Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-01-22

Senator from Smith county,
ON the Political Condition OF the Country

/ SGHMSC9
MR. SPEAKER: Nothing but the Importance q
the ausstien which n0W egitates the countrx
throughout its entire length and breadth induce,
| me TO trespass upon the time and patience q; IN,
, Senate. The political crisis which is uuon M, Al
mauds of every individual who cherishes his futur,
welfare and independence, 10 take position. Their.
is no medium ground on which he can safely stand
This, sir is the most important peril in the his
tory of this Government since its organization tn,
question now before the people, requires calm and
most serious consideration, uninaueuced nv hast
impulses, and uncontrolled by the ebullitiobs q
passion. When thus considered, TO whatever con.
illusions we may come, we must resolve 10 meet the
issue ooidiy ana fearlessly, as patriots in noble
and glorious cause If to secede be cur final con.
clusion let US remember the iliustrious example q
our revolutionary fathers in resisting the Cypress
ions OF tyranncal government in order to breathe
, the spirit Of freedom and Independence To &C
eompiish any grsas and good result in the present
Crisis We should present ourselves TO our Northern
oppfessors, With the same firm uubrokep and I'M
divided front as did eur fathers. when without
money, without arms, or any Of the requisites Of
war, save irfexible courage, they nobly dared
to tell proud Britcn's king that they were, and
Of right should be, a free and independent
people. The question now pending is Of more
Importance to rs than the new experiment
OF self government was to them by whom
it was yet to DO tested; its results were
yet hidden in the womb of time and no one was 90
prophetic to look into the dim future and foresee
the browning glories which were to adorn sud beau
tify the great work they 50 nably began! -
4 To US the glorious results of self government
have been realized, and the civilized world has fell
and acknowledged its indueRcies. We have seen,
within the b-ief period Of eighty years great
and powerful nation arise, under system of gov
ernmrnt, eclipceing in glory, grandeur and great
ness nations which have existed for centuries under
different irons of government We are surrounded
wff olff ell hat
ness admired and respected by oil the enlightened
powers Of the world; in country inexhaustible in
resources, unexcelled in production with an area
that will afford homes to hun millions of free
men Our system Of government thus far has been
a decided success; its career unparalleled in the
history of nations. Our success in war, when the
blood Of the Southern and Northern man conmingled
| as they fell together on the same battle field in
defense Of their common country our prosperity
in peace, when the Northern and Southern man have
kept up that free intercourse oftrade and exchange
Of commodities, SO requisite to their mutual well
fare and mutual interest, have no parallel since the
| world began. In such hand, with such Govern
ment and with such people, no discomfort should
have ever arisen, to cause for moment to think
OF cutting assunder the chords that have bound US
so long and so close together as one and the same
great people.
But, notwithstanding the multiplied blessings de-
rived from our system Of government, murmurines
Of diseord aud discomfort have long since been
heard, at first feebly and in the great distance al
most unheeded, they have nevertheless increased to
such degree, to disturb the peaceful councils of
the nation; to shake country to its very centre
and imperi the further existence Of the Union The
period has at length arrived in our prosperous ca
reer, that one section has just cause of complaint
against the other fer its faithless observance Of
the constitutional duty, and its reckless disregard
of our rights to property, and as equals in the
joyment of Territorial possessions vet TO become
/ Of nd in ~ he foot hot
they have wilfully, knowingly, and with premedi-
tstion, trampled under foot the Constitution of our
country; disregarded the decisions Of the Supreme
Court violated their solemn and honorable compro-
misses; persistenty continue their hostilites upon
| our Institutions; and having now obtained control
Of the Government, the question presents itself,
whether we shall any longer submit to these and
the multiplied evils which sure to follow in the
| wake Of the accession of Black Republicanism to
| power; 10 demand rights, redress for past
wrongs, and security for the future, from the fact
that they have been knowingly and wilfuly violated
would be humilisting and degrading to Southern
honor and unless there is voluntary acknowledge
ment Of all eur rights, indemnity for East WRONGS
and guarantee for future safety, the South so
