Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-09-22
For the Daily PatriOtl
Non pro Gloria sed salute ae Libel


Some one said, substantially. "giVe me to
write peoples songs; others may their
laws Who uttered this. well understood
the magic power of sentiments in the human
heart. In all ages, all conditions, among all
races, men have been controlled by these
sentiments, these instincts embodied in their
notices, illustrated in their devices, emilia
zoned opon the colors OF their nationality
Compared with the feelings, the passions,
the native likes and dislikes, the ANNA OF
an Individual or Of a race, what are your
statistics, your syllOgisms, your fue-spun
theories of government and philosophy.
Who hears man in the emergencies of life
and action say, "that's my view-my argu-
ment!" Under trial, man rather despises ar
gument and plunges forward under the des-
pOtism OF simple impulse. 1t is the part of
philosopher and statesman to rightly appre-
bend, judciously consult, and truthtully en-
body this great motor of human conduct, so
that government may reflect its people as in
a mirror, and so that neither rulers nor the
world beside may entertain the mhconcep-
tons that seduce into the whirlpool of
ruin. To such misconceptions are tracea-
BILE the war that is now upon rs. The origi-
majors and rehearsers of our notices, our
songs and sentiments did not truthfulIy re-
fact the impulse of our people when they
emblazoned on all banners and shou ted on
all occasions. of the Union, ESQ perpettsa-''it
must and shall be preserved'-"Union and
liberty, now and forever, one and insepara-
ble" tkc. Naught human is perpetual, and
hence these were the utterances of enthusiasm
and not of philosophy. The last one of them
for quarter of century headed the col
nuns of the ablest journal of the country.
1t, like the rest, was a Misrepresentation
cheat that the people unwittingly practiced
upon themselves and others, for in the
South, at least, Liberty and Union were
never equally priced as the motto indicated,
but the former was, in fact, ever preferred;
and happy, indeed, would it have been for
the fortunes of the old government, if the
expression had been as the great Carolinian
desired it, Liberty first and the Union after
ward" This would have daguerreotyped
the actual heart of the people-would have
been TRUE, and as truth is preservative, so
would its expression, as we have said, been
happy for the fortunes of the old govern
ment-happy for many heart of parent,
child, relative, friend, thrown upon this evil
day "when pesce bleeds and hope expires"
under the devastating demon of war. With
these same sentiments upon their lips and
upon their banners, and in their hands the
- l..
North come now TO make us belle our real
feelings and declare the perishable inheri-
lance of a government dearer than the
everlasting principles of equality aud liberty
The unhappy consict is calling up tears and
walls and choking signs" that the great at
Washington reck not of, nor stop in their
ambitious haste TO look upon in pity. The
war must go on, and will end when the
North shall have learned that government,
all government, even the GLORIOUS union"
they idolize, is not great omnipotent agent
to make all men happy, all men rich and
renowned, but is itself creature, an instru-
mentality, for the protection of life and prop
erty, with the instinct of freedom for its Gre
ator and master. Their false ideas of gov
ernmental organization must perish, or else
they must have, upon snch subjects, no ideas,
no thoughts, none, at least, maturing into
action, but yield all to the dicta.ion of mil
itary despotism- Let Us see to it that no
false ideas, or rather no false expression of
ideas creep into our system. Let our form
OF government answer to the primary organ
izstion of society, and let all our notices,
devices, songs, that spring out of sentiment
but yet 90 powerfully react on that senti-
ment, be in keeping with the TRUTH, the in
stincts of the Southern heart. In proper
ton as they are true, in that proportion viii
the government be enduring.
But, Nests. Editors, / meant only In this
communication TO sUaGEsT the motto above se
one appropriate for Us, indicating, as it does,
the character of ous present movement and
the only legitimate end Of any government
Let the motto be outside the circle of stars,
and on the inside Of the circle > Figure of
Liberty combining with the classic features
OF Minerva, the habit and action of an |
Auazon-a drawn sword, pointing to the
motto. in the hand-the scsbbard dang At |