Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-02-04


tation and tui bulence TO raise them to the
surface from the depths of oblivion to which
a peaceful state precipitates them. Listen
to those, aud impugn not their motives. nor
turn yonr denunciations upon them, who
seek 70 establish right understanding
among you of the views and opinions of the
leading men of the Moth. and of the people
of the Northern States tell you. then, you
are deceived. Gov. Harris tells you in his
Message, that all the Northern States have
enacted penalties against the enforcement OF
the fugitive slave law. This is untrue. 1t
is hard to throw charity around such mis-
chieyous ignorance in the present excited
state of the country Gov. Lane, of Indiana.
in his late message. says there never was
syllable on the statute books of that State to
interfere with the operations of that law. L
know from long residence in that State,
that her people are as conservative, and as
true to the South, as Tennessee or any other
State. Years before the enactment by Con-
gress of the fugitive slave law, Indiana pro-
vided for the restoration of slaves that might
escape to her borders. by passing a law offer
ing 500 reward for the apprehension OF any
such fugitive. have given several letters to
gentlemen of this State addressed TO friends
in Indiana. to enable them to recover their
escaped negroes. They were always success
ful, and, on their return, expressed the high
est satisfaction at the prompt assistance af
forded them in regaining their property. L
have no patience with these sweeping defa-
nations that make no exception of State
that has ever been true and loyal to every
Constitutional obligation. What a keen
thrust Indiana might give to Gov. Harris
call-session that so boldly demands the re-
peal of unconstitutional enactments by Nor
thern States affecting our rights, and at the
same time passes retroactive stop law, a
our own ard by all the Courts of the coun-
try, and which will infict far greater damage
to Northern creditors, than all the personal
liberty bills of that entire section ever did
to the whole South. | know the people of
Indiana to be as virtuous, as Iaw-abiding, as
gallant a people as those of Tennessee, or
any State in the Union. They were So when
/ lived among them. They are still SO, or
my blessed christian mother would not now
abide there and my brothers and sisters
would fee her borders back to their native
South L stand here ready at all times to
vindicate the fair name and honor of that
State, where was the birthplace of all the
children have. Yet that State gave 0,0OO
majority to Mr.. Lincoln. Why2 ! will tell
you, and an explanation of that vote con-
tains, think in great degree, solution OF
the recent action of the North. On visit in
July last to my friends in that State. we
to the South was in any inslance avOwed.
Ny old Wing friends expressed the highest
admiration for Mr.. Bell, and for his efforts to
prevent the repeal of the Missouri Compro-
mise line. They said, however, they could
not vote for him, because-(knOwingy your
men better than you do theirs, Though be
had opposed that repeal, neither he, nor his
party, nor the press of the South, advocated
the restoration of that line. That no man
would be sustained by single Southern
State. who would advocate it-that It's re-
peal, and the declaration by men of intern
perate zaal in the South, that the free insti-
tutions of all the Northern States should be
overthrown, and slavery should be planted
even around the foot of Bunker Hill, had
forced the issue upon them that they must
meet-that MIR. Lincoln was an Old-line Whig
maintaining the views of Mr.. Clay, who had
expressed as strong opposition to Introducing
slavery into the territories as Mr. Lincoln
ever had. and yet was willing to compromise
the question-that Mr.. Lincoln was COM
mended 10 their support by his exalted per
sOnal character and high mental powers, anC
that by his election they meant but to pro
tect themselves, aud check the spirit of sla
| very prOpagandsm in the South. that wal
| endeavoring to override every other interes
| of the cOuntry-that they meant TO clean on
| the foul Augean stable at Washington. ant
| put their fiat upon slavery agitation for ev
| er-that after the election, if the South wer
| to manifest any disposition 10 a fair settle
| ment OF the vexed question. they would b
met in a spirit of reciprocal Cancellation
| They asserted that they meant no NOR
! wrong TO the South in voting to interdict sla
| very in all the territories, than the South di'
! to them in declaring their intention to fore
it into all the teIritories-that they had tn
same right that we bad, and though thei
| views were in accordance with the previou
| action of the government from Washingto
down. they were for peace, accord and cor
| cession for the sake of the Union
Being a rational man, L must confess that
| returned home with a better apprehension c
what our members of Congress mean, whe
they come back from their conflict, at Wash
ington and declare that "argnment is e1
hausted.'' 1t does seem to me that the pre-
ent attitude of the North is that of dignife
consistency, and certainly of praiseworth
forbearaDce towards the South. Why, do 20
Justify the violence of South Carolina, GeOI
GID. Alabama and Mississippi in Selling goy
ernment property, and the act of fell treaso
and war Of the former in firing into govern
ment vessel? If you do, why do you not a
once initiate their example? But you do nc
justly their course. You say they have ac
ed with precipitation, and that you are fo
| preserving the OUiOu. wen. IL yOu Cduut
sanction what they have done, do not th
Northern States show great m7gnanimitJ
that they do not resent these wanton GU
RACES TO our government and to the honor {
our national flag? We fire up in great indig
nation, and our sapient Legislature pass
death breathing resolutions, because. after d
| aggressive act of war by a Southern Statt
and after extensive arming preparations
the South, some of the Northern States sc
proper to tender aid to the general govern
ment HaFe.tbey not excelled us in a spir
of patience under great provocation, such {
they never would have submitted TO from tn
most powerful foreign nation on the globe
Do we approach them on the subject of con
promise in spirit OF Cancellation? No; wit
arms in our hands, we demand their hunaiil
ton. and by all the sacred memories of Bunkt
Hill, Lexington, Trenton, and Concord, neitl
| er the South nor any other power on cart
eau achieve their humiliation. They al
our equals, and it is my pride to say we al
theirs. We are one people. all American
and no such words as humiliation, subiug
ton, submission, or eCwardice, eau be fouu
in the vocabulary of our family traits.
want no humiliation. | want a fair an
honorable adjustment, without leaving an
ranking sense of shame aud degradation
Can we get il? / say we can. Already hay
the Governors of many of the principal Mort
ern States recommended The repeal of all @
fensye laws on their statute books, and az
: dressed words Ct friendship to the South
Some of them have recommended tine ado
ton of Mr.. Crittenden'S resolutions. n
! Bigler, of Pennsylvania, votes for these res
lutions, and his colleague, Mr.. Cameron, d
clares that whenever the South manifests
sincere desire for accommodation he wi
meet her upon terms OF equal conciliatio
Messrs. Trumbull and Harlan and Sherma
, have met the occasion so far as to propo
the admission, ut once, Of the whole of Ne
Mexico as a slave State-ail the Southel
J territoT we own between the States and Ca
Ifornia. Mr.. Armstrong has recently made
| great and conciliatOry speech from the r
publican side. Mr.. Trumball, who spoke |
authority for Mr.. Lincoln, said at Springfield
t Illinois, that Mr. Lincoln, though the Ca
tiidate of the Republican party, as Chi
] | Magistrate will neither belong to that n
!. any other party. When inaugurated he W
z | be President OF the whole country, and W