties would ensue only paralleled by those Of the
French Revolution and of the st. Domingo insur-
rection If our difficulties not settled and if
the Republicans do not manifest more conciliatory
spirit and war ensues it will be found that we have
not overdrawn the picture.
Our Republican friends may sneer at it AS
improbable, as they did when we predicted financial
distress and Southern secession the results the
election of a sectional President, but experience
sad experience-wIll again prove cur prediction
true The Republicans have proved false prophets.
They have shown no knowledge whatever of the
terrible perils upon which they have run the ship
of State, and we are satisfied they are grossly ig
norant Of the still worse breakers which ahead
if they persevere in their runous policy. We are
against all this from the start. We have always
opposed it, and shall continue TO do so. We are
against civil war and are therefore against anything
which viii lead TO collision between the SottE
and the General Government Rcjnnati Enquirer,
| Dec 20.