The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1861-08-30
The war-secession Not the Issue.

The War Secession Not the Issue.
We don't know that we could fill the |
same amount space better than with the
following article, which appears as a COM
munication in the Nashville Patriot of Tu-
esday. That paper says IL is from ono Of
the best and ablest men in Tennessee:
NASHVILLE. Aug. "a, 1861.
Messrs. Editors: There are number Of
men in the South, rs we'll as In the North,
who take very imperfect view of the
present contest. They con see nothing in
the issue but Secession, and content
themselves with denunciations of that
doctrine and its original authors and sup
porters. They can see nothing wrong in
the policy of Mr.. Lincoln, or the princi-
Piles promulgated and practiced by him
and his advisers. They cannot realize Sc
cession in its inception, rs o disturbing
wave on the surface, but which has been
met and overwhelmed by one of vast di-
mension and moro terrible and destrue-
tive force. Secession was an issue six
months ago, and was condemned by ma
jority of the people, North and South;
but it is not the issue now. Il is merged
in the great admitted right of revolution
"a right of resistance 10 intolerable ty-
ranny. Mr.. Lincoln is endeavoring to CO.
cree tho Southern States; and processes
to have the constitutional right to do So
In tho Convention that framed the Con-
stitution Of the United States, it was pro-
posed to invest the government with this
power Of coercion, but the proposition was
rejected. Tho highest toned advocates Of
power in those days, set up no such pro-
tension. In the Convention of New York,
ALEXANDER HAMILTON said
"To coerce States is one of the maddest
projects that was ever devised. The States
can never lose their powers until the
whole people of America are robbed of
their liberties. These must go together;
the States as well rs individuals are bound
by these laws; but the laws of Congress
are restricted to a certain sphere, and
when they depart from this sphere, they
are no longer supreme or binding. A la,o
Of Congress 10 coeTcc sovereign State into sub
mission could be roid, because unconstitutional"
This is the opinion of one who had few
equals in any ago or countrywide had
most to do with making the Constitution;
and what gives to it increased weight, is,
that he favored the largest views of impli-
cd powers. Andyet the doctripe of today,
upon which this country is being deluged
in blood, was brayely and boldly denied
by him.
Among the extraordinary powers assum-
ed by the President in the beginning of
this struggle was the blockade of the
Southern ports. Upon this very question
in 1882, Mr.. WEBSTER, in his celebrated
speech at Worcester said
| 1.-THE President has no authority to
blockade Charleston; the President has no
authority to employ military force, till he
shall be duly required to do so by law and
| BY the civil authorities. BY the
force of reason; by the progress of en-
| lightened opinion; by the natural, genuine
patriotism of the country and by the
steady and well-sustained ope rations of
law-the progress of disorganization may
be successfully checked and the Union
maintained"
But this vast power Mr.. Lincoln usurps
and yields for the purposes of coercion.-
To this may be added his enlistment. of
soldiers for three years into the Army and
into the Navy-his suspension of the writ
of hdbeas corpus-stopping the press, and
imprisoning men fosmere.ePinion's sake.
All and more has been done, and yet we
are asked to support the Union-to fight
for the government, or we are traitors and
rebels, and liable to be hung and have our
property confscated.
If Secession was bad in the beginning,
this military usurpation and despotism is
thousand times worse. The Union is
dead. Mr.. Lincoln has destroyed it. He
has committed q great crime, and for which
he deserves death more than Charles the
FIRST did. The blood of every soldier who
falls in this war will be on his skirts. 1t is
now no contest between the Government
and Secession; but between the usurpa-
tons of the government and the people.
The people everywhere, North and South,
ought to rise up and resist sword in hand.
Sectional as the aspect of the struggle is,
and may continue to be, it is really deep.
err and wider in its scope, and embraces
the whole range of free government. The
people of Maine have as deep stake in
the issue, as the people of Tennessee, and
ought to be found fighting on the same
side. The negro played part in the be-
ginning of the scene, but he has disappear
ed and it is now pure white mars fight
"A fight for life, liberty, property and
honor. And predict now, that if the
war lasts twelve months, a large body, if
not a majority of the people of the North,
will join our standard and fight under our
banners-and then wo betide the Presi-
dent and his advisers! We see already the
indications OF movement in the North
against the war-prompted by the reasons
and the motives which form the real foun-
dation of our action. Is.
Killing of u. s. Marines.
| Two gentlemen from Walton county,
| Fla report that on "Wednesday Iast n