The southern aegis, and Harford County intelligencer. (Bel Air, Md.) 1862-1864, 1862-11-01
THE EFFECT OF THE ABOLITION
PROCLAMATION

Hon. Il. A. IL. Nelson, who was last year
elected Union member Of Congress from
East Tennessee, has issued an address to
his constituents, dcnouncing the Presi7
dents abolition proclamation. Among
other things be says:
We are in the midst of sea of difficult
ties. Many acts have been done in the
South to which we were bitterly opposed
as people, and which we who have ad-
hered to the Union, in spite of perls and
danger, 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 incendiarism aud MUIR
der to which MIR. Lincoln's proclamation
leads. What, then, is the path of duty
in the trying circumstances which sur
round US !! Is it to belle all our past pro.
LESSONS and to sustain Mr. Lincoln's ad-
ministration, right or wrong? Is it to
justify man, whom we had no agency in
elevating to power, not only in abandon
ing the Constitution of the United States,
but in repudiatlng the Chicago platform,
his inaugural dress and messages to Con-
gress, in which the absolute right to sla-
very in the States where it exists was dis
tinctly and uDequivocally conceded ? Or
is it, in view Of his many violations of the
Constitution, and this browning act of US
urpation, to join that side which at pres
ent affords the only earthly hope of sue
cessful resistance
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 unauthor-
lied acts of cruelty and oppression have
been perpetraed among you, which, in
stead of changing your opinions, have
only been calculated to aggravate and in
tensify heroic principle of endurance
Many of these acts have been committed
In remote places, without the knowledge
and appreciation of the authorities at Rich
mond, or OF those who have held the su-
preme command in East Tennessee, and
under such circumstances that you have
felt 1t dangerous to complain. Gradually
and slowly these outrages have at last be-
come known, and in the very recent proc
lamation issued by Major General Jones
you have the assurance that your COM
plants will be heard, and the most ener-
getic measures adopted to. remedy the
evil to which you have been subjected
Let not then, sense Of private and
present wrongs blind you against the en-
ormities already perpetrated, and still
mere seriously contemplated, by Mr.. Lin
coins administration. If majority of
the Republican party have been sincere
10 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 u 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 add harmony to our distrac-
ted and divided country? Buff, through
fear or any other cause, Mr.. Lincoln's in.
famous proclamation is sustained, then we
have no Union to hope for, no Constitution
to struggle for, no magnificent and unbrok-
en- heritage to maintain, no peace to expect,
save such as with the blessing of Provi.
dence we may conquer. The armies
which have been sent near you to tanta-
lie you with hope have been withdrawn,
and, with cool audacity, Mr.. Lincoln vir-
tually tells you that you have no rights.
No alternative remains but to choose the
destiny which an arrogant and unprinci-
pied administration forces upon u.s.
1t is almost unnecessary to declare to
to you that | adhered to the Union
amidst good report and evil report,
suffering and danger, while it was in my
power to support it, and that, when my
efforts were paral yZed and my voice 81
fenced by causes beyond my control, /
have cherished the hope that all might
yet be we'll but "the last link is broken'
that bound me to government for which
my ancestors fought, and whatever may
be the course of others, [ shall feel it my
duty to encourage the most persevering and
determined resistance against the tyrants
and usurpers of the Federal Administra-
ton, who have blasted our hopes and are
cruelty seeking to destroy the last YES
tige of freedom among US. If you would
save yourselves from a species of carnage
unexampledin the history of North Ame-
RIGA, but unequivocally invited in Mr..
LiDcoln's proclamation, let every man
who is able to fight buckle on hiS armor,
and, without awaiting the slow and tedi-