Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-06-20

sttntional government Nothing less is involved in
the issue. The United States have been looked to
0y the down-trodden of earth as the pole star of
hope, because within their limits every freeman
every citizen stood on equality. The whole fab
nc rested upon restraints being thrown about ru-
lers. no other government in the world secured
such privileges. The will Of a man or of a few
persons governs most nations. OF all the govern
ments In the world, in this alone your President the
highest officer, was bound by law the same as the
| humblest citizen
The men who made the Constitution were mostly
Southern men. In the North in that great work
there were but few helps and aids Dr. Franklin
and Alexander Hamilton and few other able and
distinguished men from the North were in the Con-.
ventiOn, but they contributed little to the master
piece of workmanship. They gave great aid in hay
ing it adopted after it fashioned in the Conven-
ton as it was; but it mostly the work Of South
ern hands-the product of Southern Statesmanship
Hamilton wanted government on quite different
model and he actually quit the Convention before
its lsbors closed He afterwards it is true brought
his great powers to bear and did all he could to aus
tain it, and to put it into successful operation; but
he contributed not a stone 10 the foundation. the
walls columns of the great super structure. That
glorious temple of liberty was the work OF the
hands of Southern men, II it be kept, and its prin
cples perpetuated, Is will be done by the Confed-
crate States. Rejecting men have long entertained
the belief that If the Union were dissolved, the
North would go into anarchy and despotism. 1t
mas Deen our pride mat out OF the eeVe1fF-EW0
years of the existence of the Government under
the Constitution it has been for sixty under the
control OF Southern statesmen. This has secured
whatever Of property and greatness-growth and
development has marked the cOuntry's career dur
ing its past history. The Northern masses gene
rally agreed with Southern statesmen in their poll
cy, and sustained them. These were the democracy
Of that section Mr.. Jefferson said they were allies
Washington's adminstra ion lasted eight years. It
was Southern, and in the lire of Southern policy.
IL, -. l. nr
chusetts. Opposite ideas shaped his policy. At the
end of four years, the people Indignantly turned him
and his councillors outof power. Then came letter
son, Madison and Monroe, each eight yesrs-all
Southern men. Here we had thirty-two year of
Southern administration to four Northern. Then
came the younger Adams from the North. BE was
the great embodiment of those ideas which con-
troll Lincoln's administration At the end of four
years he was turned out of power, and Jackson 8
Southern man. came in for eight years. Then came
Van Buren,, Northern man, for tour years Then
Harrison, Tyler and Polk, which added eight years
more of Southern control. Next, Taylcr and Fill
more. Fillmore was Northern man. it is true, but
his administration was sustained by the South,
and so was Pierce's. These may be called South
ern administrations; and so Buchanan's-thus
making sixty out of the seventy-two years of the
Governments existence under the Constitution. AL
the important measures which have marked the
history OF the Government which have made it
what it is, or before the dismemberment, and
of the policy of Southern Statesmen. The party at
the North now in power have been against the
country in all its leading features Of public policy,
which have marked its history-espeeially has it
been against all its since the Constitution
formed. In the war of 1872, Massachusetts would
not send her troops beyond her borders though the
war mainly for the protection of the rights of her
seamen. That State opposed the Mexican war and her
people did not go there fight her eounrys battles.
1t is true Caleb Gushing got up regiment and went
hnt vvas nor nf m
Massachusetts men. Its ranks were in a great
measure filled up with the chivalrous Irish. This
is the first that has taken place since the Rev
olutiOn that she has sent many of her native sons
out of NsRState 1t can be accounted for only be-
cause "a ydnGticaI war. Every thing in our past
history that belongs to nations glory was the re-
suit OF Southern policy and support.
We were all attached to the old Government not
for the name not for the hull but for the spirit the
life and soul of it, securing did, equal rights
to all sections.
