Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-02-22

For the Daily P.trio,

Letter TO Hon. 5. 3. Douglas.
For the Daily Patriot.
BEDFORD Co., Tenn, JAN 29, 1861.
Hon. STEPHEN A DOUGLAs-.Sr: A com
mon citizenship in country whose integrity
is forever endangered will excuse this letter
from an unknown but not less interested
observer of the crisis of our day. This
Union, Sir, cannot be saved by geographic
cal line. If this were announced by an &C.
knOwledged prophet it would STROUD MANY a
heart with despair. for the eyes of all hopeful
men are now upon the measures of settle
ment introduced and advocated by the dis
tinguished Senator from Kentucky, who so
ardentiy presses the renewal Of the parallel
OF sc deg. 80 mi. I believe the extreme
South SIli not noso accept such line. 1T
ttHes under common government are to de-
ternine RIGHTS. the Gulf States viii demand
lines dividing Unions. and Tot lines in the
presen; Cogfederacy. If this be the position
OF the extreme South, il must be the position
of the border States South. for these latter
can accept of no geographical line if it shall
result in separating them from the coast
States below US We all feel with the North
TO be our enemy after q dissolution as be-
fore that in Southern union alone is South
ern safety, and that the Ohio River is the
two confederacies there must be. This is
the opinion of one who has scanned the field
with what knowledge Of human nature and
Southern sentiment be possesses, and with all
the interest of life and death. What then ?
Is there no hope? None, Sir, perhaps of pre-
venting further secession. Texas il gone in
efect-Arkansas gone-and who then can
answer for Tennessee and the Western men
of Missouri? Pou know, Sir, the pioneer
oh Il - o.,
ernment aud how ardent of State rights and
their individuality. Secession is coming,
Sir, to be regarded as the only tide that
will bear, if not TO renowD, at least to safety
"a path, Sir, of quiet retreat from the glare
and oppression of centralized power. There
be nothing can block that path now being
trod by the hunters of the South and South
west in their stern resolve. The question
then of every patriots heart again recurs,
" What Is TO be done?" And who can an
swer? Yet here Is a thought-yOu, Sir,
offered in the late canvass what you deemed
a solution of the riddle forced On all men by
the Abolition sphinx, virgin-faced, bru te-
bodied, that itself but recently crept upon
its fpurs and yet so soon stands erect in vic
tory and power, to desolate the land, with no
enemy to end its career and fasten its doom
none, Sir. but the immortal States Rights
Party. You knew if you could settle the
question of territory all else would follow,
and peace upon the troubled waters would
spread her again halcyon wing. True. had
almost said to the instincts OF the party to
which you must ever be attached, you pro-
posed plan that gave the LOCALITY to be
affected the right to determine its own insti-
tutions in its own way, and this while the
locality itself was yet in the territorial con-
dition. The South, too, conceded to the To-
c1lIy this same power, but not till certain
condition had there been attained, viz: the
condition justifying the formation of State
government. So there was difference, not
so much of principle as of the TINE of the
application of principle.
The South proposed to confer the Ioga
ViTiits of sovereignty at specific age and
of the individual--you with great
er latitude proposed that this mark of dis
tinction should certainly be worn at this spe-
cific age and might be assumed before. Both
agreed that the distinction, the pride and
boast of the American system should, at one
time or another, BE CONFERRED; and here
both were met aud both Overpowered by
common enemy-the Federal party of the
Black Republicans, who deny rights to Lo-
CALITIEs and with the territories as with the
now seeding States, proclaim for both the
law of force, and would initiate with respect
to both the progincialiZing processes OF the
ancient republics-processes that glOrifed
but oOned them, bringing upon them
ALL sooner or later, the sword of retributive
Justice.
Sir, the truth is apparent that with the spirit
of ancient Rome the Republican party are
fast tranforning the Confederacy Of our
Fathers into consolidation, an empire of
simple majorities. Look to the history of
general politics as well as TO the question of
slavery, and you know that fairly state the
r Il.
your solution of the territorial question was,
sir. in the late election overwhelmingly re-
jected by the North. 1t was also rejected by
the South after an earnest struggle of your
friends and the friends of the principle. Now,
prdetlclL craftsmanship consists in determining
aud TAKING the next best step. And what is
this? EspOuse sir. the doctrine of the South
upon the question of territOry,-a doctrine
nearer your own than the antago-
nistic view OF the North from which you differ
as light from darkness, as justice from op-
preston, as free government from empire
This Is no time for pride of opinion and
pride Of consistency; but if Douglas Demo-
crazy would regard consistency they need
not be deferred from the Southern tenet upon
the subject of present and future acquisitions
il | am correct in regarding that tenet as
not different principle but a
different TINE of The application of princi-
Pile. Perhaps, however, men would easier
see the Southern doctrine as middle compro-
mise ground between your centrifugal and the
Black Republican centripetal tendency. In
either case there would be no call for sacri-
ice that patriotism could not make. But
the question is mons not "by what plan shall
he Union be saved?" Alasl tits already
disrupted. The question is the more immedi-
ate the moreTs solemn one of War or Peace
Of war to begin and end whatever be the
forms or professions of the government in
real despotism or Southern Independence
of peace to begin in the doctrine of christi
anity and free government; and to end in
the re-establisbment of the Union Of our
Fathers Yet awhile longer will these alter
natives tremble in the scale of events with
but breath to tilt the beam on the side of
war and drown in blood forever hopes not
alone of reconstruction but of Free Iustitu-
lions on the Continent. Who will not cry
ito the rescue" And yet chow rescue?''
Evacuate the South. Implore men to con-
iider whether its any ones DUTY. any ones
Istereat longer to treat the movement of a
great, aggrieved and dppreheasiue people as
he action of an irresponsible mob, -implore
men to make no longer this fatal mistake
beseech you, sir, with all your
power as the wisest policy (Which is also the
highest duty,) the immediate withdrawal Of
roops from the Southern forts. Let the cry
De, "evacuate and save.'' Secession viii
hen look back. History, experience,
of mans nature teaches us seces-
,ion viii then, aud not till then, look back.
The States as they separately withdraw are
weak, 0pprehensiSe impulsive and all
he more resolute and united. On the other
land, power has but one virtue, one praise
peculiarly its own, viz : magnanimity Let
he Government now exhibit this. Yes, sir,
'evacuate'-'tis, perhaps, bold for the men
bat may order it.-'tis answer to all 1--WE
bought it better and h7e10 itcould be no acorse,
or our country" EVaeuate, and at the
anne time raise through the fundamentally
If united Northern State Rights Party
aise the shout .'restore''-unfurl at New
"a --nd - Il. l.