Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-04-21
:ro ,Ae I,eop.s Of pavIa.en coan,r.
Fron .hs Na.hrIII. P..rio..


Ny sincere devotion to the public good. undsr the
| dreadful peris OF the day. must be my excuse for
this obtruson. An appointment to attend a public
meeting in Aaury county to-day. preeludss me from
being present at the meeting this morning, of ct-
zens of Davidson county, The safety of every thing
dear to us depends upon harmony and unity of ac-
ton. Let sink all party feeling, and be careful
TO avoid every thing which may by possibility be-
come the foundation OF party organization l COM
mend the warning words Of the Bonner of yester-
day, Let ctteppt be made to force any line Of pol
co. or o, expression Of sediment tohici seems 10 meet
ech any considerable opposition. Let 90 together
fGr car 90 cordially AID efficiently. and envs all
disp,ded points to be settled circumstances and eUes
may determine"
We all agree in commenting the wisdom. the jus-
tice and the humanity of the refusal of State,
to furnish men and arms to the President with
which TO subJugate our brethren of the seeded
States. We agree in reprobatlpg war of coercion
upon sister slave States, after the refusal of those
terms of justice and safety which we ourselves have
solemnly affirmed were essential to our security
We agree in pledging the whole military force Of
the State, in resistance 'at all hazards and TO the
last extremity" to a war of humiliation of those
whe defending rights and interests dear to Us
as to them.
Having got thus far, let US pause and see whether
we can hsrmoniously take another step, until COM
ing events point out the way. Let US pause and
first and make good these positions, BY arning by
ganzatiOn, by vigorous eausitIon upon all the ele
ule0lS RFdIO ,DeIOFe We
spring questions which may be founded as yet upon
mere coDjectural opinions. If while we draw the
sword we can, with any possible hope, bear in the
other hand the olive branch of peace, shall most
heartily rejoice. But the very act of refusing
troops under the call of the President is a refusal
of allegiance to the Federal Government II p0ccS
in REBELLION The suggestions, therefore, of mas
terly inactivity" of 'armed neutrality" it is not
possible for us TO pursue. Could have the heart
TO stand as Indifferent spectators while nine
teen millions Of people of the North were crush
ing and destroying three millions of whites in
the South. we should find, after their destruc-
tion, that would have terrible accountability
TO render for such rebellious refussl of allegiance
Insults and aggressions would at length drive us to
desperation, and infelibly in the end we should be
destroyed with as little sympathy or hope as il is
proposed shall extend to our feeble but he
roic sister States Of the South. sectional strug
gle, dreadful it is, Is far better than division
among ourselves. Alta time when war of coer
cion is threatened by the powerful North, sugges
tions that the feeble South should divide too sp
pallIg TO contemplate. Our honor our sacred rights
the safety of women and children, against
dal hOrdes of ruthless enemies appeal to US in the
name of Heaven, TO forbid it, trust, therefore,
that no questions, of whateyer character, will be
presented to the meeting, upon which may pos
sibly not stand as unit Let the Seeessionisis and
the Union alike sink his distinctive politics. up
on the altar of the common safety. Let wait the
development Of events, TO determine what we shall |
do hereafter. But. for the present, and at the in
slant, let US arm for the dangers which We see |
plainly before US. Respectfully.
F. n. ZOIIICOFFER