Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-03-27


To HIs CoNsTETUEETs.
To ,s FeIIyu-eitizens Of the Tenth conqvgs-
sioaal District Of Tepnessee:
am daily solicited By many partial friend.
from different portions Of the district, again
10 be a candidate for Congress. As had
some time aincs determined, under no sort
Of circumstances 20 be a candidate FOR re-
election, I deem IT my duty to make some pub
lie expression Of this fixed purpose, in order
that you may seek smother servant.
Keealy alive as ] I'm and viii ever be TO the
honor and interests Of my native State, and
especially that portion OF Il in which my life
has been spent and ny fortunes east, TRUST /
viii be pardoned for addressing yeu Z few
words. Since 7 left you, bat little more than
three months ago to take my seat ss your rep
resentative In the Congress Of tbs United
States Of America, events have transpired
more momentous than any which have ever
happened in our history since the foundation
Of our Government. Seven Of the sovereign
States Of this Union have seen ht TO sever their
connection from the Federal Government, and
to set up for themselves a separate, distinct,
and in my opinion, a permanent nationality.
| As TO the causes which imPeled them to this
separation It Is not necessary now to speak.
It Is enough to know that this Union Is abso-
lutely and Internationally dissolved, and that
there are now In actual existence, with full
functions and powers, as such, two complete
confederacles, a Northern and a Southern.
The history Of the world, from It's foundation
to the present time, furnishes to IL no parallel.
Without the shedding Of one drop Of blood
BY the voice alone Of a free ald independent
people, another and a powerful Republic, az il
by magic, has been peacefully spoken into
being, seen to take lie place full planoplied
among the nationaiities Of the earth.
Superior statesmanship has stamped is i'm
press upon every act of the Congress Of the
Confederate States. Their Constitution stands
out to all the civilized world the acknowledged
work OF consummate wisdom. Had the pro-
visions It contained been implanted IN fhs old
one, this Government might, and doubtless
would have been perpetual. That these States
intend to maiRtain their position, at all peril,
ameng the prlncipalities and powers Of the
world, no sane man can now for a moment
doubt. The thirteen colonies, when they parted
from Britain and sealed their solemn sspara-
ton with the blood Of a seven years. war, med
itated az much the idea Of "reeoqstruclion,s
as do these seeding States. These are no
longer matters Of speculation and eavil for
the timid and doubtful, but great, existing,
startling facts, and as such It is our duty to
deal with them. -
In a letter to my constituents, written from
Washington, some two months or more ago,
because these occurrences, so rapidly trans
piring, had 80 developed themselvss-while
they were yet in prOspective-I ventured an
opinion as TO the position Tennessee should
take with some reasons therefor. / shall not
now reeapitulats them.
The events OF each succeeding day onlv
serve to confirm me in that most sincere and
solemn judgment. Her true position is imme-
date and unqualified union with the Southern
States. It is her rightful and proper place.
Her every interest, agricultural, commercial,
and mechanical, demand it. Agricultural, be-
cause the surplus products OF every farm find
a market in the South. In the south alone do
the farmers and stock Taissrs of Tennessee
sell their eorn, wheat, oats, hay, horses, mules,
cattle and hogs. Commercial, because the
chief trade of her heavy merchants is to the
South. Mechanical, because every mechanic
and manufactured, by being a member Of the
Southern Confederacy, makes himself thereby
a monopolist in his branch Of industry; where
by, BY remaining In the old Union, he is forced
to De a competitor Of the cheaper labor Of the
North in all the avenues Of art. The me-
chanics and manufacturers, Of all people, are
most Immediately and directly interested in
uniting with the Southern Confederacy. IL
We Of the SOUTH mean the remaining
border States-coUld get every guarantee
that justice and equality might demand
upon the question Of slavery, power
less, as We now are, and ever would be
in the Government, the hostile legislation Of
the North alone, upon the mere question Of
political economy, would make it ruinous for
Us to remain with them. Their Morrill, tariffs,
fishing b%Ounties, northern Pacific railroads,
northern mail steamer lines, with every other
conceivable scheme Of speculation and plumber
which we would be utterly poWerless to resist,
would constitute themselves sufficient causes
for separation. It would place US powerless,
in a state OF absolute Vsssaiage. | have al
ready felt this humiliating helplessness, in my
place upon the floor OF Congress, too kesnly to
court it again; but when coupled with this
grinding. crushing legislation upon mere mat
tiers OF public policy, you see a determined and
unbeDaing purpose to strike down and destroy
that institution Of the South Of which she Is
so justly jealous, what hope have we to remain
in such a Union2 You will be cut of forever
from all power Of expansion. an an ardent
advocat Of the advancement Of our institu-
tions. | want to belong to that government
which looks South, and not North, for the
peaceful spread Of empire.
The appointments Of Cassius M. Clay as
Minister to Spain, and Corwin to Mexico, are
at this moment ominous signs, porteBding 10
! good to the South, as to Cuba and Mexico.
Ny feliow-citizens Thought when I stood
upon the floor Of the American Congress and
put the standard Of Tennessee upon the oues-
ton Of southern rights up to the point Of her
own resolutions, that | had a warrant for
making at least so bold a stand as that but ]
must acknowledge to a modification most deep,
when Black Republican arrogance and Inflated
insolenee triumphantly Haunted in the face OF
southern Representatives the subsequent vote
Of Tennessee az a proof that Andrew johnson
and Emerson Etheridge were the true type Of
Tennessee sentiment, and that those who
battled for your rights against the black
cohorts Of sbolitionism, misrepresented you.
With a firm purpose, yet with wounded pride,
still denied it. l do not yet believe that the
true voice Of Tennessse in that vote was
spoken. That vote was given under the press
OF peculiar circumstances, and viii yet be
reversed.
Every s~o-ealled compromise and measure Of
adjustment was then pending. The committee
Of thirty-three, the border State propositions,
the Crit-enden resolutions, the peace congress,
were all going to save the country. The peo-
pie were promised a speedy settlement from
these sources Of all their difficulties. They
were told that the AIaek-Ropuhiican psFtv
would give and grant 10 them all those consti-
tutional guarantees which the most dev0ut
UnioR-loving man and conservative tFen clam
ored for. These lave al signslly, lgnomin-
iously failed, as l knew they would. Propo-
%sitions, one after another. in Senate and House,
were Indignantly spuTned. Even that poor
abortion Of the peace congress, brought forth
after almost 2 months psrturitien, was con
temptuously thrust from the threshold of Con
gress. You have now none CT these panaeeas
in prospect; no dilatory pleas put In for delay;
but have got to come up to the naked question
upon its merits. Which will you choose to
live under, a hostile and abolition government
or a southern and friendly one.
Animated by these sentiments, as a private
in the ranks, / shall battle for the liberation Of
my State, with the glorious hope that the
standard Of the South will vet float proudly
from the dome Of her capitol, hailing with de-
light the zane banner from every sister State,
from monumental Maryland to the gulf Of
Mexico.
cannot close this Communication, already
longer than l intended, without returning to
you, the people Of the Tenth Congressional
district of Tennessee, the gratitude Of an honest
heart for the high trusts you have conided to
ne. have eDdeavored faithfully to execute
them. In the future you will doubtless find
public servants far more able, but none more
sensitive TO your honor, more mindful Of your
interests, and jealous in his efforts to main
tain them-never W. T. AVERY.
Mp.,Br, Morch GA foat