Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-09-14

the following circular
To The PRESENT AKD PAsT GRAND MASTERS OF ALL TN
GRAER LeDoEs OF FREE MAsoNs IN ALL THE STATES.
BRETHRzs-The administration Of the affairs o
Free Masonry within the territory which was bu
lately our happy and united country, has been com
mitsed to your hands by the surages of your breth
rem, because they thought you were wise, intelli
| gent, Just, honorable and conservative men. Tn,
! trusts committed TO you were of high moment ant
| the positions occupied by you have been dignifed
and elevated. There is among you at least as much
snd perhaps more, of the elements of justice TRUTH
charity and conservatism. and l add patriotism al
can be found among similar number of men il
| the whole world. There is also much of intelli
gence, mstured by age and tempered by the consts
habit of eherlshng kind and benevolent dispositions
The Order over which you have presided, and are
| now presiding, numbering half million Of God
men, has not merely tolerated, but proclaimed, per-
feet freedom of political and religious opinions; and
among its votares may be found all shades of sent
ments except such are sthestical and libertine
As an organization they have never engaged in
political or paFtizan warfare, but, laying aside all
conflicting sentiments such questions they have
tremendously united 70 cultivate the benign in
uences of relief truth brOtherly love and charity
to al mankind. But they have taught, fostered
and cherished strong, profound and abiding pat
Fiotism the duty aud exalted privilege of every
citizen.
Holding the positions then, which you do when
| immense peris TO hOnOred institutions, to civil
liberty aAd 70 the hopes OF progress among mankind
LupSQ1L1g over you CA0uob, III view Ol your
own tremendous responsibilities, resist the grand
duty of making sincere and honest efforts TO save
sinking country from rack ruin and des0la i0n new
not only threatening our great and beloved land,
but actually sweeping over It.
Ii must be evident, conspicuously so, TO every
ObserVant and rejecting citizen, that the politicians
who claim to be cur statesmen, both South and
North are hurTying on this great nation TO speedy
ruin and dissolution. The positions taken by both
parties are such that no adjustment between them
can possibly occur. So far from 1t, the breaches
are every day widening and deepening; and unless
better dispositions shall shortly be manifested,
every vestige OF hope of settlement, except in ex
terminating war, must be lost forever.
Can It be there is no balm for the bleeding wounds
OF our nation? Is there no hand to hold out the
olive branch-no Saviour TO sill the troubled
waters?
Silently, sOrrowfully and ssdly have been con
templating the hesrtrending condition OF the coun-
try and have been casting about to find some body
of men WHO might form nucleus around which
the peacelOving and peacesee king cOnseFv atsm of
the nation might rally; and have to the con
clusion that, If such body of men exist in the
whole land, you are that body Of men. You
not politicians but patriots, who love your country,
its glory and prosperity. and embrace all the Anne
rlean people IN the Outstretched arms OF an ex-
pansiye love.
1t will not be necessary or proper for you to
form yourselves into political party, or to seek
political position distinction, but simply just,
conservative, patriotic men, to meet and confer To-
gether In q becoming, compromising spirit, AS an
advisory assembly, with an anxious desire TO rise
above all sectional feelings and view, from an ele
waited staRd point the whole condition of affairs
and the whole Issues before the country, and, if
possible. devise some fair and just plan by which
the discordsnt and belligerent interests, which
IN such fearful hostile array, may be assusged
into peace and adjustment. What the character of
that plan should be, | will not anticipate in any
way, but it seems to me something better be
done than resort TO the horrible necessity OF
drenchmg the land in fraterna gore, and involving
US all in universal bankruptcy of wealth, morals
and religion for many years TO come. Cool, calm,
peaceful cOunsels, seem to me much better than
the ardent conflicts of most sanguinary iraricidl
strife.
therefore appeal to you 70 meet here IN LOUIS
vile, on neutral ground on the third Monday in
October next where you will be Hospitality enter
tanned, and consult upon the most feasible plan Of
fraternsl and honorable adjustment. And, If we
shall be able TO recommend some plan which will
heal the woes of the country, make suggestions
which may lead to such a result, we Will have &C
cOmplisAed good far greater than any other which
IN life we will ever be able 20 accomplish. Let us
come together from the East, West North and South
in spirit of enlarged and tender fraternity, pas
triotic men and, 10 the providence of God, we may
be able TO give out lead whichmay rebound to the
salvation o. our nation arrest the terrible ma
uOnal calamity now impending over
CHARLss G. WINTERsMTTH,
2. G. n. of Grand Lodge of Kentucky.
ny SOuGNE Al Tic hUONc suB5SrtiOhrf Huu
Ia the appeal made.
WB DoDDs. P.GM. of Ohio.
T. N. WISE, P.GM. of Kentucky
H. I. WILSON. P.GM. OF Kentucky.
THOs r. AIsuS, GIN of India ma.
DIT. MO>sARRAT PG.M. of Kentucky.
B. z. NOUNG, P,G.M. of Kentucky.
CHLs TMDEN, P.GM. of Kentucky.
J.B FLINT P.G.M. of Massachusetts,s g
A. NJ HUGHEs PIG NJ. OF Tennessee.
g. A. tULLER PG.M OF Tennessee.
THos MCCULLoCH, P.G.M. of Tennessee.
THosW WISDOM, D.P.GM. of Tennessee.
We find in TIE Richmond Enquirer of the 18th,
copied from the Vicksburg (Siss.) Wing similar
document, without the names of the seven last sp-
pended As published in the Enquirer the circular
bears date the 3lst of Jolly last
The delegates were invited to meet lin Louisville,
neutral ground" and yet a full month before the
proposed peace convention is to be held the Legis
lsture Of Kentucky has efectualy dispelled the il
fusion in regard to the neutrality of that State and
shown that the assumption of neutrality was sim
ply trick to enable the LINCOLN Government to
fssten more securely the tolls upon her people and
to hold the State as despOts hold conquered pro-
vinces, by the force Of arms.
But the gentlemen who have assumed the prerog- |
alive of pesce>mAkers, should have discovered !
long ago that they would probably not be |
permitted to hold peace convention in Louisville |
The friends of peace attempted to hold meeting, at
the courthouse In Louisville on the 18th of August
and, says the Louisville Courier ''notwiths landing |
" the svowed object of the meeting, rabble, nOto-
" riOusy in favor of coercion and war, at early |
hour took possession of the hall in which the meet
ing TO assemble and thus forced the friends |
Of psace TO withdraw and hold their meeting in /
more private place. And this breaking up of a |
peace meeting had the sanction of and was psrtici
pated in by leading "Unien men of Louisville.
But if more proof is wanting that peace conven-
ton would probably not be tolerated in Louisville
Mr. LESLIE CoNRs who is acknowledged leader |
OF the Union party of that State has furnished |
it. In a letter to New York coercion and war /
convention written the 4th inst, MIR. COINS -ays
These peace meetings WITH Us, and Ipresgae eUeyy
'l0here, ARE MORE SOFT WORDS FOR TREASON, AND WE |
"sHALL so TREAT THEM What do the Masonic |
functiOnaTies who have proposed peace conven- |
ton at Louisville think Of such a menace as that
The New York World declared, in its issue of |
the 18th ult that peace is treason "H cannot be
"tOo iRdstiHcy understood says that Journal CHAT
"PEACE THESE TINES MEANS NOTHING MORE NOR LESS |
THAN TREASON" The New York Tribune and |
Tines and Herald have asserted substantially the !
same thing, and almost every paper we receive |