Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-01-16

characteristics Of diplomatic paper for diplomacy
is said to abhor certainty much as nature alb
hors vacuum, and it was not in the power of man
20 reach any conclusion opinion from that mes
sage This was what we had right 10 claim from
The chief magistrate We had right to have one
policy the other and one policy or the other be
| should have taken If he had b3en federast if
he believed this 10 be 8 government Of force, If he
believed il TO be consolidated government, and
not confederation Of Sta,ssg he should have said
no Stale had right to .seeedes ard the fenderal
govern ment must empower nae with physical force
to subdue State But if not. if he was a States
Rights man, and a Democrat. for many years it
has been my pleasure to scknowledse our vensrated
Chief Magistrate 10 be, then the other line # poi-
cy would have been right. He should have said that
the Constitution gave no power TO c,erce State.
The Constitution gave the army for purposes of com
nOn defence, and for purposes of domestic tram
guilty, but the Constitution never eontemplstedthe
using Of that army against State. State, exeres-
ing the sovereign function of secessions beyond the
reach of the government, unless we WOO her back
with words Of peace and fraternity. One policy or
the other, opinion the other. application
or the other he should have brought forward and
to-day country would have stood better than it
does Aud what is this present message. Does it
benefit the caseg Is there any sution offered here?
We are not informed as to the propositions offered
By South Carolina, or low they terminated We are
left drifting and lest, without chart or guide.
have suggested policy to be pursued. When .
foreign government. having citizenship In the
United States, declaring against it. and making
war upon it--when the Inhabitants Of territory,
10 open rebellion aud dsgraced by Institutions Of
fensive 10 the common law of every State when
they held this attitude of rebellion-when we had
the power TO use the troops of the Eoverpment-we
FIRST sent commissioners of peace to WOO them back
10 duty. Bat when South Carolina, ass0vereign
State. resumes the grant she has delegated 10 the
general government-wben South Carolina stands
an attitude which threatens, within a short pe-
Rod to involve the country in civil war. unless the
pc icy of the Federal Government is changed, 30
suggestion is made to u.s. This government might
send commissioners there. No suggestion is made
that should be better informed or that should
have any policy of peace here but We are told that
the army and navy Of the United States are in the
power of he President. Then, my friends, shall
we stand still and allow events 10 drift us on fatal
ly? Are We to do nothing to restore peace? Shall
we not is addition TO the propositions 1 have al
ready made, withdraw the forces which complicate
the question, and send commissioners there, in or
der tn at may learn what the community desires
what this community will do TO put the two nations
on friendly relations wiz not weary the Senate by
going over the argument Of coercion which my friend
from Ohio Mr. Pugh) has so exhausted. But let
me say that, among all the painful reflections which
crowd upon me by day and by night, none have
weighed more heavily than the rec lection that
our separation separates the ties which bind US to
the Northern people, with whom we are glad 10
eogn1e the Senator. Now let usreturn one moment
to consider what would have been he state of the
case, if the garrison at Charleston had been with
drawn. The forts would have stood there, not dis
mantled but under tie hands Of orderly sergeant
Commission ars would have come to treat on all
questions with the Federal Government, and these
forts would have remained TO answer the purpose
for which they were built, as defences for South
fr1a nIanf Sfafe he
might have held TO us such relations So Rhode Is
land did to Inc dissolved States of the confederacy
Those forts would have stood there, and if the
same feeling which ouce existed among the people
Of the States subsisted still, aud those forts
attacked, the brave men of every State would have
rushed to their rescue, and mperiled their lives in
the defence of State identified with esriy his
tory, and still associated with our bet recolle ctioBs
The first act Of these men would have been to Sp-
peal to every generous motive of this people, met to
reconsider how they could live together. There
could have heea coercion, and question Of
property which that State would not have been
ready u meet. Whatever the question presented, it
would have relieved this government from the
charge Of maintaining force there, and thrown it
upon the State, if she resolved to be independent.
Thus do We see no evil could have resulted. We have
yet to learn what evil theopposie policy may bring.
