Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1861-02-08
For the Chronicle.
Passing Events"

Mn. EDiroR:-In the Chronicle of the 25th ult,
your correspondent "Americsn Citizen pretends
to give fair statement of just complaints that may
be alleged against each of the sections iuto which
this country is now divided "American Citizen
finds nothing against the North, save their personal
liberty bills and disposition to drive us from the
common territory. However, he concludes bis bill
of indictment against the North by acknowledging
that the party to be in power after the 4th of March
are guided by "hgher power than the Constitu-
tion of the United States We should have been
told that this "highcr law" party" is now largely
in the majority in the Federal Legislature and that
its champions will be the executives after the 4th of
March. We should have been told that since its
inception the "higher law" sentiment has constant
ly increased; above all, we should have been told
the ultimate object of this party suppose "Amcr-
lean Citizen" did not wish to "inflame the people"
Patriotic, indeed. The people-gcod, simple souls
ought not to know Of all this wrong done them, for
fear they will ge rexcited" They are sovereign
the makers and destroyers of the government; but
simple gulls, if they get "excited7 they will do
wrong. This excuse would be popular. 1t is COM
uOu, IL 10 american OlIlLc0. ,
Illinois has no personal liberty BILL but has fii-
gitive law dead law stringent than the Fed
era law; yet, there, the "higher law" rescues me-
groes from their masters with mpunity. Then a
reference to the personal liberty law by "Amercan
Citizen" was merely to represent Northern sent-
ment. ! propose to aid him in this by reference to
history
- Senator Of Massachusetts, in speech violently
abusive of and ours, assailed personally an old
honorable, and non-combative Senator of the South.
The assailed parties nephew caned the slanderer ;
the Northern press and people Immediately accept
the slanderer patriot, yictimzed by their enc
mics, the shareholders. The bloody coat of the
coward is the flag of tie "higher awites," and
down with slavery and shareholders their battle
cry. This same Scuator, taking Yankee satisfac-
ton, denounced the South as barbarians, wanting
in all the elements of civilization and as cursed
both of God and men. That speech was eulogized
throughout the NortlI and our loving brethren of
Massachusetts, in their Legislature, adopted the
speech as their political faith. Mr. Lovejoy in
Congress- last winter, denounced the ladies of the
South wanting in virtue and honor. Mr., Barks-
dale gallant Souther2er made demonstrations as
if to cane Loveoy. The whole Black Republican
party sprung to the slandcrers assistance thereby
endorsing the vile calumny of our wives, daugh-
ters and mothers In 1856, one II. r. Helper, re-
fugee from North Carolina, wrote book filled with
the vilcst Misrepresentation and falsehoods of us
and ours. lie encouraged negroes to murder us in
our sleep. Sixty-cght Lincolntes in Congress rec
commended the book as of ''great merit; rich, yet
inaccurate in statistical information" On the 26th
of March last, Mr. Blake of Ohio, moved to instruct
the Judiciary Committee to report "a hill giving
freedom to every human being" The motion was
lost-yeas 60, nays lOo
Such are the men who are put in high places by
our brethren of the North They honored be-
cause of their abolionism. Slavery is, and has ev-
er been, the question. Constitutional men have
been refused and robbers sent TO Congress who do
not even pretend that they will execute the compact
of our fathers, except so far it be tortured
intoan instrument for our oppression This 'hieher
law" party has been a terror 10 Tennessee hereto
fore, when backed by fourteen slave States; what
can she expect now deprived of eight Southern sis
tiers, as she soon vii! be
hope "American Citizen" viii accept these facts
as additions to his "personal liberty bills" They
are not all that can be arrayed. But am opposed
to "exciting the people," or might add something
about Brown and his 5000 pixies convenient Wea-
pons with which we were to have been slaughtered.
But will not do So for find, just now, that when
one tries to palate secession, or the errors of the
South by referring to the wrongs that we suffer- he
is called "fre-eater," "trator."
Mr. Editor, if you see proper to publish this |
will feel fattered, and thank You; if not just burn
it. up. If you will let me he heard, will say moth
ing "excting" In this do not speak of half the
wrongs of the North, In my next will not speak
OF half the rights of the South. Somehow feel
that Tennessee protects me and mine. This con-
fines my patriotism. Icannot see 50 far from home
; as some, so will sign this
TENNESSEEAN,