Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-12-06


yers in the State had decided that we were not re-
CURED to take the oath. at least was informed,
and so understood it. We, however met at the Cap
itol Rt II o'clock A. NJ on the 1st Monday in osso>
Der, 1861, and when the members were called up to
be sworn, found they were sworn to support the
Constitution Of the Confederate States of America.
Immediately consulted with one or two friends and
we concluded that it best just to take the oath
without any objection it being understood that au
objection had been made in the Senate, which had
been overruled. Regarding the csfh therefore, aS
an er-ofc0 oblgstiop, snd not required by any law
in the State and therefore exirsiudicia in its char
Acter, went forward and took il, with full je>
termination st the time never to violate its OBJ
legations, wdich have never done. being conscious
Of the fact. so help me Heaven! | have stated
time and again, that the oath, in my judgment, ad
ded no additional obligation TO what we we're other
wise bound t. DO stating that the man who took
the oath Wss simply sworn to do, what he who
took it not wss bound ID do-w lch was to obey the
Laws and the Constitution Of the country in which
we 1--we stating at the same time that this was GER
tainly Government ds fGctO whether it was 8
Government de jIrs or not, and that it was the
only Government that could give as protection
thar allegiance ard protection reciprocal, and
the citizen was not bound to the one unless the
Government furnished the other. With this
view of the matter, l took the osths
and | took it 10 good faith. Notwithstanding
in my judgment and conscience, I did not
believe it could be legally and constitu6onaly re-
CURED and was therefore, Of no binding authors
ty However, if it had been authorized by any law
Of the State, as Il nor is. l should ald would have
regarded it in q very different light The oath now
prescribed by the act of the Legislature shall re-
gard as binding IN ldto, conscience and morals.
would farther state that after the organization
some time, on the Sabbath day IS / now remember,
very carelsss'y and very lIuthotgkedy seated at
my desk in the Hall of the House of Rerresents-
L. IL, .1.11
iG the Knoxville RsgiseT, addressed to L. B. Head
rick, Esq, of Greenvllle, Tennessee. Mr. Headriek
is young man. and had occupied the same office
with me for some time and the very man had
entrusted with all my business in my absence, in
Court and out Of Court and had made him regular
power Of Attorney to attend to the same, he being
at the same time q strong Southern man. do NOT
however, pretend to say that the letter in ques-
ton wEs addressed to Mr.. Headrick cortidentidpy,
more than would have been understood by
the relation between US. l did not expect
the letter to be made public. and at the same time
any way improper about it. Bat how the letter
came to be the subject Of public criticism and pub
lie animal version, am sure am not prepared to
say. The letter, however, as may be readily seen,
is carelessly written, and written without any
thought of its ever becoming a public document,
and now state most emphatically, that when
state in that letter. that did not regard the oath
to support the Constitution o. the Confederate
States as. binding in law or morals ~ meant to
use that expression in q legal sense-that it was
simply an a. otFcO ligstiOn-withOut any law in
the State TO require 1t, and therefore extra Judicial
and Of 10 binding authority. did not mean, and
Enthusiastically declare it, that intended to disre-
gard that OATH and l now make this broad state
ment, that If ever violated that oath in any par.
ticuar, knowingly or Intentionally, much less CDR
ruptly, / hope the heavens may Immediately open,
and that q shower of FIRE and birthstone may come
down upon me, and that the earth may open, and
that may be driven by the thunderboIts of the
wrath Of Gsd to the nethermost hell before l see
the light Of another day.
The truth il, the honest truth is, that the error
committed was an attempt to represent a Union
constituency in the Legislature at time when It
should not have been done. lad always said that
when it came to a war of subjugation OF the South
an effort of Lincoln and his mlnions to extermn-
ate Southern institutions, that would then cot be
neutral but would shoulder my musket to drive
the Vandsl hOrdes back. repeat the same to-day
although may be suspected of having motive for
it at present. but this is not So for intend to speak
the truth, so help me God and will do it fearlessly
il should net live to see the rising Of another
wish further to state to all those who have been
regarded a. Union men IN East Tennessee, that you
will have to desist from your former course, neu-
trality will never do We must have active, efiei-
ent, energetic action upon the subject. am well
satilt1ed that / had much devotion for the
old Union a. any living man, and if
have eomnlttsd any sln At all, IL II tie
sin of loving my country too we'll of
being too dsvotedly attached to the old COnstitu-
uon Of our fathers, for most solemnly declare to-
day, that when saw star after altar stricken from
the bright GALAXY Of the Federal Constitution"
thought felt the deep foundations of constitutional
liberty give way. But this, am now satisfied, is
all fancy. Stubborn facts are now before Us. 1t
is certainly now, "li6erty and independence" or
then it is conquest and slavery and where il the
East Tennessean but prefers death to being con-
quered and ruled By Lincoln desPotism. For
myself have but one course, and that intend to
pursue let consequences be what they mey, That
course is to go with the South and stand with the
man that stands longest in defense Of Southern
rights
In conclusion, wish only to say, that my apology
for the publication Of this article originates in what
regarded as the premature publication Of my let
ter to Mr.. a1rick in the Knoxville Register. do
not wish to be prejudged. JAMES BRITToS, Jr.
Greeneville, Dec. I'd, 1851.