Mr.. Davis here paiG high tribute TO Mr.. Calhoun.
speaking Of him as the wisest man hs ever knew /
say thai, without relying upon telegraphic dis
patches, we std have information enough to notify
US that We on the verge Of civil war. We are in
the hands of men irresponsible, it seems to US,
and their acts are unknown to u.s. Wepcw have
the responsibility thrown upon which justifes
us in demanding the Information sad meeting the
emergency in which the csuniry is in Voved Is
there any point of pride that prevents from with
drawing that garrison? have hesrd it said by
gallant gentleman, that the great ohjesiion was
al unwilingness TO lower the flag. To lower The
flag Under what circumstances? Does any maD's
courage impel him 10 stand boldly by fate, and
does any insist en- fighting bis brother
PORT Of courage? II So he is to be called brute
he is lees than r nan. There is no such point
of pride These are your brethren and they have |
shed SIS much glory upon that flag as any |
equal number of men throughout the Uuion |
They the Of that locality where the first |
Union Gag unfurled, and who fought the gal
liant battle before the Declaration Of Iudependence
was made. Not the flag of thirteen States and |
thirty.ihree stars, but the flag Of King George, |
with red stripe running through it, when those |
brave been retired to that place and threw up q |
temporary battery on the site called Fort Moultrie,
and when that fort was assailed by the British |
feet, clingiBg with stern tenacy to the enemy. |
that flag still hoated there. Those old logs are
gone. the c0rrOding current has carried away
the cite n which old Fort Moultrie stood. Tie
gallant men of old have mingled with the earth,
but tasir memories live in the hearts Of gallan:
people Their sops do now live. and they, like
their fathers, are ready 10 bleed aud die in the
cause for which their fathers laborc3. glorious
are the memories cngiug around that old fort,
which nov. for the first time has been abandoned,
not even in the presence of foe, bH; uader the
lima ginaiion that foe might come. Her aacieat |
history mpares proudly with her present Are
we, then, to stand upon point of PRIDE On such
sacred soil this, when the blood of our ia hers
cries TO heaven against civil war? Can there be a
point of pride on that soil where fathers died
My pride, Senators is thet that flag shall not be
set between eoneuding brethren bat, when il shall
no longer be the common flag Of our country, that
it shsil be folded up and laid way like a
longer used, and DO kept like . sacred msmeno of
The past TO which all Of look with sacred in
terest. add remember the glorious days when we
we're born Ia the letter which read yes;er-
day, speaking Of Fort Sumter when it stood with
ut garrison, it was said that it was not capsule
Of defence. Did the Carolnians take it? Did
they propose to seize it? II stsod then safe, as
public properly Then it might have stood while
negotiations were going on II was the faith upon
which they relied, that the Federal Government
would take no position of hostility to them, aud
hey thus lost the advantage which they had of
aking it l think something is due them. we'll
to fraterIiy increasing the obligations to with
irsW that force. TO the very manner in which il
aiken. It was taken while Carolina remained I'M
Ter the assurance that the status would not be vio
aled Why, was under that assurance, and
lslf zen other Senators felt secure under the
sms pledge. that nothing would be done until nego-
ilti should be terminated unless il wssto With
lraW the garrison. Then, we the Federal Govern
nent, broke the faith and from that first act Of IN
provoked hostility. came all those acts 10 which
eference is made in the message. The seizure cf
rts elsewhere Why seized? Because sefIre
ervation is the trst law of nature They no long
r had confidence that the Federal Government
would not use the forts for attack insteid of for
aud they seized the forts to prevent the
nemy taking them for an enemy they were COM
,elled to believe this Government was. Now what
5 the remedy? Assure them that you do not in
end to use physical force against hem; that you {
intend to consider calmly all the claims which they
make the rights whic5 taey possess; that you in
end to settle with them upon hass in accordance {
nth the Declaration of Independence and the Con-
titution Of the United States. When you do that,
eaca prevails over the land and force becomes q
hugl which no threlteu. have here insert /
question which viii not argue |; is the right
f a State to withdraw. The President Gays we
ave not the constitutional right to Withdraw,
nd the Senator from Ohio (Mr. Wade) and his ally,
he Senator from Tennessee (Mr Johnson,) say it e