Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1861-05-16

: to their honor, true to the gre
principles Of free Institutions, III
to The lessons cf their father
snd true to their brethren Of Il
South, the subjects Of a commo
orpression-hsve united, almost vii
s one voice, in declarirg their ixe
,f ftresolse 10 resist the ,yrani; and i
s plsdging their lives, their forlune
! land their sacred honor to the mair
: tainance Of their rights, and the right
+ Of the;f sister States of the South
81 It cannot be overlooked that, i
assuming an attitude Of this chsrac
, ter forced upoRpns by the remarka
, be exigcncy Of the times-we ale
ia eff ct, dissolying our connection
: With The Federal Union. Az esiab
lisbed by our fathers, that Uuior
no longer exists. However mucf
we may have cherished j. hereto
lore, no intelligent and candid mar
Can deny that it has ceased TO be
"a blessing, and has become curse;
that it is no longer a high and sa-
scred means ofprotection, but an en-:
CINE of oppression; that ii has ceased
to be a bond Of brotherhuoe, and
I has become hateful connection be,
tween communities at war. 1t
would be lille, therefore, to speak Of
ourselves auy longer as members Of
tie Federal Union; and while i, is
believed by many, whose opinions
are entitled to the highest respect.
that, by reason Of the subversiou Of
tie Constitution by the autEorlties.in
power, inauguraling + revolution be-
tween the States tn reof, each and
every individual is alreahys relt tased
from bis former obligations TO thai
government, yet, as bes; comportlng
With the dignity of the subject. and
also from a dus regard to those who
may held a different opinicn-and
farther still, that all the world may
be advised Of our action / re-
spectfully suggest shat our connec-
ton with the Federal Union be-
formally -anaulled In such man.
ner as shull involve the highest ex-
ercise of sovereign authority by the
people O! the State, and best secure
hat harmony. so much to be de-
sired, in times like the present,
upon quesljons Of mere detail. Uni
til this is done many conscientious
may feel embarrassed in
their action ffem their supposed re-
latiou to the General Government.
In emergencies like the present,
while it is our duty 20 act with due
delibsrstion and rrudenre. unbiased
as far MS possible by excitement or
pr. iodice, it is nevertheless sot the !
highest importance that We should
Bcl with promptitude and decision.
Whatever grounGsofhcpe may have
been supposed to exist heretofore
f"r an adjustment of the dificnltiPs
between the two sections Of the Fed. /
erM Umon; beweytf anxious We may
have been TO continue members Of /
the same common family with, thsf
people Of the North. such hope and
expectation 90 longer exists in ihe
mind OF any rational nan, who de.
sires To- maintain the honor and
Of the State, and the 10
violabili'y Of her peculiar institutions.
The present Administration, eIec-
ted ppon ayowed purposes Of hos.
liity 10 the Soulh-purposes which !
NIL knew then. as well as now, conld
not be carried into effect. without an !
in,ernecine war and a dissolution Of
the Union-has exerled every ener-4
gy, resort.d to every strategy. aud
disiegarled every constitutional bar
rier, in order to hasten The accom-
piisl meht Of the unholy mission for
which the people Of the northern
section had elevated it to-power.- =
They have lost no time--ihcy have
neither hesilaied nor fal.sred. The
low duplicily in which their Admin
is,ra,ion was inaugurated--trusting.l !
while conceding nothing, to lull the
South into fatal security, furnish
ing ground for division in The Border
Slave States, while constant though
secret preparation for the ucrk Of
sui juga,ion wrs going on, Is now ex-
posed and leaves us no alternative
but Independence out of the Union
or sutjugaiion in it. The dishonor
able and trescherous practices which
have SO Ear characterized the author
,,itics g. Washington admonish Us,