Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-01-29
why snouId Tennes.ee Secedel

| Strange as II may seem, THIS question is 0ften
| asked by some Of those in eur midst. Those who
ask it either in ignorance of the rights and in
terests Of the State or they abolitionists at
| heart u is too late to stop and inquire whether
the right Of secession exists or not 1t is too late
to inquire whether South Carolina has acted rashly
or wisely. 1t is too late to draw The distinctions
between secession and bloodless revolution, The
people Of the Southern States lave already in their
power Gnd majesty spoken out They have pledg-
ed to each other their 'ives, fortunes and sacred
| honor" no longer to grosn under the yoke Of the
| Northern oppression. The people of the Southern
States will not remain longer in Union dishoa-
Orable and oppressive. To US it matters not Wheth-
or the right exercised By them, be termed the
right Of secession or the right Of revolu-
! ton. Thsy claim the right Of withdrawal
| from the Federal Union as inslienable right.
In consequence of their action the
Union is dissolved. The Southern States
with only few exceptions are to
day empbssieslly out of the Union. The old Union
| is no more, but, Phenix-hke, from its ashes viii
| spring two Unions-s Northern Union and South
ern Union in other words, Northern and Southern
Confederaeies will be erected upon the ruins OF the
old confederacy Of States The question, than, for
Tennessee to determine is, whether she will 20 with
the Southsrn States unite her destiny with those
faithess Northern States, which have flagranily
outraged the Constitution and ruthlessly trample5
right and justice under foot. The question soon to
be determined is not one Of UNION or DGsUNIoS. 1t
is one, however, the discrimination of which in
wolves the honor, equality, rights and interests Of
every Tennesseau. 1t is for Tennessee to deter
mine whether she will 90 With those States EAers
her rights will be respected and her equality recog-
nized. or whether she will yield her all to the de-
maEds or fanatics. Tennessee's interests are with
the Southern States, and she will not fail to make
common cause with those States which have gone
forward in the assertion and defence of their and
her constitutional rights. As we have before said,
Tennessee will never become the tsil-end of North
ern Confederscy. She will never throw herself up
on the mercy Of her enemies. Tennessee will new
er, as supplisnt kneel at tho altar Of abolition
ism, and ask 10 be protected in the enjoyment Of
her constitutional rights, when all abolitispdom
holds that that Constitution which guarantees to
the Southern man the free AMI uninterrupted use
and enjoyment of his private property is "league
With Death, and covenant with He'll" Tennessee
will never sell out SO chesp to aboltionism aud
that man who would so act or vote, as to tie Ten
nessee on to the North, deserves the fate which
awaits him, for. indeed ard in TRUTH he ia elevated
by being placed on the bread platform Of social aud
pqlitiosFequalty With the kinky head. Tennessee
will 70 where her interests aud her honor point
her, in spite Of "Uniou-shriekers' aud Abolition
croskers. Her path Of duty is pisin. Her saliva
ton depends upon her uniting with her Southern
sisters. Enough said. Forward the column
Chattanooga A2pertiser.