Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-04-20

To the People Of Davidson County.
My sincere devotion to the public good,
| under the dreadful perils of the day, must
| be INV excuse for this obtrusion- An appoint
ment to attend a public meeting in Maury
county to-day, precludes me from being pres
emf at the meeting this morning, of citizens
/ of Davidson county. The safety of every
thing dear to us depends upon harmony and
unity of action. Let us sink all party feel
| ing, and be careful to avoid every thing which
may by possibility become the foundation OF
party organization. l commend the warning
words of the Banner of yesterday, I" Let no
attempt be made to force any line Of policy. or any
eprsssiOH Of sentiment ,chieh seems TO meet sciLi
any considerable ogposution. Let us 90 together as
far can go cordially and efficiently, and ieare
all disputed points to be settled circumstances and
ersnts mag deeTnline."
We all agree in commencing the wisdom,
the justice, and the humanity of the refusal
President with which TO subjugate our breth-
| rem of the seeded States. We agree in rep
ROTATING war of coercion upon sister slave
holding States, who are resisting, after the
refusal of those terms of justice and safety,
which we ourselves have solemnly affirmed
were essential to our security. We agree in
pledging the whole military force of the
State, in resistance cat all hazards and to the
last extremity" to war of humiliation of
those who are defending rights and interests
as dear to Us as to them.
Having got thus far, let US pause and see
whether we can harmoniously take another
step, until coming events point out the way
Let US pause and first make good these posi-
tons, by arming. by organization, by a Wig
orous requisitiOn upon all the elements of a
grand and glorious selfdefense, before We
spring questions which may be founded as
yet upon mere conjectural opinions. If
while We draw the sword, we can, with any
possible hope, bear in the other hand the
olive branch of peace, 1 shall most heartily
rejoice. But the very act of refusing troops
under the call of the President is refusal
of allegiance to the Federal Government. IL
places us IN REBELLION. The suggestions, there
fore, of ''masterly inactivity of EARNED
neutrality ii is not possible for us to pur-
sue. Gould we have the heart to stand as
Indifferent spectators, while nineteen mil
lions of people of the North were crushing
and destroying three millions of whites in
the South, We should find, after their destrue-
ton, that We would have terrible account
ability to render for such rebellious refusal
of allegiance. Insults and aggressions would
at length drive US to desperation, and infal-
libby in the end we should be destroyed. with
as little sympathy or hope as it is now pro-
posed we shall extend to our feeble but he
roic sister states of the South. A sectional
struggle, dreadful as it is, is far better than
division among ourselves. At a time when
a war of coercion is threatened by the power
full North, suggestions that the feeble South
should divide, are appallig to contemplate
Our honor. our sacred rights, the safety of
our women and children, against randal
hOrdes of ruthless enemies, appeal to US, in
the name of Heaven, to forbid it, trust,
therefore, that no questions, of whatever
character, will be presented to the meeting,
upon which We may possibly not stand as a
unit. Let the Secessionist and the Union
man alike sink his distinctive politics. upon
the altar of the common safety. Let us wait
what we shall do hereafter. But, for the pres
ent, and at the instant, let us arm for the
dangers which we see plainly before US.
Respectfully,
FIX. ZOILICOFFFR