Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-02-23
The Folly of Attempting TO Enforce the
Laws In the Seeded States.
Prom the Louisville Democrat


These Northern Disunionists propose to fght, to
force Union. This is folly that rises up TO
downright insanity. It's too late to talk Of enforce
ing laws over seeding States by the sword. 1t
cam. be done; civil war and the most unciVil Of
wars would be the result of such an attempt 1t is
said that the Government can blockade the ports
and collect the revenue. The amount OF it is, that
our revenue laws can be enforced when other laws
cannot be; and that the Government, abandoning
all other laws will adopt the enforcement 1of the
revenue laws, in order to force the States back.
Such means would rritate those States more than
an army of invasion. If they have not a navy
ready, they can find privaeers, robbers on the
ocean, TO retsliste upon the commerce of the Uni
ted Sateq and ali hope of reconciliation will be at
an end. viii not ststesu open their eyes to the
fact that this is revolution and thai tie ordinary
functions of government furnish no remedy. Under
a wise Administration, things would never have
come TO this The whole process has been encOur-
aged and stimulated by incompetent Administra-
ton that has provoked both sections of the Union
by an understandable, vacillatipg and malignant
policy.
The President shifts about now, when the evil is
done which he can't remedy and proves false to the
men whose sectional purposes he has all the while
been the tool tbs well he has discretion and cour
age enough to do no more than he does. The coun-
try will not sustain him, even if he did right for
people have no confidence in him.
Lincoln starts where Buchanan leaves off, lie IS
of the Union has no faith ip him. They regard him
as of necessity, an enemy. Nearly one-half Of tbs
other section if not more, distrust him and his par
~ and feel an inclination to condemn all he does,
and to support what will most embarrass him, IT he
undertakes to carry out what the mob that sur
rounds him advise. He must sacrifice the country
orsacriice his party. He takes an oath TO enforce
the laws; but an oath to do wrong OF to an mpossl-
Bile thing binds nobody.
Lot the mob, North and South, for no compromise
h,cl Tho WIN ]
stitutions always eomprGn!se II IS only the shall
low and thoughtless that shout no oomPFomlss
A couple of crazy editors in New York city stand
st the back of the Northern mob and scri6be daily
no COMPROMISE. They feel wrathful when they
thnk of South Carolina and the Southern Confed-
eracy They sprinkle the words treason and traitor
along their columns in glorious profHsion. They
had Just as well spare taeiF Pea &ad my The Brig
sdier-Genersl Of one paper, ard the Yhiite-coateq
nhiosopksr of the other, might reeoect that sue
ressu rebellion Ia patriotism not treason, and the
successful rebel is patriot They had as Wen not
waste words on the subject until II is settled whet-
err these men down South are traitors or patriots
tits very important distinction. Those who
oalIad Washington a traitor got the worst OF IT,
SIev Lad better waited before they used the words
We are no defender Of these revolutionists. They
90 entity of egregious folly, ~ orr opinion TO use
NO hapsher term; but they have NOT aeteq %ignoIs
nroyocation. Justice and reason may BRING them
I'll in time. force never viii. We must have
,1iSe a lust and fair ons-nothing else will
do n this emergency. The vast majority OF TINS
Union are for any fair compromise to restore the
Union. and if Lincoln Co. stand IN the way OF It,
thew win find themselves deserted by the North as
Wei as the South The revolution VIII spread 10
the other Side OF MssOR and pixOns line.
RESTORATION o. HOS, JPLlps HfLIF+R!-fhss
following is The letter Of resignation OF the
Hon. JULIUS HILLYER, of Georgia, solieitor OF tne
Treasury of the late United States:
OFFICE OF THE SOLICITOR OF The TREASURY
February 18th, 1861. ]
SIR. esnHot longer retain my present once
Our ancestors and ourselves hays f9ught ior our
rights ''wihiR the Union" for forty yesrs-Se hsse
fought resolutely, earnestly aud loyalty.
In that long, protrscted struggle, we hove been
whipped fully and fairly whipped. To make any
further resistance sin the Union" would be 10 CUB
NIT to our defeat. Some of the Southern States,
Georgia among them. have determined that they
viii not submit, and in that determination, with my
whole hesrt sEd soul, concur. l must return to
my people a1d share Ehsir fate.
As soon as ths letter rescieg you, the Office of
Solicitor of the Treasury will be at your dispos2l
Very respectfully, your ob't serv't,
JULIUS HILLYER.
His Excellency, JAMES BUCHANAN,
President Of the United States.