The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1861-01-25
The situation.
.[From the National Intollisencer.l

port submitted to the House OF. Repre-
sentatives on Monday last by Mr. Cor
win. from Tho National Committee raised
...,.. .s,..,. ar. n...,.
'no @' '' VI y.
They WIZ also learn ny the proceedings
of the Senate that that body, in the ses-
sion of Yesterday. alopted the following
resol,,t;ons. o,tared nv AR Clark. of New
to,den ,lon If cop,,ron,ise.
N s1,,so,,sd Tint Tho enrovisious Of tho
Constitution are ample for the preserva.
ton OF the Union and protection OF all
.he hauoi,. .nTres's ., tne County,
amended and thai nm extricotion from,
our present danger is to be looked for in
strenuous efforts to preserve the peace,
iprotect INC puo'c Proper'y, anu e.,lorce
to, ,'oo,,i;ar ;,,toras,s con,nronisos Gov
particular difficulties, or concessions to
unreasonable demands.
a.sv.s.a, IT ~. W. %V, W. ~ ai'an
don he nresent Constitution. with The
hope or expectation of constructing a
new one, are dangerous, lllusory, and
ues.ructive; .hac IN 'ne oPiil'on oi cue
comstr,ction ia mroc,icahle and tbore.
fore, to the maintenance of the existing
Union and Constitution should be direct
81. an 'ne ene'sies oa al te uepats",eni ~,
GOOD c;tizons Wv - w 49, - - vs.
IL as; J.;.;. ,r a. co,,.o ,loso,,.,,,
20 l,o oa,s;da.ad das,;tivo IN tha mart
of that bodv NO m;cht we'll desnair of
,,rosorv;,s the Renublic evon in its
nresept tom and tr1ncated nroportions.
But when we recall the Gibbs and flows
Of tbe legislative proceedinos which AZ
tepded tho n.ssace of the COMPROMISES
Of Isoo and 1850, we cannot bring our
selvas wl,ollv IN desnond Of n final set.
Element on terms that shall be satislac-
yens in both the North and the South
and in sn;ta of tbo ravulsion of feeling
croa,ed bv what sooms tho .norem,tory
sbptt;ng IF n door of hone we cannot
close our minds TO the obvious fact that.
amid the vor,ous nIons and exnedients of
,,o,,nro,,;sos and od;rs,n,o,t ,bot bovo
been sroccs,ed from dfrare,t ouortars
,horo eth ro,,o;, soma ro;,ts of oor,
mon ocroomort which shou,d If loost
be saved from, Ills ooneroI wr,.c,, of ;ar-
r;no and discor1,nt nroorom,,os An
sbould NOT be abandoned os lost because
M marty to This contest can succeed in
procurinr acouiescence to whole schedule
of constitutional and legislative arrange
ments deemed by each ADEQUATE and
necessary to effect a modification IF tho
sections ON the question of slavery. As
it is. we cannot disguise from our readers
the fact that this Republic is threatened
with confusion and overthrow on points
rather of political punctilio than of prac-
teal concern, and on questions of consti-
tutional anthology rather than of admin
istrative craftsmanship. For, on the one
hand, we have the Republican insisting
that he cannot and will not listen to any
terms Of pacificatlon at time when the
people of a portion of the Southern
States stand with arms in their hands
and in the attitude of practical rebellion
against tho Federal Government. On
the other, we have the men of the South
iustilyinr these revolutionary proceed
inrs on the ground that n portion of the
Northern States have nullifed The Con-
stjtutiop and Laws of the land bv the
passage of their "personal liberty bills"
and have vio,oted the snirit if not tho
letter. of the civil compact existing be-
tween the States bv the election of a "sec-
t;onolr cond;dote for the Presidency
Tho Rcnublicon. moreovor sturdilv re-
fpses 70 give any consideration to nropo-
o;t;ons ;rroIv;n, tbo ossurnt;on that
,boro oon bo nnder tho NOS, MAR sonc-
t;op of Federal law onv thing like prop-
: erty in man, The representative of the
South, on the contrary, contends that
property in slaves shall in all Federal re-
Iations be placed on the same footing as
any other property. To the former the
paramount idea seems to be the recogni-
tion of the slave only MS n person. To
the latter the paramount idea seems to
be the recopnition of the slave only as
nroperty. IF reason and common sense
and notriotism could find anv place in
this bour of turbpIepca and nossion tbp
fact that the slave. in tho different rela-
tions which he snstoins is botb n ,,craou