Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-04-16
Substance of the Remarks of Hon.
f. h. ZoIIiconer.

Having presented the resolutions Of the
Committee, for the consideration of the meet
ing Saturday night, Gen. ZOLLICOFFER said {:
FELLow-CITIzESs We have met under
extraordinary circumstances. A battle has
been fought at Charleston. A war has been
inaugurated by the Federal Administration
to subdue the seeded States of the South.
1t is not the first gun fired at Charleston
which has inaugurated this conflict; but it is
the formidable preparation of land and naval
forces by the authorities at Washington, and
their movement upon that point, with the
threat forcibly to provision Fort Sumter
We're military force moving upon Tennes-
see, with a threat of compelling us to do that
which we were unwilling to do, we would
not be regarded as aggressors If we fired
upon them. Mr.. Lincoln knew he was haZ-
arding war. That he knew this is proven by
his formidable preparations for war; by the
acknowledgment OF the leading Republican
Journals, that war would probably follow his
determined policy of coercion, and by the
sudden preparations made by Northern
Governors and Legislatures, of which we are
now apprised by telegraph. 1t was but to-
day L read in the Chicago Tribune, printed
day before yesterday-the leading organ of
the President in his own State-the declara-
ton that Mr.. Lincoln and his Cabinet are
about to undertake the enforcement of the
revenue laws and the reinforcement of the
Government forts in the Seeding States
That they will be able to do tbis1 saws that
organ, without bloodshed there is IittIe hope.v
Thank God, our rulers have mastered the
philosophy of the situation-which is that
| eather freedom or SLAVERY must be the dominant
po1Der Of the continent. 1t matters not when
or where the first blood is split, except that
the sooner the clinch comes the better.U-
There can be no peace till one or the other
Is conquered"
fellow-citIZens. We must not close our ewes
70 such facts. Ii the news which reaches US
to-day does not mean war, sectional war.
threatening the subjugation of unwilling
States: resisting because of appfehended dan
ger to their sacred rights, their property. and
their institutions. what does it mean? II was
Sd easy for the President and his partv tn
have settled the difficulties, by peaceabIe
adjustment, giving security and equality to
every State and every section; why does he
resort 10 war II he does not mean to enforce
upon the South the anti-slavery power of his
party! Surely 1t was better to do Justice
than make war. All the efforts for peacea-
BILE adjustment have come from the Soutb.
while The North has been stocally immoya-
bic. During all the last session of Compress
Southern Senators and Representatives were
suing for terms of justice, importuning the
North IN vain to agree to some adjustment
giving to US sense OF future safety and peace.
The venerable and patriotic Crittenden ex
haGsted every effort of his great intellect and
popularity, in vain. The Peace Conference
sat month in Washington and empIoyed
every effort to win to reason the stubborn
fanaiicism OF the party that sustains the Pres
ident, all in vain. His Congressional maiori-
ties treated all reasonable efforts of adjust
ment with silence or contempt.
What sufficient reason can there be for the
President reinforcing or holding Forts Sumter
and Pickens, under present circumstances
unless he intends TO go further, and take the
other forts, and other government property
custom houses, navy yards, &c? The hold
ing of these two forts alone, will Certainly
not enable him to collect the revenue or en-
force the laws in the seeded States. If he
means to go forward and take the forts aud
custom houses, and do such other things as
VIII enable him to enforce the laws and col
lect the revenue before be has offered any
terms OF justice and safety to the South, be
wen knows that this means war, subIugation.
ultimate and inevitable disunion.
war is what be means, the time has come
"heh tennessee should say to him. STOP THIS
S SAh. inis Is no way to save the Union
G .i US guarantees OF safety to our institu-
tons; give us equality of rights: give ns
peace, aud we are true to the Union. This il
all we ask But if Justice and peace are de.
MED us, if the rule of Black Republicanisn
regardless OF our complaints, is to be enforc,
ed, at the mouth of the cannon, upon our sis
ter States of the South, We stand in their de-
fence-your war must be waged against a
united South. At all events, L for one. am a
true son of the South, and will survive or
perish with her fortunes. You, my old
friends and neighbors of Nashville, know that
have been as true and ardent Union man
as ever breathed the breath of life. /, at
least, know, that would willingly have shed