Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-02-28
rhs rsnne.ss4 rlocslsn Abroad.
Fn0ss AsHnNGToN.
AN Ais5SESrAL LETTER.

AN Ais7TESTAr. LETTER.
WAsH1sef s. CrTH, D. c., Feb. %, 1861.
EDToRs UNION ASp SsIERIcAN:--The people of the
states, everywhere, EEK to this point, from which
news, for the coed o. Sheev of the country shall
emanate; how often; - each side, have they been
gratifed and disappsaf'edl At present expectation
IS on tptoe, and dirsd 20 THIS quarter for a sou-
ton of the dificuti6fs nder which the country now
labors. 81 ssrsss .saats
After looking arclSd here for few days. am
compelled TO say thaSSo adjustment of the pending
difficulties need be yEscted from this quarter The
recent elections 10 t border States are taken as
so many unequFocak1 demonstrations in favor of the
Union that the k<pusjic have settled Down into
the belief that those states are prepared to abide
by the administraF e. of Mr.. Lincoln settlement
or settlement y: Heed, this feeling is so strong
ly prevalent here @tshng the "Black Backsu (as
friend of mine inv senty calls the Republicans }
that they already blealy assert that Alabama and
the other States Wassh have seeded, have been
forced into that pE lion by violent and ambitions
politicians, who wer afraid to submit their action
to vote Of the pesSe; and they say further, that
ifkthe question was Sen now presented to vote of
the people of the s.. led States they would gladly
and promptly retuY-I'o the Union, and thus rebuke
the ambition and - violence of the leaders of Sc
cession. q
/ need not say you how wide this view of
things is from the Eel sentiment of the people in
the seeded States ~ do not think they will ever
return, unless vers Wong constitutional guarantees
are extended 10 tn A giving them. Enthusiastically,
equal rights IN the M ION, and these guarantees will
never belgrantcd aequiesced in by the Republi-
can party. M
This party does ;X as 1 verify believe, really de-
sire their return ~ Union. In the cotton States
slavery must ever Fan institution their rice
cotton and sugar ~ lll remain uncutiyated. This
being so, the Repua cans will use every stratagem
IN their power to ch them from the lower States
in order to throw AN antislavery sentiment into
these States which, they confidently expect, will
ultimately lead to Tue emancipation of all slaves
The Republicans It the genial climate and fertile
lands of the lower ates for emigration and settle
ment, and to efec this they must drive the negro
from them. Henc 4their entire schemes will be d.
reced to effect this -bject.
Up to the date ot The Tennessee elections this OBJ
ject appeared unat Enables but the vote had in that
State on the 9th ins at threw flood Of light upon
their project, and n ey now deem their purposes
certain of results "a Sfactory to them. The strong
resistance manifestHNto Lincoln's policy up to that
date, had so alarm cthe Republicans that settles
ment was seriously ~ ked of and contemplated; but
since then all such Nrposes have been given to the
winds and that pa ~ nov look forward to the
complshment of al SSSasy action.
In less than six enths you may confidently look
for the question Xfo and anti-savery being agi-
tated in Tennessee, it'll as much zeal as has ever
characterized the cussion of any political meas
ure in the State. len patronage and power give
the incentives to &tion, arguments will not be
wanting in the moN his of men who expect favors
from the party in kwer. / give you these as nay
views" of the futf e-and if they are believed,
those who believe hem may prepare their minds
upon the slavery 4lestion, for It's discussion will
certainly come.
do not entertain he idea that the Republicans
seriously mediate Sthe coercion of the seeding
States. They may, t)r forms sake. send vessel or
so around to the po9s of the seeded States with
half menace of coll Nting the revenue, for the pnr
pose of quoting they people at home upon the sub
ject of Stealing thetorts mints &c. but after this
demonstration is msfe settlement will be effected
with the seeded SEites, and their independence ae-
knowledged. They sill then go to work to expel
slavery from the rec aiming, or border States, and
by the time it is eE led, the Cotton States will be
sc hemmed in with 1.-The enemies Of the institution
that they WILL perh&s be willing abolish it also.
Even if this should - the case they will have eff
fected its abolition :, the other States, and given
their futile laws anAgenal climate for the accession
of their own people lnd thus will be accomplished
one of their creates EendS
Is Tennessee prep Wed for this state of affairs?
Will she quietly al. y the institution of slavery to
be stricken down? s. If not it is time that she
should be on the ale The Peace Congress here
will effect no result xand even If they do pass form
of settlement Cong &ss will not allow it go to the
people. But one W * yet remains-and that is too
short for any important matter to be brought before
and pass through tbft body.
Everything indicates a settled and determined
policy upon the part of the Republicans to press
through the PRINCIPLES of the Chicago platform.
The hostility to slavery in that platform was the
main element of Lincolns success, and the RepUbli-
cans know that if this hostility Ia aba:ed in any
particular their party goes by the board Knowing
this, it is folly to expect that the Republican party
will agree to any compromise.
To-day business suspended in this city. The
military were out in full uniform, some 600 men
being under arms. This force, added to the 1000
regular troops stationed here, gives quite a
military air to the city. Adjoining the Wiq,o1n
as the building is called where the inauguration
Ball. is to be held on Judiciary square, temporary
barracks have been erected for the companies of
artillery; and beneath the very shadow of the build
ing ranged dozen brass pieces of cannon, with
tumbrls of powder and supplies of ball, clearly
showing full preparation for actual war. 1t makes
the blood of free citizen leap through his veins
with hot indignation at such sight. do not think
any man ever seriously contemplated resisting the
inauguration of Lincoln; and he will be the first
President who has ever assumed the regns of power
at the point Of the bayonet, the cannon's mouth.
His friepds must have instinctisely felt that his
principles offensive that this extra precsu-
ton might be needed to elevate him to his Official
position. We have indeed fallen upon evil times"
A.
Extract from private letter written by Ten
nessean sojourning in Washington to a friend in
this city
WASHINGTON, February Is, 1861.