Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-03-28


Of finance or other matter. He had no spportunit
Of explaining, expounding, enforcing or defend
ing his views of policy; his only res0r
was through the medium of an organ. In tn
British Parliament the Premier brings in hi
its every item If it is naefenslbe, be falls befor
the attacks upon 1t, as ne ought to This will no
be the case to limited extent under our svsteu,
Our heads Of departments can speak for theniselve
and the administration in behalf of its entire moi;
cy, without resortiEg to the indirect and highly ob
| Jectionable Medium of a newspaper. Il is 20 b.
greatly hoped that under system we shall neve,
have what is known as Government organ Crap
turous applause.)
| "a noise again arose from the cI4mer Of III,
crowd outside who wished to hear Mr.. Stephens
and for some moments interrupted him. The May
or rose and called on the police to preserve order
Quiet being restored, Mr.. S. proceeded)
Another change in the Constitution relates to the
length Of the tenure Of the Presidential Office II
the new Constitution it is ak years instead of four
and the President rendered Ineligible for re-eiec
ton. This is certainly decidedly conservative
change. 1t VIII remove from the incumbent al
temptation to use his Office or exert the powers con
fded to him for any objects of personal ambition
The only incentive to the higher ambition which
should move and actuate one holdisg such high
trusts in his hands viii be the good Of the people
the advancement, prosperity, happiness safety hon
or and true glory of the Confederacy (Applause)
But not to be tedious in enumerating the numer-
OuE changes IOr Tue DeLter, allOW me TO Rlude 20
one other, though last not least the new Constitu-
ton has put at rest, JorsUs, all the agitatng ques>
tons relating 70 our peculiar NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
slavery as Il exists amongat us-the proper status
of the negro in our form of civilization. This was
the immediate cause of the late rupture aud present
revolution Jefferson. in his forecast had anticpa-
ted this, the "rook upon which the old Union
would split He was right. What was conjec-
ture with him, is now a realized fact. But wheth-
er he fully comprehended the great truth upon
which that rock stood and stands may be doubted.
The prevailing ideas entertained by him and most Of
the leading statesmen at the time Of the formation
of the old Constitution, that the enslayement
of the African in violation of the laws of ms.
ture that it was wrong in principle socially, moral
" and politically, 1t was an evil they knew not
well how to deal with. but the general opinion of
the men of that day was that somehow or ether in
the order of Providence, the institution would be
evanescent and pass away. This ides, though not
incorporated in the Constitution the prevailing
idea at the time The Constitution, it is true secur
ed every essential guaranty to the institution while
it should last, and hence argument can be Justly
used against the constitutional guarantees thus Sc
cured, because of the common sentiment Of the day.
Those ideas, however, were fundamentally wrong
They rested upon the assumption of the equality of
races. This was an error. Il was q sandy founda-
ton, and the idea of Government built upon it;
when the 'sstorm came and the wind blew, it felEr
Our new government is founded upon exactly the
opposite idea; its foundations are laid its corner
store rests upon the great truth that the negro is
not equal to the white man. That slavery,-subor-
dination to the superior race, is his natural and
moral condition. [Applause.] $50 4+N
This, our new. government is the first IN the his
tory Of the world, based upon this great physical
philosophical and moral truth. This truth has been
GLOW in the process Of its development ike all other
truths in the various departments of science It has
been so even amongst as. Many who hear me, per-
haps can recoect well that this truth was not gen
erellY admitted, even within their day. The errors
of the past generation still chung to many late as
twenty years ago. Those at the North, who still
cling to these errors with zeal above knowledge,
we justly denominate fanatics. All fanaticism
springs from alteration of the mind
from defect in reasoning. 1t is species
of insanity. One of the most striking char
acteristicts Of insanity In many instances ia
forming correct conclusions from fancied or erron
premises; with the Gati-sIary fanatics; their
conclusions right if their premises are. They
assume thst the negro is equal and hence conclude
that he is entitled to equal privileges and rights
with the white man. If their premises we're csrrect
their conclusion would be logical and just--buI
their premises being wrong, their whole argument
fails. recollect once Of having heard gentlemen
from one Of the Northern States, of great power
and ability, announce in the House Of Representa-
tives, with imposing effect, that We Of the South,
would be compelled, ultimately, TO yield upon this
subject Of slavery, that it was impossible to war
successfully against principle in politics. it
in physics or mechanics. That the principle would
ultimately prevail. That We in maintaining slave
~ as it exists with US, were warning against q
principle, principle founded in Aure the princi
pie Of the equality of man. The reply made TO
him was, that upon his own ground, We should sue
eeed and that he and his associates in their crusade
against institutions, would ultimately fail The
truth announced that it was impossible to war sue
cessfuy against principle in politics as well IS
in physics and mechanics, admitted, but told
him, that it wss he and those acting with him, who
we're warning against principle. They were at
tempting to make things equal which the Creator
has made unequal.
