Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-01-15
LETTER ON CURRENT POLITE
cal EVENTS.
From Citizen of Tennessee to ms
Younger Brother I'm MississiPpi.

NASHVILLE. Jan. Il, 1861. J.!
DEAR ~AIEcx.u-Unde the guise of seees-
sion your State of Mississippi has unfuried
the banner Of Revolution. She hes formally
declared that her relations TO the other Uni
ted States under the Federal Constitution are
at an end Exercising the inalIenapie ana
indefeasible right inherent in the people Oh
all nations, she has thought proper to ABOLISH
the government in which she has had ner
birth, intending to establish one more cohdu-
Give to the welfare, happiness and prosperity
of her people. So likewise have acted South
Carolina. Florida and Alabama, and 1t seems
altogether probable that others OF the Gull
States will speedily follow in their footsteps
The hour has gone by to discuss with you
the question of your right to seeede, either
unaer the written fundamental law of the
land. or the nature ard character OF the gov
eminent. You have asserted right TO sever
-our connection with the United States, have
declared your independence, and Whetner
zon call it secession or revolution cannot
change the nature of the act. L have only 10
Gov therefore, in relation TO that subject,
that / prefer to call things by their proper
names: that you have cast your destiny upon
the tempestuous sea of Revolution; ana that
CON have reached that resolution not oy the
oonvic,ion that revolution was the proper
remedy under the circumstances, but oy de-
cention and circumvention, and that the peo-
ME have been taught one thing when who'll
iy different thing was meant and deslsheu'
7. S,rra
taupht apeaceable secession" when the True
intent was revolution, from the beginning
Nv confidence in and respect for the move
,nant would have been much greater II the
,,aonIa had been told in the outset in appro-
,,-iate terms what they were invited to do.
The attitude you have assumed casts upon
,bos. from whom you have separated the de-
termination of the question whether they
will accept the act in peace and proceed 10
treat with as an independent nation, de Jure,
o- treat Won as rebels and refer the decision
an the cod of battles. / see no reason to
conclude but that the latter Will De the al
4arpative; every indication that reaches me,
indeed. shows that such will be the result
What then do you propose to yourselves?
s:ss no relations of amity with other nations,
and. YOU will allow me to add, stand not ID
The hest position to construct government
and establish such relations By your ac'
YOU have yielded, without even a struggle
ar n remonstrance or a protest, everything
of this nature to the government you hav'
left. You are now to begin de noUO, and
build from the foundation up. L have no
tho shadow of a doubt but that you haV
genius enough in Mississippi to improvlse
Government, at twenty-four hours notice. Il
all respects better than Plato dreamed; an
have as little doubt that the men to whoI
Won will intrust that work have the adEan
tage of some three years reflection and Pre-
marathon. since it is known they have lahore
for the end they have now reached for abou
that length of time. But 1t is a fact, not a
wavs well considered, that, very often, thos
who are endowed with the ability to con
struet a theoretic, cannot command Id
means to maintain practical government
The secession from the Egyptian brick-yard
was easy enough, but it took an lmmens
amount of physical endurance 70 get throug
the wilderness.
You have not only to form government
but to maintain it. Your State sent US up
gentleman from Jackson to this city ie'
DAYS ago to confer with US upon these MI
mentous subjects. He appeared to be ait
oether more imbued with the enthusiasm
the field than with the wisdom of the cab
net. He appealed to us to "strike LOT oil
affairs and our fires" and assured us tn
there we're men in Mississippi who mad sto'
at Cbalmette and Monterey whilst powd
was Burning and blood flowing; but he
not tell us how many of that class you eou
sustain constantly in the field. how long In
could be maintained, and how He inform
Ms Mississippi had inscribed on her bann
asnuHa retrorsum Uestigla," but omitted
mention how Mississippi bonds stand in
market just now. He told us precisely WI
we already knew, and failed to tell US WI
we did not know, and was proper that
should know.
u am told that 'the eight cotton Stat
viii stand or fall together in this moveme
Very well. How does that help the matt
Each will have to contribute its part In s
tanning the new government, and if exp
ence is reliable guide, this necessity '
he rigidly fulfilled. 1t is true that all
nlans have seen contemplate Union on
federatiye principle; but that cannot al
the primary conditions of revolution, wi
require that it shall be prosecuted to suc'
to make it complete. and every day dur
its continuance the question will recur, !
it is to be sustained You cannot escape
but must answer it promptly and practi
". Spend your millions to set your army
foot and bring it In the field, and voc b
then only paid the porter to convey
luggage to the place of embarkation o
iourney YOU know not the end of, and VIII
If yotl travel comfortably, viii require
to bear unlimited letters of credit to
parts of the world. Have you secured til
/ have not heard so. To prosecute J
cause, you must have, not only armies,
have them furnished with clothing, pr
sions, and munitions of war. In these
plies the Gulf States are all deficient,
the exception of rice aud molasses, W
will be admirable for your hospitals and
lists. Various as are the uses of cotto
has not vet come to be an acceptable ar
of MISUNDERSTANDING few days az
natriotic Charleston merchant sent an c
for 100 bs -four to profane New York
chant, and received it back endorsed
YOUR id cotton.n But it is insisted
cotton is always convertible into money
that into breadstuffs. Where Is your
ket? Where will You get your corn, W
-four, bacon, beef, horses, mules, DC,
For You have chosen TO separate froi
- those States in the Union which abound
In these commodities, and are treating
today. if not as open enemies, at lea