Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-01-12
For the Daily Patriot.
THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH
THE PRESENT CRISIS.

The NOk III AND 1HE SOU IA
THE PRESENT CRISIS.
To the People of Tennessee.
FELLOW CrTIzENs--An humble individual
without public position, and who aspires t
none, but with you feels deep interest i
the welfare of his country, begs to addres
you upon the present crisis-the most me
mentous in our history since the war of th
Revolution. The first great question invo
we'd in the present controversy between th
North and the South, which should never b
lost sight of, is in regard to the public dc
main of the United States.
According to the late very able Report Q
the Commissioner of the Land Office, the ge
ographical extent of the United States, inclu
ding the territories, is three and one-fourtl
millions of square miles; the public land
embrace an area of 2,265, 1926 square miles
or one thousand four hundred and fifty mil
lions of acres, more than two-thirds of OIL
geographical extent, and nearly three times
as large as the United States at the ratifica
ton Of the treaty of peace in 1888 with
Great Britain. The territories of Kansas
Nebraska, Minnesota, Washington, New Mexi-
CO, Utah, and Indian, have an area of l.
287, PIT square miles, or S23, S57 $50 acres,
equal to thirty-two States of the extent of
the great State of Ohio. This public do
main, too, is a most magnificent region, en-
bracing every variety of soil and climate,
and unequalled in its mineral and agricultu-
raj resources. 1t is capable of supporting a
dense population, and abounds with the pre-
cious metals. Looking through the vista of
time, it is difficult to set limits to the great
ness and power of this region, OF the extent
of its population.
How was this vast public domain acquired
and to whom are we indebted for the extent
and greatness and glory of this Confedersey
of States, surprising that of the Roman en-
pire in its most palmy days? Undoubtedly
under God, it is mainly to Southern states
men, and Southern men, and Southern coun-
sells; and any acquisition of territory has al
ways been with the opposition of anti-slave-
~, fanatic New England even to the point
of revolution. And when the rights and
honor of the country were to be INDICATED
in war, it was Southern men who were first
to rush to the battlefield; and their deeds of
valor and patriotism under their immortal
leaders will live while time shall last With
out Wanting upon Southern superiority or
Southern gallantry, it is not too much to say
that the magnificent empire of our great
public domain has been equally acquired by
the blood and treasure of the South as of the
North.
Now it is from this vast public domain in
the territories that this abolition, anti-slave-
II, black republican party of the North pro-
pose to exclude US now and forever. They
proclaim that there shall be no more slave
territories and no more slave States, but that
the territories shall be all cOnsecrated to
freedom. Now if this were their only object,
the exclusion of slavery from the territories,
it will be easily seen, that give them thirty
two additional free States, or even one-half
or one-fourth of that number, which they
would soon have, with :he spirit that actu-
ates the party, the days of Southern institu- |
tons would be numbered, and the scenes in |
Hayti and st. Domingo re-enacted in the |
,Iaveholding States.
But that is not the only object, the exclu- |
ion of slavery from the Territories; it is the |
of slavery wherever it exists. |
This is manifest from their declarations and |
heir acts. They say that slavery sis the
um of all villanies;" that our Institutions |
ire essentially barbarous; that there is an |
irrepressible conflict" between freedom and |
lavery, and one or the other must every
where prevail; that slavery must be "uiti- |
nately extinguished," not by force to be sure,
,ower and patronage OF the Government in
heir hands it will be readily seen how much |
nay be accomplished; that the Supreme |
Court of the United States must be re-or-
,anized, and the "Dred Scott" decision which |
declares property in slaves, and that South
I'm men under the Constitution have the
light to protection in the Territories for their
layes, must be reversed.
That 1 do not exaggerate their views-that |
heir object is the utter extinction and ami
lilation of slavery, Will be manifest from the
platform itself upon which Lincoln was
elected.
Ii speaks of the Declaration of Indepen-
lence" and quotes its language, "that all |
men are created equal,' and which in con-
leetiou with what follows in the platform |
hows its meaning to be that the slave is en-
,raced in this Declaration" thereby repu-
Iistiug the decision in the "Dred Scott" case
that he is equal to his master and should /
ave the same political rights-whereas it is
notorious that this is a government Of white |
nen and the Constitution established by and
or them-that at the time OF its adoption
xelve out of the thirteen original States
Tere slavehOlding States, and it could there
ore have no other msaning-and that it is
n inter fslsiication of the truth of history
% allege that this Declaration was intend
ID to embrace the slave equally with the
master.
Another section denies that "the personal
citation between master and servant involves
n unqualified property in persons" What
, this bat to deny the right Of property in
layes. 1t means nothing else.
Il then speaks OF what il calls 1.-The new
ogma that the Constitution, ofits own force
aries slavery into any or all of the Terrific
les of the United States" and denounces it;
whereas the Constitution was for the whole
'onfederacy of States, and to protect all
heir interests embraced by il. II recog-
lies the institution of slavery in several dis
met clauses 1t forms the basis upon which
and direct taxes are to be
apportioned among the several States.v II
rovides for the recovery of fugitive slaves.
says Congress shall not prohibit their i'm
ortation prior to the year 1908. Il recog-
lies the territories as the common property
4 the United States. New States may be adj
lifted into the Uaion, but it is upon equal
rms and having equal rights with the old.