Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-11-20
ssTho Impending 'Confiict,.,

There are very few who earnestly estimate the
Importance and magnitude of the contest in which
we are engaged for our independence and existence
as people, and the probable sacrifices and suffer
ings that may be necessary to maintain our honor.
and save our country. As to the fnal result Of the
issue of arms, we have never for one hour enter
tanned the first doubt. If eight millions of people
with such spirit and courage, such resources and
such an ancestry as the freemen Of the South, can
be subdued and ground to the dust by such mon
grel race as those who profanely aspire to con
quer and govern them, they have degenerated more
rapidly than aay people known in history.
With Just cause, and all the hopes of themselves
and posterity centred in the combat, and with the
favoring smiles Of Providence to cheer and encour
age them, they may possibly be driven to
the greatest extremites by the lOcustlike
invasion Of their vindictve enemies, but conquered
they never can, they never will be. Their homes
may be overrun and desecrHted, es they have been
IN some portions of Virginia and Missouri, their
women and little ones may be forced to Zee to the
mountains for safety and protection, their cities
may be sacked and burned and their fsrm~houses
plundered and polluted, but every fresh outrage
against them and sacrifice by them, will but inspire
them with a new and nobler courage to chsstise
the wicked invader and expel him from our sacred
soil. Despair or failure are not words found in
their vocabulary. They belong alone to the Ian
guage Of faint-hearted dastards or traitors, who
would sell their co untry and all that it holds dear
of high motive, gentle virtue and bright promise
Their worldly wealth, their comfort, ease
life, all but honor, they have pledged for
their independence, and they wM redeem the
pledge There are in all nations and among
all peoples, men who profess the most devoS
ted attachment to any high cause, which taxes the
utmost energies, resources and proves of the COM
mUnity, but who nevertheless are prepared, in mind
and heart, upon the first reverse Of arms, to SOW
dist-ust and to counsel despair; who are ready to
surrender all that has been staked and to submit to
national degradation and serfdom rather than make
all the sacrifices which the achevementof liberty
and Independence demands as the cost Of such
priceless blessings. Such persons, however high in
station or exalted in position, the worst enemies
with which free people were ever cursed. Their
counsels are more whitening and blasting upon
freedom than the hot breath of the simoom upon
animal and vegetable life.
"Oh! for a tongue to curse tie slave,
IL Whose treason like deadly blight,
Comess' the counses of the brave,
To blast them in their hour Of might"
Attbe first decided reverse of arms, which falls
upon the struggles of free people, such men dis
play their colors of treason and would gladly strike
down the spirit and determination, the earnest de-
votion and the unconquerable energy of the PEG
ps in the maintenance of their honor and the pres
servation of their rights. All history evinces that
a united aud harmonious people, who are determin-
ed to be free, can never be conquered. But they
must often pass over the burning ploushshares
They must look danger and death steadily in the
face. They must be willing to toll and suffer and
have their very heart-strings wrung and broken BY
the suffering aud privahon Of their comrades. II
is for the people of the South to determine wheth-
er il pressed to the wall, they regard such sacriA-
ces as too costly price to pay for the heritage
by the fathers at such q cost and now to be mains
tanned by similar sacrifices. A freeman regards no
prce as too high to save bis honor to preserve his
equality among men, and to exempt him from the
insults of q supercilious race, from wearing the
bldge of nationSl subjugatiOn and nferior1ty and
from the scorn of mankind.
Along our whole border are the hosts Of our in
Tsders pressing upon us with numbers almost as
great as the army of XERxEs. MCCULLOUGH and
PsIoE are facing greatly superior numbers. PoLR