The constitutional union., 1861-02-08
IETTER FROM HON. JERE: CLEMENS

HUNTSVILLE, ALA., Feb /. Hon. Solon Borland:
 My DEAR SIR: I wrote you long iet'ei at Washington, but suppose you hao iG,' tbare before it reached its destination. US chief object was to obtain reliable ln1orilla'loh of the views and purposes ot the plack repun- lican party. Ssnce then so many evidences have thickened about me of determined nos t;l;tv to our people, as well as to our instltu- lions that I have lost all hope ot any settle ment, except such as may be made by the bavonet and the sabre. After the election oI Lincoln in the first flush of triumph, was prepared for, aud could have overlooked a good deal of insulting exultatlon on the part of his supporters The mere extravagancles of partisan press would have been pltled and forgiven. I looked beyond these, to Lincoln himself, and to the leaders who were likely to have an influence in shaping hls policy. In that quater no ray of hope has made its appearance The idea of concllla- tion, of fraternal concession, for the sake ot peace. seems not to have entered into ther thoughts. We have heard enough of coe:- cion ts make the blood of freeman run like mellcu lava, UuI Nc HdfC ICoIu hOo '" "OiN v kindly affection we have received no assur- ances that our just rights should be respect ed. Senators and Representative in Con- gress Governors and State Legislatures talk to us glibly of the halter and the gibbet, but no one appeals to our affections; no one seems to think that we are capable of being swayed by any motive but the fear of an ignomlnlous death. Mr. Lincoln himself is silent, but the olive branch rendered by the venerable Crit tenden is tramped in the dust by his follow CTS. and we are told in every form of aggr;- yating defiance that the day of compromises has passed Be it so. There is no one in all this land to whom the crumblng ot that mighty temple erected by our farthers, has brought more agony than 1t has to me. NO one has habitually cherished more enthusl- astic love for our national banner--no one has followed, it more readily when 1t waved ln | front of hostile force, or has shaken by the deadly breath of the pestilence, and even at this hour no one would more gladly return be- meath its folds, if it were possible to find there the freedom and the peace of other years But that hope is gone. The Northern States have rudely torn away the veil which we, Tn our fond and foolish affection, had drawn over our own eyes They will not allow Us to be self-delulcl They furnish Us no excuse for misunderstanding their purposes. They have utterly scorned to soothe us with soft and gentle words They address themselves to our fears alone and we should indeed be the efeminate slaves they profess to believe us Ii such seeds did not grow into bloody harvest. l I resisted the secession of Alabama to the last moment; not because 1 doubted that 1t must come sooner or later but because l preferred to wait until you in Tennessee were ready to go with us. 1 knew well enough ] that you must go eventually. Mr. Lincoln 1 will not let you stay in the Union as freemen. l Alabama and Mississippi are in large part | the children of Tenne see. He will demand ' your aid in the first place, to crush your own 1 descendants, and when that Is refused, as refused it will be, the decree for your own de- struction will at once go forth, or if it Is delayed, it will only be until he feels he can strike with greater safety
 l 1 do not look for the present contest to end 1 in the immediate secession of Tennessee. know your people better, md haxe been more familiar with them from infancy, than those of my own State. They have been deeply schooIed in sentiments of attachment to the l Union. It is an honorable attachment, and therefore the more difficult to be destroyed. ! But l know also the material of which the predominant party at the North Is composed, and know that Tcnnesseans cannot affiliate with them. The day is near at hand when the mother and daughter Tennessee and Alabama) will be standing side by side, as of yore, and when that day comes, woe be to the enemy that assails them.
 Very truly, your friend.
 HERE. CLEMENS