Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1861-02-07

Let no trsitorons tongue altemp. to ]
array one class Of the Southern peo-
pie against another, by inculcatin e I
thetaise idea that the non.slaveholders
OF the South have no interest 10 the |
great question Of constitutional rights
and equality Of States and citizens
that are staked upon the issue and
times. | have already shown that
they have the deepest interest an
interest which will tell upon the desti- |
ny OF posterity. The property of
one man in the eye of the Constitu.
ton and The laws, is as sacred as the
people OF the whole nation; and the |
principle on which the property Of
one may be struck down. that of
the whole nation be destroyed.--l
For these reasons the Governor Of
the State has, in my opinion, in
view Of the eyentful times on which
we have fsllen, and In the language
Of your resolutions, acted wisely in
calling the Legislature | think
that Tennessee ought not and cannot
be passive. She ought to speak,
not in the language of "standstilr'
fogyism on the one hand. or
boisterous bravado on the other;
bat 10 the iron irmness, the calm
courage and enlightened patriotism
which have ever marked hsr history
in the past. The North, who have
ina cted, and still menace the South
with wanton and wicked agrees
ions have it 10 their power by the
offer ofamendS and the tender Of am
pie guarantees of the one and
to allay the storm and restore har.
mony and concord to distracted
country. But this the Back Re-
publicans and sectional party refuse
to do. But ia the name of God
they invoke the blessings of Heaven
upon sthe Devils work" and ask
that Helven to smile upon their
infamous and lanatical deeds, which
in their results, might cause y .slan-
der in the depths Of He'll" To the
mama of the "higher law" and rsi-
gion. the leading men arewilling to
commit wilful perjury, and 10 the
name of the Constitution and the
Union to subyert the guarantees Of
the enc and deny the blessings OF
the other TO the South The South, it
seems, has no power except by sub,
mission,tO aliay the storm. The party
which has produced the evils Of the
times propose nothing, and it seems
will recede from nothing. X still
stands upon the Chicago platform
and the Rochester manifesto of the
.'irrepressible conflict" Ia the midst
Of the storms that are shaking the
temple Of the Union on its founda.
tions. that party stands unmeved and
unyielding, and presents the issue
still Of the extinction Of slavery by
direct and indirect means, ON the cent?
nent. Can Tennessee. then silence the
agitation, and with the oil of concord
restore pence 10 the troubled waters
Of the land? No. Not unless she
could aud would change the ska Of
the Ethiopian. She might as we'll
bid the flying clouds pause on the
wings Of the tempest. What then |
gepaat shall Tennessee do? Let
her Legislature meet; LET a Conven.
tion be called, not TO dissolve the
Union, but to determine what she will
80 when the Union is dissolved
For, before such convention shall
be called, in my opinion, that mo-
mentous event will have passed and
will have been entered in the rec
-oIds of eternal history. In that
event her duty will be to choose,
First. Whe,he, she will 60 With
ihe North or the South.
Secondly. Whether she will counte.
nance or resist coercion by the
Federal arms. And
Thirdly. What are the measures
necessary for her safety
for one have already said let
her GO with the South. | for one
say let her resist coercion TO death,
and take such steps q events may
demand for the safety Of her people
In life, liberty and property. Great
applause