In the conflict thus far success has been on our
side, complete throughout the length and breadth
Of the Confederate States. Il is upon this, as !
have stated our social fabric is firmly planted; and
cannot permit myself to doubt the ultimate sue
cess Of full recognition Of this principle through
cut the civilized and enlightened world.
Az have stated, the truth of this principle may
be slow in development, "a all truths are, and ever
have been, in the various branches of science. 1t
was so with the principles announced by Gallleo-
it was so with Adam Smith and his principles of
political economy. 1t was with Harvey, and his
theory of the circulation Of the blood. Il is stated
that not single of the medical profession, liy
ing at the time of the announcement of the truths
made by hun, admitted them. Now, they are UNI
versaly acknowledged. May We not therefore look
with confidence to the ultimate universal acknowl-
edgment of the truths upon which our system rests.
It is the first government ever instituted upon prin
ciples In strict conformity to nature and the ordna
ton of Providence, in furnishing the materials of
human society. Many governments have been
founded upon the principle of certain classes but
the classes thus enslayed were of the same race,
and in violation of the laws of Nature. Our system
commits no such violation of Natures laws. The
negro by nature, by the curse against Canaan, ia
fitted for that condition which be occupies in our
system The architect in the construction of build
ings lays the foundatian with the proper MATERIAL
the grsnite,-then comes the brick or tho marble.
The substratum of our society is made of the mate
rial fitted by nature for it, and by experience we
know that it is best, not only for the SUPERIOR but
for the inferior that it should be 1t ia. in
deed, in conformity with the ordinance of the Cree
ator 1t not for us to inquire into the wisdom Of
his ordinances or to question them. For his own
purposes nc has made one race to differ from an
other, as he has made zone star to differ from an
other star in glory"
The great objects of humanity are best attained
when eonformed to his laws and DEGREES, in the
formation of governments as well as in all things
else. Our Confederacy is founded upon principles
in strict conformity with these laws. This stone
which was rejected by the first builders sis become
the chief stone of the corner" in our edifee.
(Applausel
have bsen asked, what Of the futurel 1t has
been apprehended by some; that we would have ar
rayed against US the civilized world. care not who
or how msny they may be- when we stand upon the
eternal principles Of truth we are obliged and must
triumph. Immense spplause)
Thousands of people, who begin to understand
these truths not yet completely out of the SHE'LL
they do not see them in their length and breadth.
We hear much Of the civilization and the christian
ization of the barborous tribes of Africa. In my
those ends viii never be attained, but
by Arst teaching them the lesson taught to Adam,
that ain the sweat of thy brow shalt thou eat bread"
(Gpplaass) and teaching them to work and feed and
cothe themselves. But to pass on,-seme, have pro
pounded the enquiry, whether it is practicable fo US
to go on with the ContederaeY, without further access
sions. Have we the means and ability to maintain ma
tionalty among the powers of the earh Onthis point
would barely say that as anxiously as we all have
been and are for the border States with Institutions
similar with ours, to join Us, still we album
dainty able to maintain our position. even If |
they should ultimately make up their minds. not to
cast their destiny with ours. That they ultimately
will join US, be compelled to do it. is my confident
belief. but we can get on very well without them,
even if they should not.
We have all the essential elements of high ma
tional career. The idea has been given out at the
North, and even in the Border Slater, that we are
too small and too weak to maintain separate na- /
is mis- he In of /