Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1861-01-18

her court in the midst Of this once happy country.
ard the union Of these States be. restored to that
spirit of fraternity, equality, and justice, which
gave it birth.
been crushed out Of the Constitution may be re-
stored, giving renewed strength and vigor to the
body polite.
But can we hope for such resultsq Two months
have already passed since the development Of
1 facts which make the perpetuity of the Union
depend alone upon their giving to the South
satisfactory guarantees for her chartered rights.
Yet, there has been no proposition at oil satis-
factory, made by any member Of the dominant
and aggressive party Of that section. SO far
from IL, their Senat ors and Representatives in
Congress- have voted down and spurned every
proposition that looked to the accomplishment
of this object, matter whence emanating, and
the fact that their constituents have, in no nu-
thorilative manner issued words of rebuke or
warning TO tliem, must be taken as conclusive
proof of their acquiesoing in the policy.
Il In view of these facts, cannot close my eyes
10 the conclusion that Tennessee will be power.
less in efforts she may make to quel the storm
that ervades the country. The work of alien
alton and disruption has gone so far that il will
be extremely difficult, If not impossible, to arrest
it; and before your adjournment in all human
probability, the only practical question for the
State to determine, will be whether she will
unite her fortunes with Northern or Southern
Confederacy; upon which question: when pre-,
sented, am certain there can he little or no di-
vision in sentiment identified as we are in every
respect with the South.
i If this calamity shall befall> the coun ry, the
South will have the consolation Of knowing that
she is in manner responsible for the disaster.
The responsibility rests alone upon the Northern
people, who have wilfully broken the bond OF
Union, repudiated the obligations and duties
II which it imposes, and only cling to it's bene6t
Yet even in this dark hour of responsibility and
peril, perfect and complete, which is necessary
TO the purposes of civil government, JUST as they
r existed before the Union formed
The sages and patriots of the revolution. when
in the act of severing their connection with the
; mother country, and establishing the great car
J, dinal principles of free government, soemnly
declared that governments were instituted among
men to their rights 'o life, liberty and the pur,
: suit of happiness; deriving their just powers
from The consent cf the governt d; shat whenever
t any form of government becomes destructive OF
these ends II is the right OF the people TO alie
, or abolish it, aud to institute new government
J laying its foundations on such principles aud or
} ganizing its powers in such FORM as to them
shall seem most likely to effect their safety and
hnnpiness But when u
: long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing
invariably the samo object evinces q design ia
reduce them under absolute despolsm, II is theil
right, il is their duty, TO throw off such govern
security"
Recognizing these great principles, the people
: of Tennessee incorporated in their declaration OF
rights, as q fundamental article of the Constilu
, ton of the State. THAT government being insti
tuied fer the common benefit, the doctrine Of non.
B resistance against arbitrary power and oppress.
ion is absurd, sluvish and destructive of the good
| and hBppiness OF mankind"
Whatever line of policy may be adopted by The
people of Tennessee, with regard to- the present
n Federal relations of the State am that ths
swords of her brave. and gallant sons will never
be drawn for the purpose of coercing, subjug ting
+ or huftling as Conquered province, any one Of
, her sister States, whose people may declare thei
n independence of the Federal Government for tn,
purpose of being relieved from "a long train o
r abuses and usurpatons.' To admit the right oil
q policy of coercion, would be untrdc to the exam.
, pie of our fathers and the glorious memories o
the past, destructive of those great and funda
pental principles of civil liberty, purchased with
a ther blood destructive of State sovereignty and
s4uality tending Capitalization, and thus sub
n jfct the tights Of the minority TO the despotisn
| DIAN unrestrained majority.
Widely as we may differ with some of our sister
Southern States as 10 the wisdom Of their policy
desippus as may be that whatever action ia.
f ken in this emergency. should be taken by the
q South as a unit hopeful we may be of finding
r some remedy for our grievances consistent with
the perpetuiy of the present Confederacy the
a question, at last, is one which each member Of
. that Confederacy must determine for itself, and
any attempt upon the part of the others to hold
el by means eff military force, an unwilling SOW.
. eregnty as a member of common Union, mus
. Inevitably lead to the-WOrst form of ihternecins
War; and if successful, result in the establish.
n ment of a new and totally different Government
4 from the one established by the Constitution the
e Constitutional Union being Union of eOnsen
e and not of force, of peace and not of bLood-com
30 IL
4 but the new and coereiye Government, while j
fwould "derive its powers to govern portion o
the States 4kesm III consent Of the governed Woult
n derive the power by which il governed the re
,f mainder, from the cannon and the s'cord and no
! from their consent Union not of equals, but o
the visitors and the vanquished, pinned togethe
,ei by the bayonet and congealed in blood
% fdeVoutly trust that merciful Providence ma,
: avert such calamity, and believe that ther
fis no respectable portion of our people, whateve
p may be their differences Of opinion upon olhe
a questions, who are blind to reason, los
10 patriotism and every sentiment Of civil libeT
n ty, as to give countenance TO policy 80 fatal il
its results, and so revolving TO every sentiment
,e humanity,
While sincerely trust that Tennessee ma
/, never be driven 10 the desperate alternative u
appealing to arms IN defence of the rights of he
d people nevertheless deem'it proper, in view Q
the present excited state Of the public MUD an
n unsettled condi,iensofthe country, 10 call you
o attention to the fact Il at with the exception of
r small number OF volunteer companies, we hhy
a. 40 military orgakzltion in the State, the mihti
NJ having disofg1n Eel Immediately after the repea
n Of the law which requited drills aud pubic pa
a. rades Independent Of the impending crisis,
!, regard'a thorough re.orgaui uiEation Of the milii
os rs imperaiively handed b. every consideration
:, Of prudence aud safety therefore submit th
!, question to your consideration, with the earnas
- hope that you will adopt such plan of organiIi
: tion as will secuse to the State at al. times an
unJer all circumstances, an efficient and reliabl
= Hjlilary force
= annsuna6le, in the abseuce OF full report
a from the clerks o. the several counties, TO in
- form you as to the military strength ofth State
Such reports as have been made to this depart
: ment shall be laid before you. do not doubt
n however, that the military strength Of the Stat
!, ~ rnay be safely estimated at one hundred AM