Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-04-25
responsibilities OF she Legislature.

M body of men ever before convened in Tonnes
see, under circumstances imposing such high re-
sponsibilities as the present. That they viii bring
themselves TO the task which devolyes upon them
Invested of whatever prejudces, or passions might
conflict with proper discharge Of their duties, we
will not allow ourselves for a moment to doubt.
The questions upon which they will be called upon
t. act present themselves under circumstances, so
diherentfrom any that have heretofore existed that
previous opinions will doubtless be of little avail
nor indeed ought to be- in determining what ougLt
to be.done at the present moment.
It is too late now 70 discuss the wisdom of this
or that policy Of past party politics In one thing
all have been sgreed-in their opposition to the
encroachments Of Abotionisnl. II has advanced
steadily, step by step, but never receding. Inc
present crisis has not taken entirely by surprise
In the magnitude of its features we may hnd our
selves suddenly confronted with danger winch We
had still hoped might be postponed to day "ilch
should find us better prepared to meet tneih' Du'
though we were all alike earnest in deprecaung us
approach we have differed it is true, only as to the
best means of meeting it. That is question OF the
past. A crisis il now upon US, and we must oeal
with it as an existing fact He alone, gives earnest
Of his sincerity, his honesty, and his pa
triotikm in the past, who approaches the
subject nor, IN a becoming spirit. BE who
fails now to come up and give his best
services in resisting the last greatest, and final eft
fort of the LINCOLN Government to crush out by
military force the spirit of determined resistance
heretofore expressed IN words to the establishment
of the doctrines of the Chicago Platforms, lost.
In an emergency like the present. every man will
A. L IL &c long
er, in the mind of any intelligent man, shadow of
doubt that however this war may have been
brought about, or under whatever pretext it
is waged, it is of absolute suhjugation. 1t is
one of resistance to the DEATH unconditional sub
mission. 1t is one which can be successfully met by
no halfway means. 1t will tax our whole energies
70 the utmost capacity, in men and means.
We must sever at once and forever our connec-
ton with the Government, that there may be no
inducement to temporising, no hope left to our
enemies. that we are ever to be won back by
deceitful promises on the one hand, or driven to
submission by continued and vigorous proseeu-
ton of the war. We must not only sever our con-
nection with the existing LINCOLN government, but
must form such political alliance with the other
Southern States, as will make an absolute prdc-
teal unit
In times of peace, each State might, though at
immense disadvantage, stand alone. But the
same and even more urgent reasons, than
those which mpelled the colonies in their resistance
10 the British crown, to the formation of the old
Confederation demand imperatively the closest al
lance between the Southern States, or rather we
should say, demand their Union under common
Government The practical difficulties which will
present themselves at every step of legislation un
der any other plan will demonstrate such Union,
an unavoidable and inevitable necessity Tennessee
is an independent State must carry all the burthens
upon q smaller scale it is true that the whole, uni
ted would carry. She must have her various heads
of department, PostOfice, State department and
foreign ministers, War department. Treasury, &C.,
&C., with her regular standing army, the expense
OF all which would make independence intolerable.
Then, in the present emergency, who Esha stand at
the head of the army: Suppose that question, de-
tarmined how are to determine the quota of
men and means, and how enforce it when determin-
eds Shall the duties collected upon foreign goods,
inure entirely to the State through whose Gus
tom-houses they are entered? Who is to defray
the expenses of the navy? Who for the erection
Of Notifications on the sea board &C., &c.
The counsels of your timid men must not be al
lowed to balk the great measures which the public
mind has already recognized and initiated and now
demands in thunder tones to be carried out.
He who stops short of his whole duty, because of
old prejudice, personal grudge, or from any
selfish considerations, will repent it when repen-
lance is too late. There blunders which may
be forgiven. But one involving such momentous
consequences the isolation of Tennessee from her
sister States of the South with whom she is identi-
fed by every tie that should unite people in one
common government, will be visited upon the chill
dren Of such delinqGe.i to the Inird generation.