Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-10-18

TOthe Voters OF the Counties of Warren
Van BHren, White, Cumberland Put
nam, Jackson, OVertOn, FentTess, ROane
Morgan, Scott and Anderson, Comprising
me 4th Congregational District,
am candidate to represent you in the first Con
gress Of the Confederate States Of America, under
the Permanent Constitution. The election viii b,
held on Wednesday the 9th Of next month. and the
Congress will assembly in Richmond, Virginia, OF
the 18Th day Of February 1852.
It would afford me great pleasure to take each
voter Of the District b. the hand and to commune
with him freely upon the subject of public affairs
The limited time however, which intsrvenes before
you are called on to make your selection of Repre-,
sentative viii deny me this satisfaction, I there
fore address you this brief letter.
We are in the midst of q revolution, the end Of
which no man can foresee. 1t may terminate in six
months, and it may not in as many years There
is but one way TO secure a peace and that is to
conquer 1t.
Ny devotion to the Union formed by our fathers
is well known. chung to it so long as there was
hope Of Its preservation. That my position, past
and present, may be clearly understood let me add
that did not reliuqush this hope until read LIN
coins Proclamation of April last. That document
carried war upon its face; proposed Union not
of aefctiOn, but of military force; Grrayed one
section of the country agaInst the other in line of
battle, and inaugurated policy of coercion. which
l have always believed destructive alike of the
Union and liberty it professed to defend Its results
have strengthened these early convictions. Under
preteXt Of sustaining the Constitution and laws,
LINCOLN and the mad men, who control him. have
tramPed both under foot They have set up a
bloody partizan creed, as the ruling idea of their
administration, and have utterly annihilated every
principle Of freedom l. is worse than idle TO think
or dream Of such Union as once claimed the foalty
a. the entire country, or to look forward 10 any
future other than our own unity ana Independence
Such being may deliberate ju8gmant | feel all
the indignation that true son of the South should
feel, against those whose han are blgckene5
with these crimes and who would add TO their
guilt, the subJugauon OF the South and the reduc.
tiOR Of its far States TO the miserable slavery of
conquered provinces.
have said that no one can tell lrhen this war
will end. But Il does seem to ms that j, requires
but a small share OF sygacy to predict ko,0 it will
terminate. As sure as just God Is offended with
the oppressors Of mankind, SO sure will its close
witness the establishment OF our Independence On
this point DO not entertain one single doubt or ap
prehension.
Old political issues belong to past era-old
party lines are now efaced-old personal grudges
and contentious are receding before an enemy to
each and all oil us-snd the freemen Of the South
are standing in solid column throughout which
beats but one heart of defiant courage and pur-
pose. Withered De the tongue which, fer its own
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feeling and aim. With myself old party quarrels
are a sealed book. So shall they renain-at leas',
during the existence of the present war. 1t will
be time enough to settle past dlsputes-if we have
any to settle-when peace IS restored TO the South,
and Ter States have won their independence and
recognition from cur OppressOr and the world. And