agrieved is perfectly justified in the gorius example
of revolutionary sires in the sight of the civilized
world and before great God of the Universe dis
solve from the Union either separately or collective
ly as best suits their interest desires. Unfortu-
nately that the land Of Washington has come to this
but the blood of our country be upon the ekrts Of
those who have wifuly precipitated us into this sad
| dilemma. .ss.ss-eF t-7-res---y sssse.g
Many may differ with me in this position, and
assume that we have not sufficient cause to secede;
and if our rights are invaded we must resist in the
Union, and with sword, if necessary; and that no
State has right to secede for any cause. To re-
sist in the Union, with the sword would be equiva-
lent to dissolution forever. 1.-THE Government sus-
t8iDe our sggressors then we wage war against cur
| Government, and become rebels, and according to
the Constitution guilty of treason, and sub
ect to the penalties Of that oeDse. If succeed,
then we have revolutionized the Government and it
would be questionable whether the conquered Sec
ton would submit to rules, and il not to hold
them in subsection by force, would be in violation of
the letter and spirit of the Constitution We are
fighting to preserve; and should we be the conquer
ed party sub to the penalties of treason,
and must nov either separate from our Government
er become mere provincial appendage. In either
event disunion is inevitable.
therefore an earnest advocate of the right of
peaceable secession when any State deems she has
sufficient cause and if coerciYe means are resor.ed
to, to force her into the Union let her be prepared
for the emergency andtes her right by the force Of
arms
Mr.. Calhoun, cherished be his memory by every
Southern patriot for his bold and fearless advocacy
Of Southern rights; in his great debate with Mr..
Webster, has SO clearly established this right that
TO be convinced, is but to investigate the argument:
Aud JACKSON, though opposed to secession in the
full tide Of his patriotism, unconstitutional, was,
nevertheless forced In his conclusions to admit the
moral justification of it, from extreme oppression.
The denial of the right of secession, is destruc-
tive Of the spirit and genius of the Constitution;
destructive Of State sovereignty, and violstive of
the liberties of the people, and stamps our Govern
ment as tyrsnical desrotism, with the power to
reduce State that feels herself egrieved, to the
humiliation of being governed without her CONSENT
to be held and treated as subjugated province
contend that State has the right TO secede with
out any special grievance from the General Govern
ment otherwise, provided, it is clear, that the
happiness and prosperity of her people will be
thereby promoted. To deny the right of secession,
is to deny that the States were ever sovereign and
independent; or it is an admission that ours is q
great consolidated Government; and that State
lines, State legislation and State officials merely
nominal, and unnecessary for the security of the
rights and welfare of her citizens. The denial of
this right forces the submssonist to this doctrines
aud if his State be agrieved, however deeply by
the Federal Government, 10 redress its wrongs he
becomes revolutionist and rebel, and is guilty Of
treason If, however, he be more loyal to an op-
pressive country. than he is to his own rights, then
let him be content in his Spaniel-ike submission.
Does history sustain us in the importsn fact that
the States which compose this CoEfederscy were
ever sovereign and Independent? If so, when,
where, and to whom did they cede their independ-
ence forever? We might briefly revert to their CO.
lonal condition, and show that each of the original
thirteen colonies separate and distinct in their
organizations, deriving all their powers from Great
Britain; and Throughout their colonial period in
al their associations for mutual protection, they
still preserved separate existence, And when, on
the 4th of July, 1916, they declared their indepen-
dence, it was that they were free and Independent
Ststes. It cost them seven long years of war and
bloodshed before they maintained the declaration
they so nobly made, but at length succeeding they
were acknowledged by the Power that claimed to
have given them existence, free and Independent
States They were SO recognized by s the enlight-
ened Powers of the world.
In this sovereign and independent capacity, they
adopted the old Articles of Confederation, especi
ally retaining their independence as States reserv-
ing all the powers to themselves not expressed
therein; and whilst the duties of State were
strictly defined there was no power granted to en-
force those duties.
The Articles Of Confederation being imperfect in
many respects it was thought proper by the States
ooak; IA far thu of making