Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-01-10

Why talk to such people about new guarantees,
amendments Of the Constitution &C.? In the first
place, we knaw how they would be met; Grim
lnanon and ridfcule are,thc reply they make de-
nying that the evils complained of exist-but if
they do, that they are Of our creation. In the
second place, what reason have we to suppose if
our demands were accepted, that the amendments
and new guarantees would be more faithfully OBJ
served than the plain provisions of the Constitution
and the Fugitive Slave Law have been?
They have been educated for the last forty years.
in the nurseries, In the Sunday schools, from the
pulpit at the bar in the legislative halls aud from
the hustpgs to loathe slavery and the defenders Of
It. This has all to be undone. 1t is impossible to
eradicate the sentiment from he minds and hearts
of the present generation With C. e masses. the
sentiment has cen engendered by religious fanati-
cism, and by appeals to their prejudices They
have been taught that Shareholders disdan labor,
and look with contempt upon the laboring classes,
regarding them alike, whether white or black, as
an inferior caste in society, With the leaders, it
originates ina contest for political supremacy and
jealousy of the influence which the South has
cised by her wisdom in council and her herolsm in
arms.
.Of what avail would all the constitutional com
pacts in the world be when coming in contact with
sentiment such as that imbedded in the hearts
of the people? "All laws depend for their efficacy
and enforcement upon the consent and loyalty of
those who administer them, and those for whose
government they were intended"
Such being, then, the sentiments and feelings of
the party which will be charged with the admins
tration of the Government after the 4th of March,
what safety protection will there be for Southern
men and property, seeing that new guarantees can
not be obtained and if they could be, would never
be observed.
Slavery. of all property in the world, most needs
the protection of friendly government. As well
commit the lamb to the protection of the wolf as
slavery to the protection of Government hostile
to it. -aaa-1s.la..sss-.
Besides, all these propositions involve delay, and
delay is fatal 1t is not wonderful indeed it is
most natural that up to this time we should have
held back-that should have tried to keep others
back until the wsest and most prudent counsels had
calmly surveyed the whole field and had failed dis
cover a remedy for the disorders prevailing. That
much elaboration was due to the sacred trust CONT
ted to and to the cause of human liberty through
out the world. But events of the past few days ad
mOnish us that but little time remains for debera-
ton and indecsion Some may deplore the course of
South Carolina precipitate and i'll advised-others
may regard itas to her sisters having equal
interest and a common destiny with her-others
again. may hail it the magic wand which shall ex
tract the forked lightning from the storm cloud and
convey it harmless the earth or, "a bright Iris
ser the boiling surge" Whatever may be the view
taken of it, whether approved or condemned, her
lone star has been uufurled and proudly courts the
breeze. Mississippi has sent her word of cheering.
"On We brave, who rush to glory or the grave.
Wave, South Carolina, wave, all thy banners wave,
and charge with all thy chivalry." God grant that
Tennessee, the synonym of patriotism and daunt-
less herosm, true to her own high instincts, her
historic renown, and the fame of her iIlustrious
chieftain, who has rendered her own and his name
immortal, may also to the teeth and resolve to
the death in defence of her gallant sister, the Queen
of the Atlanticl
What said the illustrious President Fillmore in
his speech at Albany, in 1856, when contemplating
the very event which has occurred-the election OF
a sectional President and which, though not the
cause is the occasion of the widespread excite
citement at the South: Can they" (referring to
the people of the North 'have the madness, the
folly to believe that our Southern brethren would
submit to be governed by such Chief Magistrate?
Suppose that the South, having a majority of the
electoral votes should declare that they would have
only Shareholders for President and Vice-President
and should elect such by their surages to rule over
us at the North, do you think you would submit :
No; not for a moment. Do you believe that your
Southern brethren less sensitive this subject
than you are, or less jealous of their rights
If you do, let me tell you you are mistaken; and
therefore you must that if this sectional party
succeeds it leads inevitably to the destruction of
this beautiful fabric reared by our forefathers"
Again, in his speech at Rochester, the same season.
referring to the event, he said: "the success
of such party with such an object, must be dis
solution Of the UmOn." Il
What said the Hon. Mr. ValIandigham. member
of Congress from Ohiog 81 tell you as Western
man, and tell the gentleman from Tennessee, Mr..
Nelson) that when you of the South shall have at
tanned the numerical power and strength in this
UnlOn and shall organize Southern party on a
Southern basis and. under the forms of the Consti-
tuition shall elect a Southern President for the pur
pose of controlling the vast power and patronage
and influence of the Government by action or non
action for the advancement of Southern interests
and above all, for the purpose of extending slave
ry into States Free will meet you the Irish
patriot would have met the invaders of Ireland
with sword in one hand and torch in the other
dispute every inch of ground-burn every blade of
grass, till the last intrenchment of independence
shall be my grave. | will not wait for an overt
act. What! Do | not know that fire will burn:
that frost will CONCEAL that steel and poison viii
do their work of destruction to the human system
and shall | await tie slow process of experiment
to ascertain their rational and inevitable effects ??
This was spoken in answer to the question whether
the South would be justified in resisting the cleo
ton of Northern sectional candidate on sectional
platform.
quote passage from single other Northern |
dion. Caleb Cushing.) on the same point
After arguing TO them the practical result of the
election of such candidate, he says: Il repeat |
confidently, if Mr.. Lincoln is elected, the Republi-
cans will have to burst up at once, attack the do
nestle rights of the South. What, then, will the |
people of the Southern States attacked in their con-
rights their domestic peace. their proper
~, and their persons dog What will they do? Will
they passiyely submit to be conquered subjects of
New England! NO. DO not nope, believe or doubt
what they will do l know they will defend them
selves to the uttermOst-first with constitutional
means; in fine, with all the means of defence which
God and nature have committed to them; and if they
we're not to do it, they would be recreant to the
blood OF Washington, of Henry, Carroll, of Rut-
idse; they would be unworthy of the name Of
American H-. TX
The issue is made We could not avoid it if we
would. We can fearlessly appeal to God to our
,onsciences. and to the enlightened opinion of man
Iind to yindicate course. If war result, the
will not be upon US, bnt upon those
who are intent upon the overthrow of our constitu
ional rights. If we must pass the dread ordeal-if
he tocsin Of civil war is sounded and the land
s drenched with the blood of brothers, II trust in
iod that there is a redeemng spirit in the Constitu.
ion which will be seen to walk with the South
through the flames, and preserve her unhurt by the