The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1862-10-10
Address of Hon. T. A. R. Nelson.


YOU in the spring and summer OF 1861,
tas we'll as in printed address to the peo-
ple of the State, on or about the goth OF
NAV, 1861, ! declared, in substance, that
liz had believed it was the object OF the
North to subjugate the South and to
emancipate our slaves, in violation OF the
Constitution, I would have gone as far as
the farthest in advocating resistance to
the utmost extent.
NY attention has just been called to o
proclamation issued by the President OF
the United States on the 22d September,
| 1862. in which he declares that ION the
frs. day of January in the year OF our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and
sixty-three, all persons held as slaves
within any State, or any designated part
of State, the people whereof shall then
| he in rebellion against the United States
shall be thenceiorward and forever free,
and the executive government OF the
| United States. including the military and
naval authority. will recognize and main
tain the freedom of such persons and
will do no act or acts to repress such per-
sons or any OF them, in any efforts they
may make for their actual freedom"
need scarcely remind you that one Of
the evils which dreaded and predicted
as the esulfs of the efforts which were
made to dissolve the Union was that, in
the progress of war, they might open the
way for servile instruction and the over
throw of the institution of slavery. My
| opinions as to the unconstitutionality and
! impolicy Of secession remain unchanged.
but in my last speech in Congress, and
on various other public occasions, | have
indicated and maintained, and still
| maintain, the right of revoiution. On no
occasion, however, did l ever assert the
| doctrine that violation of the Constitu-
ton by one party would authorize or
justify similar, or other violations by the
opposing party. The paramount causes
which have controlled ard Influenced my
conduct and opinions were love for the
Union and an mistaken confidence that
we had the best constitution and govern
inent in The world. But, of all the acts
of despotism of which the civil war in
which we are now engaged has been the
prolific source, there is not one which, in
the slightest degree. equals the atrocity
and barbarism of Mr.. Lincoln's procla-
nation. At one blow it deprives all the
citizens of the slave States, without dis
tinction, of the right to hold slaves,
right guaranteed by the very Constitution
he pretends to uphold. 1t is true he
makes an intimation that he will recon-
mend to Congress TO provide just COM
pensaton to Union masters in the slave
States, but what right has he, or the gov
eminent of the United States, to de.
prive them Of this property without their
CONSENT And what assurance have they
that his vague and general intimation
will be applied to them, or that an abo-
lition Congress, rocking with the blood
of the South, and jubilant in the posses.
sion of usurped power, will adopt his re-
commentator?
We are in the midst of a sea of diff
culties. Many acts have been done in
the South to which we were bitterly OPP
posed as people, and which we who
have adhered to the Union in spite of
perils and dangers, could not justify or
palliate. But the Union men Of East
Tennessee are not now and never were
Abolitionists. The Union men of East
Tennessee are not now and never have
been committed to the doctrines of in
cendriaism and murder to which Mr..
Lincoln's proclamation leads. What,
then, is the path Of duty in the trying
circumstances which surround us? Is it
to belle all our past professions and to
sustain Mr.. Lincoln's administration,
right or wrong? Is it to justify man,
whom we had no agency in elevating to
power, not only in abandoning the Con-
!, sti.~tior of the Vuited Stutrs, but In re-
pudiating the Chicago platform, his inau-
gural address and messages to Congress
in which the absolute right to slavery in
the States where it exists was distinctly
ami unequivocally conceded? Or is it, in
view OF his many violations of the Con-
stitution, and this browning act of usur-
patton, to join that side which at present
affords the only earthly hope of success
full resistance?
l am aware, my countrymen, that you
will find difficulties in bringing your
minds to the same conclusion at which
my own has arrived Many wanton and
unauthorized acts of cruelty and oppres.
sion have been perpetrated among you,
which, instead of changing your opinions
have only been calculated to aggravate
and intensity heroic principle Of endu
rance. Many of these acts have been
committed in remote places, without the
knowledge or appreciation of the author.
tiles at Richmond, or of those who have
held the supreme command in East Ten.
nessee, and under such circumstances
that you have felt it dangerous to com.
plain. Gradually and slowly these out
RACES have at last become known, and in
the very recent proclamation issued by
Maior-General Jones, you have the as
surance that your complaints will be
heard, and the most energetic measures
adopted to remedy the evils to which
you have been subjected.
Let not. then, sense of private and
present wrongs, blind you against the
enormities already perpetrated, and still
more seriously contemplated by Mr.. Lin.
coins administration. If majority OF
the Republican party have been sincere
in their professions of determination
to respect the right of slavery in the
States, and if the light of freedom is not
utterly extinguished in the North, may
we not hope that spirit of resistance
will be aroused in that section, which,
combined with the efforts of the South,
will hurl Mr.. Lincoln from power, and
even yet restore peace and harmony to
our distracted and divided country? But,
lif Though fear, or any other cause, Mr..
!. Lincoln's infamous proclamation is sus.
tanned, then we have no Union to hope
for, no Constitution to struggle for, no
! magnificent and unbroken heritage to
maintain, no peace to expect, save such,
as with the blessing of Providence, we
may conquer. The armies which have
been sent nesr you to tantalize you with
hope, have been withdrawn, and, with
cool audacity, Mr.. Lincoln virtually tells
you that you have no rights. No alter
native remains but to choose the destiny