The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1861-06-07
Letter from q Seceder.

A gentleman in Camillus sends us the fol-
lowing copy Of letter, lately received by
him from an acquaintancea at Nashville, Ten
nessee. It will be seen that while It Is writ
ten by q person Of cultivated mind and gen.
eral intelligence, he is yet dcplorably and
pitiably ignorant Of the question upon which
he writes. He makes bitter complaint Of
the North and tho administration, yet he
specifies no wrong, either committed or
threatened. The presses and leading men Of
the South, have fearful sins to answer for.
They have imposed on the crcdulity and con-
fidence Of the masses, until they have plung.
ed them into the madness Of treason and
civil war. Many ofthe Southern people arc
entitled to our warmest sympathy, and yet
they must suffer equally with the ambitious
and reckless villains who instisated the war.
Here is the letter:
NASHVILLE, May 20, 1861.
al have written much and have made no
mention Of the state Of affairs here, and /
hardly know now where to begin, or what
to say, for ono hundred pons could not tell
one half OF what think and feel in the
matter. Such q condition of affairs never
was known before, and trust never will be
again, though we have not, fear by far,
reached the eliminating point. My opin-
ion on tho matter can be expressed in few
words, viz;-My sympathy, feelings and in.
tcrest are with the South, and am for the
South to tho very last, como what will.
was for tho Union and nothing but Union
us long US there was any such a thing, but
as soon us tho ddmnabie, Heii-deserying par.
ty in power commenced showing their eiopen
foot, as they most emphatically have done,
to even far greater extent than / thought
possible. saw, Us did every union man In
Tennessee, that there was no such thing as
Union possible; and tho sad-ycs sad in
deed d,-conviction came home to us that our
once glorious Union. for which our fore
fathers fought and bled, must perish, and
with it, l lear, pcrishes forever the last hope
OF sclf.governmcnt. 1t tmakcs my very heart
sick TO consider the state Of affairs, for let
the result of the contest be what 1t may, our
once cherished union is gone forever. Even
ifcvcrything could be settled now. and not
another drop Of blood shed, 1t would take ut
least two generations to restore the country
to its peace, harmony, and prosperity OF
twelve months ago. And who is to blame
for bringing about this deplorablc state OF
affairs? Certainly not the South, or only
50 in hastening the calamity for the accursed
party now in power arc but carrying out
their long cherished principles, and have on
ly waited prctcxt for 50 doing which the
perhaps too hasty action of the South gave
them e'er they werc aware. But deny
most cmphatically that this trouble is all
the South's doings. The South has been
wrongcd, had her rights trampled upon, till
endurance ceased to bc virtue, and when
she demands her rights, and adopts the only
course left her for obtaining them, she is
branded as rebel, traitor, &C., &c. The
South has never asked aught but her con-
stitutional and legal rights, and those she
must and will have. The day Of compro-
mise is past, hopelessly so. The Border
States-God bless them begged, pleaded,
prayed that these troubles might
be peacefully adjusted, till the last spark OF
hope had died out in tho bosoms Of the most
and they might just Us well never
have made the attempt, for the republican
party never intended to compromisc on any
terms; at least, such we must infer from
their unwillingnoss to accept any comprom-
ise whatever. That tho
South will DO successful in tho end l do not
entertain the least doubt; their cause is just,
and tho God Of battles will give them strength
and means to conquer. We fight for our
homes, our fire-sides, our wives and children,
md our all while those araycd against US
arc actuated only by jealousy, hatred and
ambition, There is but ono way to subdue
the South, viz Kill every man, woman and
child this side Of Mason and Dixon's line
for give up the South never will (; never
while one man isaliye.
1t makes my blood run cold to think Of the
many noble lives that will be lost in the war
that is forced upon us by that unscrupulous,
leccitful tool Of a heartless and irreligious
action that has broken up the Union Of con-
,ent, established by our Fathers, overturned
Tho constitution, and erected in their stead
ono of the most absolute fanatical and TO
military dspotisms the world ever
.aw. 'Tis one Of tho greatest oatragcs ever
in the sight Of God and man, and
can not sec how sensible well.informcd men
1t the North ian look upon 1t in any other
light than that the course pursued by the ad'
Is most damnable. lcant SEQ
how the South can possibly be charged with
dissolution Of tho Union. She was foremost
IN advocating and ccmentins that Union,
md to that Union she clung through long
yoars ofcalumny and insult. Governments are
for tho protection and happiness
,f tho people. When therefore any Govern
nent is perverted from is proper design. be-
comes oppressive, and abuses is power, they
have right to change Il, and that h c1actly'