Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-05-11
ADDRESS TO THE PEO-
nrr OF TENNESSEE.

/
49, snons which have influenced their action.
S Jont Select Committee, under the direction
Il ,ith the approval of the Assembly, beg leave TO
bnoit the following statement to the calm judgment
o-d consideration of their constituents.
Js ,,-asant session was called for by the Executive
authority to dispose of rlore important questions
! than ever had engaged the attention OF Tennessee
| legislature: the members of the two houses could
but feel most sensibly the responsibilities of their
nosit;ons well knowing that their.acton- would not
pnly affect the present but the future destnies of
! the State They had no interest TO subserve apart
from those of their constituents, and whatever may
he the result of their lsbors, whether for good
evil it will fall alike upon themselves and those
whom they represent
The election of sectional President by an I'M
reasoning appeal TO numerical superiority, precipi-
! tated a crisis in the government which many wise
/ men anticipated, and patriots would have gladly
adjourned another and far distant period Several
of the slaveholdlng States upon the happening
Of this event, commenced preparations for leaving
| Union which in their judgments promised
70 become an instrument OF destruction TO the con>
stitutonal rights Of the South The excitement
seuuent upon the action of these States produced
necessity for the last extra session of this body and
| the proposition for calling Convention was sub
mitted to the people. It was by them determined
that no Convention should be held thus giving the
| assurance of fixed purpose to abide by the Union
so long as hope of safety or protection remained
TO them A Peace Congress was called for, and anx
IONS TO give every evidence of sincere desire to
settle existing difficulties, prudent and discreet men
were sent confer with delegates from other States
The Congress resulted in failure did the faiths
/ full efforts of Southern men in the Congress of the
United States. To every proposition deaf ear was
turned by the party in power These ominous fail
ures to come TO an adjustment while they weakened
did not dispe altogether the hope Of peaceable sou
ton of existing troubles. 1t was believed that the
masses Of the Northern people would do Justice to
the demands Of the South if not prevented by the
arts of their politicians. Subsequent facts prove
that the are if possible more bitter in their
hostility to the South than their leaders.
The inaugural address of the newly elected Pres
dent, however doubtful in its terms was charitaby
construed into message of peace. 1t was consid-
cred absurd TO suppose that any President of
free country would ever venture upon the
mad experiment OF holding sovereign States together
| by means Of the bayonet No one not blinded by
fanatcism can fail TO recognize the fact that gov
| eminent based upon the popular will can only be
maintained in its integrity by appealing to that pow
| erful and controlling influence. Force, when at
| tempted, changes the whole character of the Gov
| eminent making it military despotism, and those
| that submit become the abject slaves of power.
The people of Tennessee have fully understood this
important fact and hence their anxiety to stay the
hand of coercion. They well know that the sublu-
cation of the seeded States involved their own
destruction and that however plausible the pretext,
an enforcement of the laws against an unwilling
people had been the exercise of tyrants in every
age of the world. That the people OF the South
we're many of them, deceived in the pretended peace
policy of Lincoln is not matter of surprise or as
constituent. The duplicity and double dealing of
this miserable tyrant, finds parallel save in the
corrupt governments of the dark ages, and would
disgrace the diplomatic policy of barbarian chief
tainSA few facts will suffice to make good our as
sertions. To Scutherns Senators that approached
him, he verbally construed his own inaugural into
| peace document
He caused it to be given out that he would abandon
Fort Sumter, when at the very time he was private
IL preparing powerful armament for its relief
Under false preteRces, he introduced an officer
into Fort Sumter, who took advantage of the privi-
lege TO concert plan of relief with the command
| ant OF that fortress.
Congress refused to vote dollar for the prose
cution Of hosttes against the people of the South
he and his agents got the appropriation by false
hood, pretending that it was needed to pay off the
Government debts and instead of using it, fails
to pay even the manned and wounded soldier his
pension or the hard working census-taker his saa-
ry, but scatters it among brutal soldiery whom
he has hired to murder Southern freemen, and to
desecrate Southern SOIL
Congress refused to pass coercion bill, yet this
contemplate usurper proclaims war against the
South in defiance of the Constitution, in violation OF
his oath and his oftrepeated and positive pledges to
the contrary.