We have thrown off the Union but we have pre-
served the Constitution The revolution In this
country is really at the North From constitutional
Government, they rapidly advancing. to despot
ism. Southern men, in the hour of danger and
peril have rescued the work of their fathers. They
have taken the Constitution of 81, and, instead Of
laying violent hands upon it, they have made such
improvements time and experience have shown
to be proper. The changes not many, but of
them this msy be said: Every change made in it is
of a conservative character-nos one of a radical
nature in it. They all look to better security OF
life, liberty and property. They all look to bet
ter security of the rights of the people against the
encroachments Of power, or the corruptons OF
Their rulers.
Mr. Lincoln says he makes war on us to protect
public property, and yet under him the public
property has been destroyed by millions. Immense
amounts were burned at Harper's Ferry and at the
Navy Yard at Norfolk. This is no war to protect
the property of the Government but TO cOerce and
sublugate US. What law was he executing when
he issued his proclamation calling for 5000 volun-
teers? It was in open papable violation OF law that
he did it. 1t was without authority OF law or the
shadow of law. No usurper ever entered upon
more unconstitutional career. By proclamation he
has increased the army 5000. Whatlaw was this
in execution Of? 1t was a law of his own making.
By proclamation he has increased she navy %, 600.
What law was this in execution Of! A law of his
own making IN palp&be violation OF the Constr
tuition he has sworn to support.
The Constitution was the foundation-the soul
aud life that adored; that Constitution that our
fathers made, and which the Confederate States
have rescued from the impending destruction OF his
hands and now hold as q shield over you and your
posterty, gives the power to Congress, and not to
the President to raise armies and nayies. The
President has no such power, and people who
submit TO such glaring usurpations may have
name to be free, but in fact they are nothing but
serfs and yassals A war 70 execute the laws! By
what law does he issue his warrant to arrest free
men and immune them in jails and dungeons, with
out information or prosecution? By what law has
he assumed to suspend the writ of hGbeGs corpus i?
By the Constitution of our fathers and by the Con-
stituon of the Confederate States, Congress alone
can suspend this great writ of liberty, which was
extorted even from a British King 10 behalf of his
subjects. A war to execute the laws The war
from the beginning has been against law, and IN
Violation of LAWN utter violation of the funda-
mental organic law - the Constitution itself
and if not checked and stopped by the people
of the North. it will inevitably end, and at no
distant day, in an utter overthrow OF every
thing like constitutional liberty. Already the
courts-the expounders of the law have beeR 81
lenced-the decisions of the Judges utterly dlsre-
garded and condemned. Free citizens are seized,
imprisoned. and probably may be executed, without
any other hearing except such as military satrap
NAV be willing to award All this is done under the
pretense of existing laws in the face and teeth OF
the highest law, which declares that "The right OF
the people to be secure III their persons, houses, pa
pers and effects against unreasonable searches ana
seizures shall not be violated and no warrant snail
issue but upon probable cause supported by cath or
affirmation, and particularly describing the place
to be searched and the persons or things TO De SELF
ed - And that other clause which declares that u n
all criminal prosecutions the accused snail ENJOY
the right to speedy and public trial by an impar-
a Jury of the State and district wherein the crime
shall have been committed, which district shall have
been previously ascertalned by law, and 10 De IN
formed of the nature and cause OF the accusation;
TO be confronted with the witness against HIM; TO
have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in
his favor and to have the assistance of counsel for
his defence"
Such are the provisions of the Constitution he
was sworn to supports but he puts himself above
the Constitution and above the decisions of the
cradle fancy. He constitutes himself into q law
maker issues his edicts and then executes them at
the point of the bayOnet. Such the acts Of the
man whose prepOsterous purpose, as now aVoWed,
is to preserve the former Union of the States by
subjugation of elevenof them! The fullest success
10 lafoo Of
the object and yet, strange to say, the multitude
at the North. 90 far from rising up and vin5icatng
constitutional principles, give almost unanimous
shouts to these most garing usurpations of power,
which foreshadow their own early doom. If these
things be done in the green tree, what Will not be
done in the dry? Already the keynote has been
given cut by leading journal in New YOrk-the
Courier and Enquirer State lines to be oblitera-
ted State Legislatures abolished and State Courts
done away with. The Government is to become
consolidated and Constitutional barriers are ali to
be swept away Another paper-the Tribune, gives
out that the Congress to assemble on the 4th OF