Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-04-14
The Position of the Border States.

The position the Border Slave States have chosen
to occupy in the present crisis in the history of
American affairs is one which cannot fail to excite
the wonder of the world. Deeply interested as they
all are in the perpetuity of the institution of slavery;
knowing full well from bitter experience that they
can expect at the hands of the people of the North
nothing but the most unrelentIug warfare upon it.,
they vet hesitate to take step, which, as can be
most clearly demonstrated, would rebound to the
future prosperity wealth and honor of those States
give them a position and influence more COM
manding than they have ever before enjoyed, and
render the institution of slavery within their limits
perfectly secure, solely as it would appear from
pusillanmcus fear Of the immediate consequences.
The politicians who assume TO control the action of
those States are either too narrowmnded to be able
to comprehend the magnitude of the interests in
volved or they have drunk deeply of the Lethean
waters of Black Republicanism that they hove lost
all power or wish to release themselves from the
grasp of the abolition monster of the North, whose
foul embrace brings with il hideous and disgrace
full death.
The Border Slave States have no interests in COM
mon with the states of the North? their tastes, feel
ings habits and institutions all essentially differ
ent They naturally look to the people of the Gulf
States for sympathy and aid; their interests are
similar and 1t is strange that they should be so far
blinded as to cling with such death-ke tenacity to
q Constitution-every vital provision Of which has
been violated time and again by the Northern
members o., ,the late United States,-or to remain
parties to Uaion which entails on them nothing
but disaster and disgrace That the final destiny of
the Border States is with the States of the Gulf,
large majority of their people admit without ques
ton but in the breasts of many there still exists
lingering hope that all points of difference between
the North and South will yet be adjusted, and the
Union as it was restored.
This hope has been fostered by interested politi-
clans in those States and we sorry to say, has
to some extent been cOuntenanced by few disaf-
fected spirits in own borders, but let US now
assure those menlwho are indulgng in dreams of fu
ture reconstruction, and who look upon the Border
States the proper mediator to bring about such
result that their dreams and hopes are destined new
er to be fulfilled There is nethug In the history of
the movement in the Gulf Stats which gives the
slightest warrant for belief in the of wild
and visionary, scheme. They have deliberately
severed their connection with people who have
proved themselves false to every principle Of honor
and right; they have deliberately established
government and adopted constitution which ehal-
lege the respect and admiration of the world, and
no inducement car be held out strong enough to
tempt them to relinquish the bright promise of the
future and consent 20 be sgan ruled by the fanatics
Of the North. The Gulf States will never, ReUer
again become members of the old United States and
"Union" men, North and South may as well dismiss
the delusion from their minds at once.
From henceferth the people of the Northern States
are strangers to our government; their peculiar
views concerning the institution Of slavery no
longer of vital interest to u.s. We shall be prepared
mankind, as enemies war. friends in peace. The
border States have but two paths to pursue-one
the path Of honor and future prosperity, leading
them within the limits of the Confederate States,
and the other the path of humiliation, poverty and
free-negresm, joining them with the Abolition
States Of the North They will be compelled sooner
or later to make their election between them.
A feeling is abroad, however, among the people of
the Border States-G conviction that they are being
disgraced by the position which their States now
occupy and the the mutterings ofndignation against
those who control the action of the States which
even now beginning to come up from the people
will yet swell into roar loud and deep enough to
startle their craven hearted leadeT9. The people
will yet demand to be reIeased from the CALLING bon
dsge of Black Hepuhlicanism, and unless something
Is done, and thatspeedily, to meet those demands,
they will rise in their majesty, hurl from place and
power those who would degrade them, and taking
The helm of the ship of state in their own hands
will safely guide it into the sure harbor of the South
ern C0nfederacy.- Montgomery Advertiser.