Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-03-22

creased BY mr. official and personal intercourse
since you became q member Of my Cabinet No
man can have more sbly, honestly, and efficiently
| performed the various and complicated duties Of
the Interior Department than yourself, and it has
always been my pride and pleasure to express this
| opinion on every suitable occasion. regret ex-
tremeiy that the troubles Of the times have render
ed it necessary for US to part; but, whatever may
be your future destiny, shall ever feel deep in
terest in your welfare and happiness.
From your friend, very respectfully,
JAMES BUCHANAN.
EOn JAcOB Thompson.
|
The following excellent letter, from distinguish
ed Kentuckian, written in reply to an Invitation
to address the Southern Rights meeting in Louis
vills on Friday evening last:
Letter from Ex-Gov. John L. Helm.
ELIzABETHTowN, March 16, 1861.
| GENTLEMEx:-I received your letter last night
too late, of course, to comply with the request Of
your citizens to attend the contemplated meeting
My health is of peculiar character. and admonishes
me not too often to engage IN exciting scenes or to
cold. have felt deep soIicitude for the welfare
of Louisville, and that soliciiude has induced feel
ings Of deep regret at the tone and temper Of part
of your public journals towards the South and its
principal men. l have feared and now apprehend
your enterprisiBg citizens are suffering and will
continue to suffer from loss of their valuable trade
may be gnerant Of the ccurse Of the trade Of Lou
isville, but reason from known facts. I cannot
bring myself 10 the conclusion that Louisville can
successfully compete with Cincinnati, Chicago and
So. Louis for the trade Of the Northwest Il seems
to me that naturally and geographically, tie South
ami Southwest are the countries 10 which Louisville
must look for her most profitable trade. am aware
that interest is Of the governing laws Of trades
but Louisville afford undersel her neighborss
If she cannot, the advantages being equal, is it
l..
Southern people, that their fsyor win propitiated
by public declarations that they straitors" and
ssrobbers" and that their most trusted men are
'thieves," and deserve the traitors doom? We |
know it 10 be priaoiple Of weak natures to be
more bitter towards those whom we have Just light
to expect friendship when they prove false to that
friendship, than to thoee from whom We expected |
nothing.
Il was but the other day the Two parties Of Ken
ucky claiming for themselves the name Of conserv-
ativs, met and summed up the causes which had
brought on our troubles, and demanded from the |
sggrsssors, the Northern people, an scknowlsdg- |
ment of our rights and redress Of grievances.
Those grievances are conmoR TO the South. As |
among the most prominent remedies that Of the |
proposition of our noble old patriot, Crittenden.
We responded to the call Of Virginia, and sent |
Commissioners to Peace Congress. These have |
proved unavailing. We proposed National Con-
Vention, which seems to be the favored plan of the
powers that be. How many States have responded
With this temperate course Of the Border States, /
will it be surprising that the extreme Southern
States, TO whom we attribute the fault Of being too
quick to resent injuries, shsl become ineensed
against the people Of Louisville aud Kentucky,
when they evince desire to treat with more favor
able consideration those whom they have denounc- |
ed SIS having trampled on their rights, than those
who have been precipitate, yet firm and determin-
ed, in their resistance to aggressions? VIII they
not turn away from US ana say, 81 would rather
deal with an open enemy than false or pretended
friend?'
am rsjuiced to see Louisville waking up to the
point Of throwing of the influences which ara SO
likely to separate her from her true friends Does
she compromise herself in the position Of being
true to the Union? I thinh not. In my deliberate
Judgment to the pacific and conciliatory course Of
the Border States we may attribute eur deferred
hope of compromise. Because we prefer Union to
separation does not justify assaults on our friends?
But what may be expected Of 8 party Who have
persisted in their determined hostility to slavery
for forty years, and nov for the first time have
wen possession Of the Government, whose powerful
arm they wish to WELD TO crush the institution?