Congress would not authorize the call for a
single soldier yet in the face Of the laws and the
Constitution, this petty tyrant calls for armies OF
immense magnitude to march against peaceful and
unofending citizens.
He assured Tennessee members of Congress that
his policy would be peaceful; his Premier. VIII Sc
ward announced such tn be the purpose of his Cabi-
net on every OCCASION and yet after lulling the peo
pie TO repose, he impudently called upon the Gov
ernor of Tennessee for troops to follow his standard
in war Of subjugation against their own native
section.
The Mississippi river is declared to be free by the
Constitution OF Tennessee and vet this vile usurper
stations troops at Cairo Obstruct the navigation
of this great highway and its tributaries, and these
miserable instruments are new engaged in making
war upon the commerce of non-secedIng States.
Tennessee. ever loyal to the Constitution, has been
an advocate for peace and has struggedto bring to-
gcther the broken fragments of the Union, yet in
the midst OF her well meant efforts, war is made
upon her: every avenue of trade Is closed up and
the people are suffering all the privatiOns of a
blockade. Not provisions, demanded by the
necessities OF the people, allowed TO be shipped
into the State and the property of private indivd
uas is made subject piratica and illegal seizure.
Boats have been plundeaed of their caIgoes by
: authority of the Government, and when called on
for an explanation by the Governor of Tennessee,
even the honor of a reply is refused.
The States that desired to live in the Union and to
be terms of friendship with all, insultngly
told that neutrality is impossible, and that they
must aid in this ungOdly of subjugaton, or else
| suffer the penalties. Had Tennessee ever desired
70 remain neutral the miserable and degrading
privilege is denied to her by the tyrans that assume
, to rule in the name of the Constitution.
The Confederate States sought for peace. and sent
their agents to the Federal capital to cOnsummate
that object. They were assured that peace would
be made and while resting under the belief that
they were dealing with honorable men Lincoln and
his cabinet were secretly collecting immense ar
mament for the relief of Fort Sumter. 1t is mat
ter of no Importance who fred the first gun in the
attack on Fort Sumter, theswar commenced when
hostile fleet set sail upon its mission of death.
l Lincoln pretends in his Inaugural that his only
object is to protect the property Of the nation. yet
he organizes armies all along the lines OF
the border slave States, commissions them to seize
and take the property of private citizens holds
Maryland in subsection by the aid OF her treacher
Gus Governor and his armed hirelings, and converts
the Federal Capital into entrenched camp, anc
d. subjects it to all the rgOrs of martial law.
We ask, If man marked by every attribute thai
can disgrace usurping tyrant and false hearted
hypocrite, should be permitted to control for day
or an hour the destinies of free people? In thi:
state of affairs the Legislature assembled st Nash
b vile. The Governor had defanty refused 10 cal
out man to prosecute of subjugation, and
had refused also to issue writ of election for mem
bers TO Congress. We were bound to recognize the
fact that war had been already made upon the State
: that for all practical purposes Tennessee was out OF
the Union. and every act of legislation has beer
= based upon that palpable state Of affairs. The
Legislature endorsed and approved the action of the
Executive. He could have pursued no other
course without disgrace to himself and dshonOr Il
bis State. These resolutions are submitted along
with this report.
Tennessee is unarmed, and the first great obJec
was 20 organize the military and adopt every means
of defence within our power, nenaced as our crun
t try is by armies of alarming magnitude. Our West
ern borders exposed to attack with life, liberty and
property stocked upon the issue, it is no time to
i think of halfway measures. The money and the
bloom of Tennessee will be called for in no stinteC
quantities if be necessary to protect the priceless
heritage Of freedom that possess. and which we
o hold as a sacred trust for children. The mil!
tary bill is also submitted with this address to the
Judgment of our constituents, Tennessee Is now
= politically isolated from all of her sisters. She has
e voice any of their counses She will not dis
grace her fair escutcheon by sending delegates to
q government that has made war against her. and
$ where they are compelled to vote and speak witt
the gliterng bayonets of brutal soldiery cleaning
s around them. Our proud State will never seek to bt
represented in the counsels of its enemies and where
wild fanatcism holds its internal orgies over the mu
ulated and Wondering corpse ola once noble Repub
lie. In the present dangerous attitude, we felt 1t tC
be due to ourselves 70 the honor and safety of the
O. 81, L