Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-05-02


= great danger threatens alike the North and the
South. The insane act Of President LINCOLN by
which the present war has been precipitated, in
stead of awaiting the deliberate action Of the peo-
pie in finding out some peaceful mode of adjust
ment, has taken the question out of the hands of
statesmen and conservative citizens, and turned it
over to an armed mob.
Those who have given attentive reading to the
comments of the Northern journals upon the char
acter of the government enlstments need not be
told that they made up in COED degree of men
who are influenced by no feeling of patriotic duty.
but of restless spirits pickpockets, vagabonds jail
bird, revolutionists, and marauders, who, now for
the first time in their lives find themselves organis-
ed by law, with arms in their hands.
1t is in the hands of such men that the destinies
of the North rest and it is to such rabble that
the South must bend her neck if we do not meet
them as united people, with all the energies that
God has given
We copy elsewhere paragraph from the Herald
which, though it overestimates, as we hope, the
capacities and the strength of the Northern horde,
will afford the reader some idea of its real charac
ter and purpose.
The most ominous feature of the whole progress
Of the war thus far, is the letter of GEORGE LAW
to the President of the United States and the ready
and almost savage Endorsement of his proposition
by the Tribune, Times Herald, and very many Of the
most influential journals of the North.
1t is a virtual threat to depose the President upon
the first intmation of the least change of purpose
of hesitation in prosecuting the war; with the
whole energies of the Government, and of substi-
tuting military dictator in his stead, who shall be
f,ll,- 4la
possesses and controls the public heart of the North
Statesmen no longer lead or even restrain popu-
lar feelings. They are driven before it as if by a
hurricane. They fly for their very lives. They
not stop. If they halt, but for instant, they
are crushed beneath the advancing tread of the
mob. 1t is now thoroughly aroused, frantic with
rage and impatient for action. For the moment,
death to the Southerner is the cry and it is kept in
the track by the promise Of the rich spoils which
the conquest of our cities. and our green fields
and our fair daughters offer to their brutal pas
sions.
Need we say that there is but one way
TO meet it. The whole South must meet
it is as one man and with an energy amounting TO
desperation. We must meet it as men only meet
danger when to falter is only to incur fate worse
than DEATH because would bring the loss of prop
srty of honor of liberty. and woes 10 the domestic
circle from the very thought of which souls al
most recoil in horror.
We must meet this advancing horde at our
moest borders, and turn it back upon the homes of
those who first melted it to this unholy war. 1t
will find in the cities of the North far richer fed
of action than in the South 1t is thirst for plum
der and for blood Turn it back and let its thirst
be saked in the rich cities of the North.
There is no time for hesitation and parley
with those who would talk of peace or a
truce Of day. We want action prompt,
energetic action. We want men to lead us whose
minds have grasped the whole subject, and who
have the moral as well as the physical courage TO
do and dare whatever need be, TO turn back the ad
vancing host upon their own fields.
Away with all timid cooucils Let our destlDy
be united with the South at once AID forever. Let
the deed be done at once that there may be an end of dis
eassion an end Of intrigue, end Of all hope TO those
auho a0oud be,rdy He is blind who does not gee
and coward or a foe who does not confront the
danger that now lies before us by the only means
now left us, a trial of arms.