Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-03-01
Rrnm he shelbxrIlIn Exposit0r.

Il is we'll known to all intelligent men, that the
present Congress was looked to for the settlement
of our national difficulties and restore peace and
quiet to the country. To this body the eyes of the
whole nation were turned with anxious socitude,
hoping and believing that it in the power of the
assembled wisdom of the nation to alay the storm
and restore Lsace and harmony between the con-
tending parties. Congress has failed in its at
tempts. Nortt ern fanatics have Kissed to scorn
every propos.i on for peace, and have refused to
agree TO apytl rg even bordering on cpmprpmise.
Seeing thSt C*1gpess was unable to eject COM
promise, Peste Conference was called. composed
of delegates tzlm the several States The Confer
ence met at Washington on the 4th inst where
they have bes:t, day and night, at great sacrifice
of time and msney, pleading with the North to agree
upon something tangible by which the two sections
might get together and the country saved from ruin
You all know Ahat has been the result Congress has
failed. The Eaace Conference has come short of
accomplishing its purposes; and during all this time
of 'peace max ing" active preparative were going
on for war, var to the knife, and war everywhere
What are we "a Tennessee to do? We have witness
ed with shap5a and sorrow the stars and stripes
hauled down II. eight if not nine of the Southern
STATES declaring that they will no longer remain in
government " here peace and equality in that gov
eminent is rEflsed them; while on the other hand,
people Wild are hostile to the institution OF slavery
and who pgly for its determination everywhere,
gay we indgslgaty refuse your overtures of peace,
preferrng r9Gher to see the nation deuged in blood
before we will surrender single principle contain
ed lie our political creed. Here the two parties
North and South stand; one refusing to compromise
and threatening TO coerce, the other soemny de-
plaBiDg that if coercion attempted the invaders
of Southern coil will meet with resistance even
to the mouth of the cannon, When it comes
to this, the piople of the border States have but
one course Il pursue, and that course they will
take in despitesof political demagogues. We are for
Union as long ~ there is hope of preserving that
Union, and IYhln that hope is gone we are for our
nearest negE hSrs at home agnpst our avewed enc
mics abroad As an individual, we never will re-
main silent an. see Southern blood flow at the
hands of Northern Abolitonists, therefore we OPP
pose coercion. government held together by
force of arms Is equivalent TO no government at ALL
If Northern 3tspurs, sin their madness, will per-
ssteny hold oyt against the South and against the
Union and iavse war, all we have to say is, let
them march hear forces down here, and they will
be met by UNITED SpuTH. In conclusion, We would
say to pur readers. Ye have despsired of all hopes
of a compromise at present, and can see but one
way by which war can be avoided. And that ia, for
Lincoln and hi. folks to quietly surrender all
claims to for.s and other government property
within the bo5tieas of the seeding States, and by
another elect in our opinion, the people win see
to it that the osernment is placed in hands capable
of taking care g r.