What may be expected Of psrty which has divided
churches, which looked eooly on whilst cur proud
fabric Eas crumbling into ruin, md rejected every
overture Of peace? The olive was held out 10 them.
the hand Of friendship extended; and in turn the
South is rendered the dire alternative Of the sword
and the cannon by States which have rendered
themselves conspicuous for their resistance to the
execution of the Federal laws designed for the pro-
lection of the South, offering money by millions
and men by thousands to force the South to obey
the Law. What Southern mind can come to any
other conclusion than that these acts eyince de-
sire, If not determined purpose, 10 shed Southern
blood ss the beginning Of bloody war which Wall
end in the abolition Of slavery! What Aentuokiaa
can exclude tae conclusion that the same cause Of
hatred to the extreme South exists towards them?
That there are hundreds and thousands good and
true men in the North snd Northwest who do not
psrtake of that feeling must be admitted by all i'm
partial Observers; but they are now pOWerless for
good Would to God they were mott
But we are now pointed to the remarkable peace
andconciistory dspostienOf the present
Administration manifested by the withdrawal of
the garrison at Fort SUMTER for the avowed reason
that it is on the point Of starvation and the Gover
meat has not tie poper to sasdia IL That is trsly
maenanimcus Bat still other forts must be held
and the revenue collected Most reluctantly my |
mind has been brought to the conclusion that these
sigrs of yeace are but TO dissrm the Border States
that their state Of preparation for action may be
abandoned, and that tine may be gained under the
hope If not the certain prospect, that the people
cannot afford to renew these scenes because Of the
pecuniary distress which will accompany them
Mr. Seward is shreWd, II not wise man He
knows the country csAnos be held up to its present
intense feeling for two years, the time it will now
require to 20 through ell the formaities of securing
to the Constitution by a National Con-
yention. If amendments cannot be secured, he
sesly speculates that the Middle States cannot af
ford to meet again in 80 short time ths crushing
eaects OF crisis Ike the present. The people must
yo.tc work Or be ruined; trade and commerce. mnst
be settled, or the country perishes. When settled
is settled condition will be used as powerful ar
gument against re-sgitation. The loss attending
such re-agitation will be summed up against what
nay be gained 10 the Shareholder by insisting upon
rights nov said to be abstract and theorsciiSsl.
Thus We viii have n, compromise nor additional
= - g. MI
perfected their scheme Of Government, formed
reaties, created armies built navies established
revenues, aud made national debt. Thus will the
iifhcnltes be increased, if not made insuperable.
against reunion The South viii then be divided.
That portion remaining with the North viii be Mt
.erly powerless in legislation, and thus may they
Be used to oppress their brethren in the South in
thousand forms under pretenss of law and policy,
without being held 10 be direct blow against
slavery. The two slave sections will thus be made
10 assume unfriendy relations, the means Of that
portion Of the South remaining With the North used
TO increase and sustain an army oiicersd by North
ern men, to build ships and establish large naval
power bounties ex%csed to sustain manufacturing
establishments and then may Fort Sumter aud 9TH
ers be retaken. But what may be still worse:
state Of ilfseling may be engeneered between
Southern people leading to duties productions Of
the soil, whilsE the Northern Government may with
view to neighten the fsud resort 70 expert duties
on our productions, and By other restrictions on
trade be brought In deadly conflict. We do know
that the Of wealth sre derived from our
Southern trade, whilst much Of the surplus of the
Western free States hads market in the North.
Can Kentucky afford to risk tie benefit Of free nav
igssiOn Of the Mississippi ana duieis on her South
ern ,radef think not. Bu. say some hrsve poll
iticians who can do the windwcrk Of lighting ne
viii hew eur way, sword in hand Suppose that
extreme course be successful; will whipping The
Southern people make them buy your produosx
You spead yeur blood aRd treaszre to 60 there, sad
Ehan fhare M cuefauer nffera to puredaee. Who