Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-04-10
The Hour os pnnrer.


Us be up and doing.
The Hour OF Danger.
From the moment that we saw the joy and exul-
tation with which the North received the speech Of
Gov. JOHNSON, in December last, we have believed
that the South would be forced to choose uncondi-
tional submission or Mr.. LINCOLN and his sd
xisers have been constant in their asseveratiors
that his policy would be one of peace, but yet he
and they have invariably, though equvocally, cou-
pied their assertions of peace with a submission
proviso. Their policy is peace, yet they intend to
hold, possess and occupy the forts. Their policy Is
peace, yet they intend to collect the revenue
or blockade the Southern ports. Their policy is
peace, yet they intend to make an armed
invasion of Texas to aid the insane projects of SAN
HousTox against the people of that State. Still
holding that the Union is unbroken" they intend to
attempt to enforce the laws in the Confederate
States, with the full knowledge that such attempt
will be resisted. We have closely observed Black
Republican sentiment expressed in all of their
journals throughout the entire North, and we have
been unwilingly forced to believe that nothing less
than war would satisfy the party that now controls
the destiny of this government In the whole North
we have seen but one Black Republican paper that
faYors policy which would lead to q peaceable
solution of our difficulties. We did believe that
prompt bold action on the part of Tennessee and
the other border States would shake the deter
mination of the Administration, and avert
the calamities which now seem so imminent. We
did not hesitate to warn the people that non>acton
byu would be construed into approval Of acqui-
escence in the hostile views of the Administration
and that we should be involved in civil war within
less than sixty days from the Inauguration of the
new President. We regret to believe that our fore
bOdings are to be realized A large majority of the
people of Tennessee differed from US. We do not
doubt that majority honestly, periodically differ
ed with US. While we deplore the result, we have
no quarrel to make with those from whom we diff
fered II is not the time to excite animcsities by
returning to those past though recent differences.
The crisis is too perous We must let those by genes
be by-gones and come together in solid
phalanx to resist that sectional, antislavery army
that would reduce to the condition of conquered
provinces the seeded States of the South. We
must do this or consent to become the mere ap-
pendage to consolidated central government,
more despotic than any monarchy in existence.
God grant that we may have peace, but if war must
come, we must, we will fight for our,native South.
Ratification of Constitution byl the Two
COnfederacfes.
CONSTITUTION OF UNITED STATES, ART. II
l. The ratification of the conventions Of nine
States shall be sufficient for the establishment of
this Constitution between the States so rafyng the
same.
CONSTITUTION OF THE CONFEDERATE STATES, ART. Z.
The ratification of the conventions of five States
shall be sufficient for the establishment of this |
Tho fvin fha
same.
AMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION.
CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES, ART. 5.
The Congress, whenever two-thirds of both |
Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose |
amendments to this Constitution, or, on the |
application of the Legislatures of two-thirds |
theseVeral States shall call convention for pro
posing amendments, which, in either case, shall be
valid to all intents and purposes part of this
Constitution when ratified by the Legislatures of
three-fourths of the several States, or by conven
tions in threefourths thereof, the one or the |
other mode of ratification may be proposed by the |
Congress; Provided, that no amendment which may /
be made priCr to the year 1908 shall in any
affect the first and fourth clauses IN the ninth sec
ton of the first article and that no State without its
consent shall be deprived of its equal suffrage in the
Senate.
CONSTITUTION OF THE CONFEDERATE STATES, ART. s.
Upon the demand of any three States, legally as
Eembled IN their several conventions, the Congress
shall summon convention of all the States to take
into consideration such amendments to the Consti-
tuition the said States shall in suggesting
at the time when the SAID demand is made; and
should any of the proposed amendments to the Con-
sttutiOn be agreed by the said convention voting
by States, and the same ratified by the Legislatures
of twothrds of the several States, or by conven-
tionS in twOthrds thereof as the one or the ether
mode Of ratification may be proposed BY the Gen
eral Convention, they shall thenceforward form
part of this Constitution But no State SHALL with
cut Its consent be deprived of its equal represen-
ration in the Senate