Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-01-18

49,. =. 60 r.erter from a tzemtlensa1f
IN rxnoxvf,re 10 ME Friend in Nashville.
,f1,r.nsosle. here in East Tennessee, are begin
n;,,5 70 arouse from the lethargy in which they
l,.-a so long INDUCED while the note Of preparation
Gov hattie of the sections has been sounding all
.-o,,-s chem. A few self constituted leaders
manufacturers of public opinon-have thoroughly
avoided saying anything to enlighten the masses
mon the vitality important subjects now under dis
eussion between the North and the South On the
contrary, they deprecate all attempts on the part of
Others 10 inform the public mnd-denounce as trail
tors and disunionists all who do not join in their
senseless cry of Peacel Peace Union Union
when they know very well that there is no peace,
no Union. The people, say, are beginning to rea-
lie that we are in the midst of revolution, and
that it behoves every intelligent thinking patriotic
citizen to be up and doing and to aid in preparing
for the struggle, if ii must come. And yet we are
not without hope that the Federal authorities will
abstain from further acts of hostility towards the
South, that Mr.. BUCHANAN will yet take position
from which blood thirsty soldiers, merely, like
ScoTT, can,neyer drive him; position which would
in all probability, arrest the horrors of civil war,
and perhaps ultimately save the country from the
perils of disintegration.
The Commissioner from Mississippi to Delaware,
Judge Dickson, and Hon. Reuben Davis, of the
House of Representatives and late amember Of the
Committee of Thirty-three- being detained here on
their way home, one night last week, were prevail
ed upon to address the citizens and assure youthe
effect of their speeches were marked and decided.
The renarks OF Mr. Davis especially, were listened
to with intense interesthis account of the doings
Of the Committee fully satisfied his hearers that
tie Black Republicans win never assent to any plan
of Compromise which viii satisfy even the most
moderate of Southern men, Mr.. D. said the day
Of compromise was spast-the Republicans them
selves so declare and it only remain for the Sonth
ern States to unite for their common protection and
defense against the common enemy. In other words
Southern Confederacy, embracing all the slave
holding States, should be formed soon as the
States can get out of the present Union, adopting
the present Constitution of the United States with
out dotting an or crossing a. This is Mr.. Davis
position, l understand him, but cannot pretend
to follow him through his whole line of argument,
which was thorough, able, logical, eloquent-eon-
veying conviction to the minds of numbers of our
citizens who have heretofore held back-but who
now endorse the sentiment that Tennessee must pre-
pare to 60 with the South, rather than with the
North. - ~ ---rI5 ~ -
Il regret to say, however, that amongst our
reading men, there are few-fossis, they are not
inaptly termed by scientific friend at our elbow,
whose whole political food for the last twenty,
thirty, forty years having been drawn from the
ponderous columns of the National b1tsligmcer-
seem not to realize the fact that the questions OF
Bank, Tariff, Distribution, Sub-Treasury, White
House Expenditures, &C.. &C., are among the things
of the past they hearken not to the thunders of
the impending Storm but half a century behind the
age, as they are, politically, are likely to be en-
gulphed in the whirlpool Of dissolution and re or
ganization without their consciousness, knowledge
or consent One of these old fossilized fogies Of .
past era on being nterrogated his position on the
present crisis, gravely replied 81 am for standing
plumb slilgn Vain hope As well might the ad
venturous navigator, WHO had unwarily drifted
into the rapids hope to cheek his onward pro-
gress to the cataract by casting his tiny anchor
contend with the raging food
The people of the South are rapidly becoming
united as one man-Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia
all see there is hope in the present Union, and
feel that the time is at hand when they must take
care of themselves. What folly, then, for intelli
gent to attempt to stay this .ide of public SEN
timentl Rather let them go with the people, and
by their counsel and advice aid in guiding our ship
of State safely into the haven to which onlylcan
she steer with any hope of peace and security in
the future. Let Tennessee, then, at the earliest
day practicable to go with those State South of u.s.
Not only our sympathies but national interests
require it of u.s."