Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-06-06


For Representative,
IRA P. JONES.
The Position I'm which Tennessee would
be placed by voting Down Ihe Legislative
Ordinances.
The following letter written by Senator MASON of
Virginia Just previous to the election in Virginia
indicates exactly the condition in which Tennessee
will be placed if the Legislative Ordinances of
Separation and Representation should be voted down
at the election next Saturday and such is the condi
ton in which those who may vote " no separation
and no representation " would place her. and her
brave and gallant sons. BY such a vote of the
people, Tennessee could not occupy neutrality,
which Kentucky is now endeaYoring to occupy and
which the cabinet at Washington are determined she
shall not even if Gen. SCoTT is compelled to throw
10000 Northern soldiers across the border,
as he threatens to do, to prevent it. No
1t is a plain and direct issue in Tennessee
of the South or LINCOLN. If we fail to ratify the
ordinances of separation and representation are
thereby thrown INTO THE HANDS of ABRAHAM LINCOLN
gallant volunteers arms are turned against our
Southern brethren, our plghted faith to the Con-
federate States, by the league of alliance formed
with them, is disgracefuly violated and Tennessee
placed on the roll of eternal nfamy by entsting in
the cause of the irrepressble conflict and joining
that army Of invasion which is desecratng the soil
of WASHINGTON and JEFFERsoN-has crushed out all
freedom in Maryland and Missouri; is confscating
slaves contraband of war has murdered women
and children in ST. Louis and strsngled Baltimore
the first great right of freemen the writ of HaJeas
corpus Oh! what a burning and blistering in
fanny would attach to the name of Tennesseans
should this great wrong and disgrace be perpetra-
ted! And what burning, blistering infamy will
forever associate itself with all those who by their
votes, on the sth of June attempt to consummate
it! Such an act of outrage and degradation would
be palpable endorsement of all those cold-booded
and deliberate acts of perfdy treachery and deceit
by which ABRAHAM LINCOLN first pretended peace
and Cancellation to the South all the time that he
was preparing ornaments, by land and sea, to sub
jugate and destroy her and of his assassination of
public liberty and ruthless violation of the Consti
tuition, by which the Government has become an
absolute and oppressive military despotlsm, and
must continue TO remain for all time, the in
strument of sectional domination TO crush
out the life blood of the South and to subjugate
all her people, who will psssvely and basely sub
nit to Its usurped authority. This is the issue
that the freemen of Tennessee have to decide the
sth Of June.
EThey must deliberately determine whether they
will become the slaves of Northern fanaticism and
cupidty and their base tools in attempting TO sub
Jugste their Southern brothers, who have never
harmed them, and have always been their truest
and noblest friends, in peace and in war, in pros
perity and IN adversely, whether they will
illustrate the heroism and free spirit of their
ancestors by throwing off the yoke of servitude,
bidding defiance to the usurper and achieving their
independence blythe proves of arms and the chiv-
airy that they inherited with their freedom
Who can hesitate, that wears Tennessee
ans heart inhis bosom Who can doubt
TO his duty, that loves his WIFE his children |
and his country? Who palter with such |
mOmentous issue, that is possessed of a par |
ticle of manhood, the first instincts of honor, |
patriotism and fraternity? Who falter in such |
tremendous conflict that is endeared to the smiling
plains and blue mountains of his native South, or
that looks with pride and admiration upon its heroic
men, lovely women and pratting children. Who /
but bastard and traitor will surrender the proud
and chiYalrous commonwealth, in which repose the
remains of JACKSON and Polk, and thousand he
roes into the hands of the perfdious and perjured
LINCOLN who has become the instrument of a still |
more perfdious and perjured faction? Let the bal
10 box on Saturday reveal the answer.
There is one mode by which those, who /
in their consciences, cannot vote to separate
Tennessee from the Federal Union can escape the
result of attempting 10 fasten her TO the of
LINCOLN suggested by Senator Mason, to which wet
would call their attention 1t is that they do no
vote IN the election on Saturday We believe, with
Senator Mason, that honor and duty, and may
sdd patriotism, require that they should stay away
from the polls on that day How can they, as free
men and Southerners walk up to the ballot-box and
cast ballot that will consgn their State to infamy
and her people to the oppressor's yoke? We would
save them from this deep disgrace, and we pray
God that they may adopt the only alternative left
them, and fail to vote and if they retain such opin.
ions as they profess, then cast their lots among |
those with whom they can live in fraternity and l
honor The following is Senator MAsox's letter:
LETTER FROM SENATOR MASON, OF VIRGINIA
WINCHESTER Va, May I6. 1861.
To the Biiior of the Winchester Tirginidn: {
The question has been frequently put to me, what /
position will Virginia occupy should the ordinance
of secession be rejected by the people at the ap
preaching election And the frequency Of the d
question may be an excuse for giving publicity to
The ordinance of secession withdrew the State of d
Virginia from the Union, with all the consequences
resulting from the separation. 1t snnued the Con-
sttuton and the laws of the United States within 9
the limits of this State and absoved the citizens of
Virginia from all obligations of Obebedience to t
them.
Hence it follows if this ordinance be rejected by Fl
the people the State of Virginia will remain in the
Union and the people of the State will remain bound
by the Constitution of the United States, and obed>
ence TO the Government and laws of the United o
States will be fully and rightfuy enforced against
Ihem. N
II follows of course that in the now carried d
on by the Government Of the United States against g
me seeding States, Virginia must Immediately a
c'dh9s sdes and under the orders of that Govern -
mGht' '1rn her arms against her Southern sisters.
FROM tins there can be no escape As a mem q
Der of the Union all her resources of men and mos 81
hey "li 1e at once at the command of the Govern N
AGAIN Tor mutual defence, Immediately after the
ordinance OF secession passed. treaty or military
league was formed by the Convention in the name hi