Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-04-12
FRIDAY, APRIL II, 1861.
tennessee and the war question.

ed their suffrages- That creed was sectiona
and ran counter to their views of right, equal
ity and justice. They were overpowered b,
numbers, and Mr.. LINCOLN was elected to tn
Presidency. Tennessee was warned tina
such an event would lead to an attempte,
dismemberment of the Union. That warn
ing has been fulfilled in every particular
At the same time her people were advised
that such an event would afford no justifiabl'
cause in itself for revolution and dismem
berment of the Union, and admonished no
to take sides with those who had pre-deter
mined to break up the Government. They
thus had notice of the probable course OF
events, and had time to make up their minds
against the approaches of the Secessionists
They did so, and declared their decision and
purpose on the 9Th February to stand by the
Union and to sustain and uphold the Federal
flag, notwithstanding the election of mar
to the Presidency whose opinions were dis
tasteful to them. This determination pro
ceeded from their calm judgment and their
loyalty and devotion to the Federal Consti.
tuition, and not from any love to Mr.. LINCOLN
or from any admiration of the principles
upon which he went into power. AT the
time they made this noble and patriotic de
claration of attachment to the Union, Mr.
LINCOLN had not been inaugurated, and moth.
ing had occurred on the part of the Federal
Administration then existing, 10 shake OF
weaken their devotion to the Union. They
took it as it was and stood by it as it was
Between that time and the present our
State has spared no pains to effect an adjust
ment of our unfortunate difficulties. She
has united in council with her sisters both
in the North and the South, and agreed with
them On plan of settlement, which she ap-
proved and thought ought to be satisfactory
to all the parties to the dispute. That plan
was not accepted by a Congress friendly to
the dominant party-dominant at least so
far as this question, which required Ttwo
third vote, was coneerned-a Congress that
refused a reference of it to the people. This
she tolerated with the confident hope and
trust that the incOmin President would do
nothing to forfeit the respect or ALLEVIATE the
confidence of the American people. while
yet the grave questions of reconciliation
were in judgment. Though in terms equivo-
cal she hailed with satisfaction the inaugural
address of the President which enabled her
to conclude that the policy of the Admins
tration would be peaceful and conciliatory
While there was peace the hope that swelled
in her brave and patriotic heart that the
Union was not in reality dissolved; that
whilst the reason and judgment of the
American people were left free TO act upon
the momentous Questions presented to them,
there was prospect that errors, wherever
they may have occurred, might be corrected,
that false steps, wherever taken, might be re-
traced, and the Union in all its majestic d.
mansions and glory might be restored on the
fee consent of a-great people guilty of mis-
takes and freely acknowledging and nobly
correcting them.
There is no patriotic son of hers who
would not now rejoice in the realization and
fruition of such hope. But the Indications
from the North and the South, are that the
arbitrament of war is to be resorted to for
solution and decision of our troubles. This
is not the choice of Tennessee. Let that be
understood at the outset. 1t is contrary to
her wishes, her instincts, her views of repub-
lican hber Her people fatter themselves
that they are yet capable of elf-government,
and that in peace, without resorting to bayo-
nets and cannon balls. But if war is inaugu-
rated against her wishes and advice, it will
cast upon her the responsibility of either ia
king sides with one or the other, or of acting
will certainly present themselves the mo
ment war is commenced; and in view of this
We desire to call the attention
of our readers to passing events. We wish
them to consider these most pregnant alter
natives. We give them facts, upon which
they can rely, from day to day. Our own
views and opinions We present with due def
ference to those OF Others. We cannot con-
sent to wear even the semblance of dictators
in an emergency like this; but having been
long and attentive observers of the drift of |
political events, we give Our own impressions
and offer suggestions with freedom, and we |
how say that the alternatives presented to
he people of Tennessee, in the event of ac-
ual war, viii be the most important ever ad-
dressed to our reason. Shall we assist in
var OF subjugatiOn against our Southern
Shall We aid in the permanent
of government to which we are
% devotedly attached, by sustaining with our
ves.and our fortunes a sectional administra-
ion of thatsgoyernment which in theory de-
lies us equality of-right and of property?
Dr., shall we. by an act of revolution dissolve
ur relations with that government, and join
he Confederate States?" Or shall we act |
of both by forming govern
nent of our own, in connection with such
ther States as may agree with us, under
which will secure all our rights |
md meet our APPROVAL These are the ques-
IONS However unpalatable, they must be |
considered and determined. With the first |
low of blood we must consider them. All I
re fraught with difficulty and bristle with |
anger. The two first, on our opposing eth
r, may lead to civil strife among ourselves.
he last will handbook us and make US in
gniicant to all the rest of the world. Let
8 direct our thoughts to these great ques-
ons, and for the present hold ourselves in
he best attitude to secure our own present /
afety and that of eur children, by avoiding
asty conciueions and standing where we
e.
The steamship Great Eastern is to sail from
ngland to New York on the LIST of next
oath; and returning, is intended to leave 1
lat port, with passengers on or about the
lth Of May.
The CABINET.-I is reported that five
TENDERS of the Cabinet are opposed to the
ar measures lately adopted. viz Seward,