Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1855-1861, 1861-06-15

states Required Tor lht fullhralun
Fellow, citizens of the United States, You
are about 10 be- engaged IN % wnr In which
the horrors that ordinarily attend TINT state
are likely 10 be aggravated by the Tact that
you nrr Of the same family aud have long
lived together Ia Intimate intercourse nud Ia
friendly relations The hind icoliuga that
once existed have been changed 10 bitter
ness, soon to degenerate, II may be, into
deadly luminosity We desire ~ remind you
that son nrr coulrudiug about q question Of
prin,ipr upon which We would hun believe
that you are on each side convinced that you
are right II Is no longer question OF par
" politics, no longer a question about the
right ~ bold slaves In territories, Or to re-.
take them when they escape the question 10
be settled b, whether We shall live Ia The sHmc
union ns formerly, ur whether our fathers
formed government upon such principles
that amy one state may nt her own pleasure
without the consent NJ the others, and with
out any responsibility ~ amy human power
withdraw from hgr connection with the gov
eminent and clam 10 bee sovereign ns sep
urute nation II viii be readily seen That
this, as question OF principle. Is not ailrc-
ted By the uumbrrof states that have win
drawn II would have been well If this
question could have been solved In some 9th
er mode than by resort 10 war; but II may
be that nothing but divine inicrpOsluOn
nov ran determine 10 by other means A
war upon such ~ question ought not TO pro-
dlce any higher evaporation or excite any
greater degree Of luminosity than Is incident
TO oil wars. IN the meantime let the spirit Of
humanity aud Of the high civilization Of the
age, strip this war Of the horrors that gen
orally attend such civil strife.
Our states desire, and Aaye indicated O Pnr-
pose TO take 10 part In this war, and wo be
lrye, that in ibis course We VIII ultimately
best serve the interests OF our common guun-
try, IL is impossible that we should be- in
different spectators We consider that our in
tcrests would be- irrelrlryably rnincd 10y IA.
King part In the conflict on the side where
the strongest sympathics Of our people are
and that our stu e Of honor and %! duty
requires that We should not allow ourselves
TO be drawn or driven into wrr In which
other states, without consulting us. have
deliberately chosen to involve themselves
Our safety and our dignity nsumoug the most
powerful of the slave states demand Of u.
that we take this position.
II the time shall come when our friendly
medmiion may arrest the further progress o
the strife, our most earnest and strenuous ct.
forts shall not be wanting to bring about
peace, and it &, by such efforts that we hopt
TO serve the interests Of Our country
And now IN conclusion, we make our sol
emu appeal To the people ofthe United States
This Is your goycrnment--its preservation Is
your prrser, hliOn--its overthrow Is youl
ruin, and you are the rgbtiul arOlters Of IL
fate
We hope you will take the subject of thi,
address into your own consideration. Act
with the energy and decision OF free PEG.
pie. 10 you and you alone we have conf
dence. You have the intelligence and th,
power 10 rule this fearful crisis. Make known
your will in some emphatic form, that shall
give it authority with your representative
everywhere.
May we not earnestly hope that YOU tn,
people, the who'll, people, without regard t,
parties or sections, will be able 20 command
u settlement OF the national difficulties an,
vii see the proprirty and necessity of having
q cessation OF present hosUliuos, so that th,
measure Of paclfcation which your wisdom
may devise, can be calmly considered by you
constitutional authorities.
We venture to suggest for your consider
alton and action, two specific propositions a
most likely to lead 10 pnciicauon
LIST. That congress shall at once PROPOSE
such constitutional amendments, as will Sc
cure To slave holders their legal rights, M,
alay their oppreheusious 10 regard to pos
sibe cucrHarhment, in the future.
2ui II this should fail - bring ubou tn
results SO desirable to us md so essential Il
D. lot.
untary convention he called, composed O
delegates from the people Of al the states 10
which measures Ut peacca6e adjustment ma.
be devised and adopted and the nation rrscu
ed from the continued horrors aud calamitit
VI civil wur
To our icllow-citizens Of the north we de
sire TO say, discard that sectional and un
4 friendly pirl' manifested by teaching an.
action which has contributed so much to in
fame the feelings Of the southern people m
justly create apprehension Oh their part OF in
jury to them.
To our leilaw-ctizcns Of the south we de
/ sire to say slough we We been greitly in
/ jured by your prcciplate action we wuul
not now reproach yon rs the cause Of thu
injury, but we enlreat you to re examine th
question Of The neyes,i for such action, aud
il you find that Il hns been taken " iluuut dul
consideration rs we verify believe, aud tha
the evils you appreheuded from cuutiuuanr
iu the Union were neither 80 grcnt nor so an
avoidable AS you supposed, or that cougres,
4 is willing TO grant adequate securities, tbri
We pray You to return promptly TO you
connection with us, that We may be, 10 th
future, as we have been in the past one grea'
powerful, and prosperous nation.
Indications have alrcady,btru afforded tho
Divine power is ready TO interposo and pre-
vent brethren from sIauehtering each Other
While the bombardment ut Fort Sumter con
tinued, no life waslost. When q proyidrntiF
interpos'tion was no Longer nee ded 10 prevel
the ciiusiOn Of blood in civil strife, sever
lives were lost 10 the performance Of mri
ceremony We would invoke the prcsrnC
and aid OF that Power 10 preserve our fellow
citizens, on bo'h sides, from slaughter, nm
we would commit the interest Of our distract
ed country 10 llis hands who can bring fort
peace and order on, Of strife and COufusio
when mans wisdom utterly fails
j. J. CRIT lENDEN, Prest.
JAS GUTHRIE.
II r. GAMBLE OF Missouri
WM. A lALL.
J. q. HENDERSON,
WN. G PONEROY,
r X WILLIAMS,
AIRED DIXON,
7 N BRISrOW,
JOSHUA r BELL.
G. A. WirKLlFfE
g. W. DUNLAP.
J. F ROBINSON,
JOIN D. HUSTON.
RDRT nTfU lRDSpN