Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-03-09
COMMUNICATION.
Review of Mr.. Lincoln's ynauguraI-..
Shall VO have Peace shall we have


Shall VvO have Peace or Shall we have
war;
MEssRs EDTroRs: am no politician, nor have 1
any political ends to subserve And in venturing
to PROFOUND this startling question through your
columns, do it under the profound conviction that
this is the great issue now before US as people.
No man. at all acquainted with the present political
attitude of country deny that seven of the
States Of this Confederacy have, through their
specve conventions, formally passed the ordinance
of secession thereby declaring themselves absoved
from all further allegiance to the laws Of the uni
ted States and that addition to this, these seven
States have united together under a provisional
government calling themselves the Confederate
States of America, and under this Provisional Gov
ernment they have President and Vice President,
Cabinet, DC. These, say, are facts which no intel
lIgent man who has any regard to truth will dare
deny. Whether we approve or condemn them, still
they are facts The mountain stands before US, es-
innate its proportions as we may. It matters not
whether believe in the right of secession not
we may either approve or censure the action of
these States still that does not change the fact that
they hqve seeded.
Another stern fact connected with that movement,
which ne man acquainted with the state of opinion
and feeling in those States deny, Is, that the
great mass ofthe people of those Sites freely be-
heve that their grievances under the Federal Gov
eminent have been, and are such as to justify them
in exercising the right of secession or revolution
whatever else you may please to call it. am not
HOW uchlg VIII uUSHuCt yucStfCtS Wib StugQoTH
facts, which too many refuse to acknowledge.
Whether right or wrong in their convictions they
do have these convictions, they conscientious in
them, and they will maintain them at all haz-
ards | assure you MeSsrs. Editors and speak
from personal knowledge, that no earthly power
can shake them in these convictions, or can drive
them from their position. Call them rebels, call
them traitors call them anything you choose; but
whenever the time comes. if come it must. they will
pour out ther life's blood like water in defence of
tbn, afap fntal and hold lu
some of the ablest. purest nsblest and most self
sacrificing men, and women too, in the world, are
fully enlisted in this secession movement
And l confess that 1t does make me burn
with Indignation when | hear such men
as these denounced as rebels and traitors. Men
of conscience, and men of prayer have been de-
nounced as traitors before. When the Scotch cove
Danters convened centuries ago, to consider their
wrongs and to resist tyranny, they sanctifed their
proceedings with prayer; "but the English and
Scotch tories denounced them traitors, and hunted
them down like wild beasts" When the English
Puritans were consulting on the redress of their
grievances. and determining upon resistance 10 OPP
preston. the minions of the tyrranical House of
the Stuarts called them rebels and traitors. and
thirsted for their blood. When our revolution
ary fathers assembled in convention to resist the
of Great Britain, they too were de- |
nounced as rebels aud traitors by the ministers of
the British crown and Washington and his compa |
triots were proclaimed outlaws? Yes these noble |
low aid degrading epitheti Their names must be |
with Benedict Arnold, the traitor And !
who was Arnold, and how came he to be a traitor? |
rWas It by resisting tyranny or was it BY fawnng |
around the footstool of power! Washington and his |
in council and in arms, committed |
treason against the British crown, rebelled |
against the third George and thereby be-
came patriots and sages while Benedict
Arnold, who sought the suiles.of royal approval,
goes down TO posterty covered with everlasting in
l,oo ka rafte
ed to commit treason" sEE Use
But have digressed somewhat from my original |
purpose. started out with the intention Of laying
before your readers few plain facts Which should
determine our duty in the present crisis. ] have
Itsted that secession is no longer an sbsraot ques-
ion. 1t is now stubborn fact, whether we like
or not. The seeding States have taken their
tsnd openly and fesrlessly, and from that position
10 esrthly power can drive them. OverrIn by an
invading army they may be, their resources ex
iaustsd their plains Gsenched ia blood, their
md daughters slaughtered by thousands possibly
hey may be extsrminsted. will grant all this.
But conquered and subjugated, they never will be.
70, never
Now, let us turn TO the other side of the picture.
new administration has just been iuaugurated.
The Chief Executive has just indicated his policy
n very plain and decided terms and that policy,
90, be it remembered, is fully endorsed By the
'poWsr behind the throne" Wm. H. Sevard.
Mr.. Lincoln says he has no intention Of iDterfer-
ng with the property, peace and personal security
f The citizens in any of the States, he will not
Interfere with slavery in any eff the STATES where it
ow exists. He also recognizes the constitutional
litigation to restore fugitives from service, tina;
laves escaping from service in one State into I
mother, should be returned. But he leaves it al
pen question, whether the State or the Federal
authorities should return these fugitive slaves. He
ecIares that 'the Constitution does not expressly
ay,o who shall carry out this provision. Ii then,
shall decide that this prerogatye attaches
zclusyely to the State authorities, the whole 9ues-