Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1862-10-22
ADDRESS OF HON. 7. A. R. NELSON,
TO THE PEOPLE OF EAST TENNESSEE.

TO THE PEOPLE OF EAST TENNESSEE.
In all the speeches which made to you in the
Spring and Summer Of 1861, as we'll as in printed
address to the people of the State on or about the
S0th of May, 1861 declared, in substance, that if
had believed it was the object of tie North to SUBJ
jugate the South and to emancipate our slaves in
violation of the Constitution, would have gone
far the farthest in advocating resistance to the
utmost extent
Ny attention has just been called to procama-
ton issued by the President of the United States
the 22d of September, 1862 in which he declares
that ION the first day of January, in the year of
our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty
three, all persons held slaves within any State or
any designated pert of a State, the people whereof
shall then be in rebellion against the United States,
shall be thenceforward and forever free, and the
executive government OF the United States, inclu-
ding the military and naval authority, will recog-
nze and maintain the freedom of such persons, and
will do act or acts to suppress such persons or
any Of them, in any efforts they may make for their
actual freedom"
need scarcely remind you that one of the evils
which l dreaded and predicted the results of the
efforts which were made to dissolve The Union, was
that, in the progress of the war, they might open
the way for servlIe instruction and the overthrow
of the institution of slavery. NV opinions as to
the unconsttutiona!ity and imPolicy of secession
remain unchanged but i'll my last speech in CoH-
g-ess and on various other public occasions, have
INDICATED and maintained, and still maintain, the
right of rcgotution. On no OCCASION however, old
| ever assert the doctrine that violation Of the
Constitution BY one party would Authorize or justi
fy similar other violations by the opposing party.
The paramount causes which have controlled OF in
fIenced my conduct and opinions were love for the
Union and an mistaken conf dence that We had the
best Constitution and government IN the world
RJt all the Of Of which the evil
war in which We are now engaged has been the pro-
life source, there Is not one which, in the slightest
d>gree, equals the atrocity and bsrbarism Of Mr..
Lilcoln's proclamation. At one blow it depriveS
all the citizens Of the slave States without diStnc-
ton of the right 10 hold slaves right guaranteed
b. the very Constitution ne pretendS to uphold
1t is trae, he makes an intimaton tina: he will 70
commend to Congress 20 provide just compensation
to Union masters IN the slave States but VI hat right
has he or the. government of the United States to
deprive them of this property without their con-
sent? And what assurance have they that this
vague and general intnation will be applied to
them, or that an abolition Congress, reeking with
the blood of the South, and jabant in the posses
sion OF usurped power, will adopt his recommen-
daoR?
We are in the midst Of sea of difficulties. Many
acts have been done in the South to which we were
bitterly opposed people, and which We who
dangers, could not justify or palate But the Union
men of East Tennessee are not now, and never were
Abolitionists The Union men of East Tennessee
not now, and never have been, committed to tho
doctrines of incendarsm and murder to which Mr.
Lincon's proclamation leads. What, then, is the
psth of duty in the trying circumstances which
surround us? Is it to belle all our past professions
an to sustain Mr.. Lincolns administration right or
wrong? Is it to Justify man, whom we had no
in ole tO ODI n
in, the Constitution Of the United States but in re-
p:diating the Chicago platform, his inaugural ad.
dress and messages to Congress in which the ahSo-
lutte right to slavery in thtStates where it exists
was distinctly and unequivocally conceded? Or is
it. in view Of his many violations of tie Constitu-
ti"n and this crowning act of usurpation, to join
that side which at present affords the only earthly
hope of successful reSistances
am aware. my countrymsn, that you will find
difficulties in bringing your minds to the same con-
cl'sion at which my own has arrived Many wan
ton and unauthorized acts of cruelty and oppression
have been perpetrated among you, which, instead
OF changing your opinions, have only been cacula.
ted to aggravate and intensity heroic principle Of
endurance. Many of these acts have been commit
tel in remote places, without the knowledge or ap
probation Of the authorities at Richmond, or Of
those who have held the supreme command in Eas
Tennessee, and under such circumstances that you
the ou:rages have at last become known, and IN thu
very recent proclamation issued by Major Genera
Jones, you have the assurance that your complaint.
will be heard, and the most energetic measure:
adopted to remedy the evils to which you have beer
subjected.
Let not then, asense Of private and present wrong
blind you against the enormities already perpetra
ted, and still more seriously contemplated by Mr.
Lincon's Administration. If a majority of the Re
publican party have been sincere in their profes
sons of determination to respect the right of slave
ry in the States, and if the light of freedom is nc
utterly extnguished in the North, may we not hop
that spirit of resistance will be aroused IN tfs
section when, combined with the efforts oftne South
will hurl Mr.. Lincoln from power. and even yet rt
store peace and harmony to our distracted and
vided country? But if through tear,or any othe
cause, Mr.. Lncoln's Infamous proclamation is su!
tanned, then we have no Union to hope for, no Cor
stitution to struggle for, no magnificent and unbr
ken heritage to maintain, no peace to expect say
such as, with the blessing of Providence, we ina
conquer. The armies which have been sent ne.
you to tantalize you with hope have been withdraw
and, with cool audacty, Mr. Lincoln virtually tel
you that you have no rights. No alternative r
mans but to choose the destiny which an arroga
ana ohprncpled Administration forces upon US.
1t IS almost unnecessary to declare to you that
adhered TO the Union amidst good report and e,
report suffering and danger, while it was in II
power 10 Supportit, and that when my efforts we
paralyzed ana my voice silenced by causes beyol
my control. l. have cherished the hope that all mig
yet be we'll; but the last link is broken" III
bound me to a government for which nv ancestc
fought and whatever may be the course of other
shall feel it my duty to encourage the most ners
vering and determined resistance against the tvra1
and usurpers of the Federal ADMINISTRATOR w
have blasted our hopes and cruelty seeking
destroy the last vestige of freedom among us.
you would save yourselves from a species Of earn,
unexampled in the history of North America.
unequivocally invited in Mr.. Lincoln's proclamat
let every man who is able to fight buckle on
armor, and, without awaiting the slow and tedi
process of CONSUMPTION, at once volunteer in
struggle against him. The race is not always to
swift nor the battle to the strong, and it cannot
the nature Of things, be possible that just God
prosper the efforts of man or government wi
has hypocritically pretended to wage war in be
Of the constitution, but now throws off the m
and sets it utterly at defiance. No despot in Eur
would dare to exercise the powers which Mr..
com, In less than two brief years, has boldly usur
ne mas suspended the writ Of b,bs,o ,orn,,. :;