The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-07-10

kAfAhk Aneul NoiCt an tlaA ltkAaahNiont
She undertook, at FIRST 10 assert this
power in a manner little more than form
al, and as If her object was principally
10 show purpose not 10 abandon H. All
this could hardly have affected the tenn
poral prosperity Of the colonies. But
they resisted such an exercise Of power
because Il implied that they were infe-
riors Of other British subjects, They
were determined not to obey the acts of
the British Parliament unless they could
be represented there and have voice in
the legislation. They were too high
spirited to submit TO be Interiors. To vim
dicate their independence and the prin-
ciple of self-goverbmeht, they were will
ing TO exchange luxury for poverty--to
give up their splendid eOmmerce---to be-
hold decay aud solitude on their once
busy wharves, and for many years to
suffer the hardships of war. SIDNEY on
the scaifold, HUss at the stake, GALImEo
in his lonely cell, SOCRATES drinking the
poison, have each left an example Of f.
deity and self-sacrifce which has ele
waited human nature and encouraged
every effort for the right. But the era OF
our independence is crowded with grand
and heroic examples, and he who can be
indifferent 10 them is not worthy to be
freeman.
In one sense this is war Of indepen-
dencc. The people of the United States
in conformity with the Constitution,
elected ABRAHAM LINcoLN, President, and
here let me say, that, heartily believe he
has to-day more sincere friends in the
South than his predecessor, JAMES BU-
loHANAN had while President and large
number Of men were up in rebellion
against that choice of the sovereign peo-
pie. II became a question then, whether
our fellow w-citizens who had given their
votes for him were TO be considered the
equals or the interiors of other citizens
Whether in fact the right of suffrage
when existed in a non-slavo. holding
State was not equally as sacred as when
exercised in slave holding Statel think
the question is in fair way of being
settled; and settled too so justly and
ellectually that no body will soon again
dare TO raise IT,
When this rebellion broke out the peo-
pie was almost bewildered. We had been
habituated to sympathize with rcyolu-
tions; we had sympathized with the glo-
rious revolution of 1888 we had sympa-
pathized with Ireland in her loDgings
for Independence; we had sympathized
with the South American Republics, with
Greece, with Italy, and with Hungary,
and VIC paused in amazement 10 re-
tlecti il was possible that there could
be any justification for the South 20 re-
valutionize against our free government,
The first blow against our national flag
brought us to our senses. We saw that
there was not shadow of shade of
comparison between this rebellion and
those progressive revolutions / have
mentioned. We saw that this rebellion
was step backwards, IA step from pop
ular to aristocratic institutions. In rally
ing TO suppress il therefore, we were not
only defending our own country and
Union, with It's ten thousand precious in
terest, but we were preserving those in
valuable principles Of liberty which are
the common inheritance Of the world
In countries where the people are op-
pressed by an unequal and unjust gov
ernment, and where q standing army, an
ever present police, and prisons, stile
the freedom Of speech and the press, a
resort 10 force is iustilable remedy to
reform their government Bui in free
country, where the popular will constitu-
tionally expressed is sovereign, where
men have The most perfect latitude in
discussing all their political and social
measures, q resort TO war 20 make a
change Of government, is wicked in the
extreme. Never under the sun were more
paltry aud frivolous pretexts for reyou-
tion urged than those put forth by the
leaders Of the rebellion-neyer any more
selfish and disreputable But assume
that their imagined grievances existed
admit that the duty on imposts, the priyi b
leges Of the ooasting trade, the bounlies
TO the sea fisheries, aad the agitation Of
slavery were injurious to them;-coud
not time and reason redress every wrong?
Was there anything 30 oppressive that
they could not wait a reasonable time for
constitutional remedies 10 be applied
Why, what are four years Of discomfort
in the history Of great republic that
ought TO live a thousand years? Where
was their love for the common country
that they should be 90 htsty? Where
their regard for the success Of popular
government that they should 80 quickly
court an alliance with absolute rulersi
, Where was their respect Cor the glorious
/ memories Of our eras Of settlement and
Independence? Where their reverence
for the teachings Of the illustrious fathers
Of the ropublie that they should imperil
! the liberties Of this fair landg No won-
/ der they proceeded at once 10 abolish
! the observance Of those anpiEersies which
. add lusler Do our hialorY. DO wondeI