Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-04-28
SUNDAY mOnNrNc, April. IS, 1861.
Ennrclnn.

amation holding out the idea that it is necessary 70
have such force to remove Instructions 10 lne
laws in the States. As there is not a Vesuge Oh
Federal authority in eight States, not an oibcer
holding Office under its authority in these great
States having five millions of people, there can De
no enforcement of laws removal of Instructions
to the laws except by absolute military con-
quest
Mr. LINCOLN has now attempted a military subJu-
cation of those eight States, and is assembling
vast military force to carry into effect his bloody
and atrocous purposes.
Has the Government of the United States any
such power? Has the President any such power
with or without an act of Congress?
We believe he is an usurper and q tyrant, wagmg
war without the shadow of authority, and that the
oath of allegiance of all citizens is discharged
and that all ara bound to resist such usurpations
and tyranny.
Let the founders of the Constitution spea kon this
subject.
q Mr MADISON said:
"The morefhe reflect the use of force, the
more he doubted the practicsblity, the justice and
the efficacy of it. when applied to people collective>
ly. not individually. A Union of States containing
such an ingredient seemed to provide for its own
destruction The use of. force against a State
would look more like declaration of war than an
infection of punishment, and would probably
be considered by the party attacked dissolution
of all previous compacts by which it might be
bound
So said one of Yirginis's most venerated states
men, and when her late convention, consisting of
a large majority of the staunchest Union men
heard fran Mr.. LINCOLN that he intended to hold
these States together permanently and forever by
military force and standing armies and heavy for
tfcations with guns pointed in upon her cities.
that convention of able men, instantly considered
all previous compacts of the Constitution
dissolved and forever at end and she so declsr-
ed by formal act. This Virginia Convention acted
the knowledge that federal authorities had chang
ed the whole form of the Government, and that it
washer right and her duty to carry into practical
effect the separation which is now completed.
If Mr.. MADISON were now alive, he would,
according to his most solemn declaration pronounce
ABRAHAM LINCOLN a most atrocious usurper who
had by his declaration of war against the Southern
States, overthrown Constitution, discharged
the allegiance of evry citizen and established far
as he has gone, military despotism.
Will the people of the Southern States permit
this to be done with the view of destroying 5000
millions of property or will they unite together as
one man and defeat this unhallcwed project?
But Mr.. MADISON was not alone in oondemning this
idea of forming government with power to hold
union of States together by standing armies. The
whole Convention voted it down unanimously.
Mr.. HAMILTON deprecated resort to force for the
purpose of holding the States together, as madness
and folly. He said
at has been observed that TO coerce the States is
of the maddest projects that was ever devised.
A refusal of compliance will never be confined to
single State This being the case, can we suppose
1t wise to hazard civil war? Suppose Massachu-
sets, any large State should refuse and Congress
should attempt to compel such State, would IT not
have influence enough TO procure assistance from
those States which are IN the same situation with
itself2 What picture does this present to
view? Congress marching the troops of
State into the bosom of another State. This
State collecting auxiliaTes and forming. perhaps,
majority against the federal head-here is nation
at war with ITSELF Can any reasonable man be
well disposed towards government which makes
war and carnage the only means of supporting
itself, government which exists only by the sword?
Every such movement involves the innocent with
the guilty This single consideration should dispose
every peceable citizen against such government"
Thus it that ALEXANDER HAMILTON, speaking
in the convention which framed the Constitution
seventy years ago, exactly described the state of
things which we now in the United States,
sulting from the determination to subjugate the
Southern States The Northern States had nullified
the fugitive slave law, had avowed their purpose to
exclude the Southern States from all the common
tsrritory, and had declared their purpose to estab-
lsh the equality of the black and white races
on this continent South Carolina withdrew
from the Union, asking the other fourteen
States holding slave property to come to
to her assistance, and form Confederacy of South
ern States-some of the other States in the same
situation with South Carolina, were proceeding to
join her, while many of them were exerting them~
selves in the most imploring manner for guaran-
tees of safety snch as would satisfy all the States
None such were given ever intended to be given,
and the ball of revolution or secession went on till
Eow, eight States have dissolved their connection
with the Northern States and formed great South
ern Union and all appearances indicate that we shall
ina few months behold all the fifteen States having
an interest in slave property uniting their desnies
under common government
During the progress of these successive with
drawals of States, we see Mr.. LINCOLN usurping the
powers OF Congress in regard to foreign nations,
and issuing declaration of war against the with
drawing States. Here We see, as described by Mr..
HAMILTON, one State marching its troops into anoth
er State, we see Massachusetts,, New York and
other States marching troops to attack Virginia
and engaging in battle the people of Maryland as
they pass; we see Kentucky, North Carolina, Geor-
gia, Carolina and other States moving their troops
to the aid of Virginia. Here is nation at war with
itself, as Mr.. HAMILTON SAID, and that war begun
by proclamation of war by the Chief Magistrate
Here is Nation that makes war and carnage the
only means of supporting itself. We are to have
Government held together by the sword and the
bayopet-held in the hands of standing armies
located in the Southern States under the control of
amilitary despot, at the seat of central power.
When we see the exact state of things described
now existing in the country and condemned as the
necessary result of military coercion feature in
the Government, can any sane reasonable, man for
one moment doubt the fact that Mr.. ABRAHAM LINCOLN
has overthrown the Constitution of the United
States by the war he has instituted agsnst the
Southern States? No sane man can believe, for one
moment thatthe act of Congress made to author
lie the militia to execute legal process ever
contemplated the inauguration of a stupendous war
against half the States of the Union. Such power
In the President in the hands of Congress, under
the control of sectional and fanatical majority,
transforms the Government from peaceful re-
puohc, resting for its strength the enlightened
PuOnc opinion, and the equality of the people and
Oh te states intoa frghtful despotism; and if car
Fieu In'o effect, we should behold these South
ern states dotted over with frowning Notifications
IN 'ne hands Of mercenary soldiery, and beg
CARED and ensaved people held together in a "glo>
rious Union" by standing armies.
ever tnere was a crisis in the history of civi>
Lied nations IN which the whole people as one.man
should stand together, now is that time.
The first grand step to defeat this stupendous
system of tyranny, is the union of the Sontbera
States under a common government to call into
immediate use all their available resources in mon
ey credit and men,
Tenders 10 Tennessee
Gov HARRIS is daily receiving evidences of tho
devotion of our wealthy citizens to the causa IF
Tennessee and the South, that proves how unco,