The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1862-08-08

ded TO your side TO assist you IN carrying
il on. If the spirit of that resolution
had been adhered to we are confident
that we should before now have seen the
end of this deplorable conflict. But
what have we seenf In both Houses Of
Congress we have heard doctrines subver-
sive Of the principles of the Constitution,
and seen measure after measure founded
in substance on those doctrines proposed
and carried through which can have no
other effect than to distract and divide
loyal men. and exasperate and drive still
further from us and their duty the peo.
pie Of the rebellious States. Military
officers, following these bad examples,
have stepped beyond the Just limitation
of their authority in the same direction
until in several instances you have felt
the necessity of interfering to ARE {
them And even the passage of the res
clution to which you refer has been os.
tentatiously proclaimed as the triumph
Of principle which the people of the
Southern States regard as ruinous TO
them. The effect of these measures was
durated state of Southern feeling.
To these causes, Mr.. President, and
not to our omission TO vote for the ieso-
luton recommended by you, we solemn
ly believe we are to attribute the terrible
earnestness of these in arms against the
government and the continuance of the
war. Nor do we (permit us to-say, Mr.
President, with all respect for you) agree
that the institution of slavery is "the
lever Of their power" but we are of the
opinion that "the lever Of their power"
is the apprehension that the power of a
common government, created for com
mon and equal protection to the interest
of all, will be welded against the insti.
tutions of the Southern States.
There is one other idea in your address
we feel called on to notice. After stating
the act of your reputation of Gen. Hun.
ter's proclamation you add:
"Yet, in repudiating it gave dissatis.
faction, if not offence, to many whose
support the country cannot afford to lose.
And this is not the end Of it. The pres
sure in this direction is still upon me,
and is increasing. By conceding what l
now ask you can relieve me, and much
more, can relieve the country in this i'm
portant point"
We have anxiously looked into this pas.
sage to discover its true import, but We
are yet in painful uncertainty. How can
We, by conceding what you now ask, re-
lieve you and the country from the in
creasing pressure to which you refer?-
We will not allow ourselves TO think that
the proposition is, that we consent to give
up slavery, to the end that the Hunter
proclamation may be let loose on the
Southern people, for it is too well known
that we would not be parties to any such
measure, and we have too much respect
for you to imagine you would propose il.
Can it mean that by sacrificing our inter.
est in slavery we appease the spirit that
controls that pressure, cause it to be with.
drawn, and rid the country of the pesti.
lent agitation of the slavery question:
We are forbidden so TO think, for that
spirit would not be satisfied with the lib
Grafton ofseven hundred thousand slaves,
end cease its agitation, while three mil
hons remain in bondage. Can it mean
that by abandoning slavery in our States
we are removing the pressure from you
and the country, by preparing for sepa-
ration for you on the line Of the Cotton
States2 We are forbidden so to think, be-
cause it is known that We are, and we be.
lieve that you are unalterably opposed to
any division at all. We would prefer TO
think that you desire this position as q
pledge of our support, and thus enable
you to Withstand apressure which weighs
heavily on you and the country.
Mr.. President, no such sacrifice is ne
cessary to secure our support. Confne
yourself to your constitutional authority;
confne your subordinates within the same
limits; conduct this war solely for the pur-
pose of restoring the constitution to its le-
gitimate authority; concede 10 each State
and its loyal citizens their just rights, and
we are welded to you by indissoluble ties.
Do this, Mr.. President, and you touch the
American heart and invigorate it with
new hope. You will, as we solemnly be-
lieve, in due time restore peace TO your
lift il from despondency to fu-
ture glory; and preserve to your country
men, their posterity, and man, the inesti-
mable treasure of constitutional govern
ment.
Mr.. President, we have stated with
frankness and candor the reasons on which
We forbore to vote for the resolution you
have mentioned; but you have again pre-.
sented this proposition, and appealed to
us, with an earnestness and eloquence
which have not failed to impress us, to
it, and, at the least, TO commend
it "to the consideration of our States and
people," Thus appealed to by the Chief
Of our beloved country, in the
hour ofits greatest peril, we cannot Who'll
ly decline. We are willing to trust every
question relOting to their interest and hap
piuess TO the consideration and ultimate
Judgment of our own people. While diff
fering from you as TO the necessity of
the slaves of our States as a
means Of putting down therebelion, and
while protesting against the propriety Of
any extra territorial interference to in.
duce the people Of our States to adopt
any particular line Of policy on a subject
which peculiarly and exclusively belongs
TO them, yet when you and our brethren
Of the loyal States sincerely believe that
the retention Of slavery by us is an obsta-
Gle to peace and national harmony, and
are willing to contribute pecuniary aid to
our States and people for the
incon veniences produced by such change
of system, we are not unwilling that our
people shall consider the propriety of put
ting it aside.
But we have already said that wo re.
garded this resolution as the utterance oi
a sentiment, and we had no confidence
that ii would assume the shape OF a tan,
qible, practical proposition. which wo''lid
Weld the fruits of the sacrifice II required
Our people are Influenced by the same
want of confidence, and will not consider
the proposition in its present impalpaDle
form. The interest they are asked 10 glVs,
M is 10 them ofimmense Importance, ana
they ought not to he expected even to