The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-03-10
g. @. MERCER, RditOr.
The Refuge of Slavery.

1n0 1ASAubO Va AFfSA
TWAS favorite theory Of that emil
nentIy bad and ambitious man, Mr.. CAL
HOUR, that nation which had system
Of domestic slavery, would be more
Jealous Of its liberty than enc whose
citizens performed their own labor; and
shat a system of slavery was necessary
b give stability 20 democracy. Mr.
CLtmouN held that the free citizens Of q
slave Confederacy, would acquire ha-
ked Of slavery Of all kinds so far as II
related TO their own persons, from the
example Of Its degradation which they
ever had before them in the persons
Of their menials, and that from this
would spring up a spirit Of indomitable
pfdo which would brook no political
shackles This theory has been uniyer-
sally accepted as correctly the pro-slave-
~ champions Of the country. Like most
Of the peculiar notisns Of the great South
Carolina overseer, this theory will not
bear the test Of common sense. The
tendency Of all Governments which toll
Srate the enslavement Of Caucasians, In
dams, or Africans is towards despotism.
The spirit which enslaves one race, will
lead logically 70 the destruction of the
freedom Of all, The genius Of depocra-
sy cherishes an irrepressible hatred, and
Wages an endless conflict with that Of
slavery. II is natural, nay, il is alto
a. her unavoidable, that slave Govern
mSnts should drift steadily towards a
despotism. Demooracies will examine
freely, will investigate, will discuss,
will agitate without restraint, all sub
lscts, whether of q moral, physical,
or political nature. People living
under Government which they
themselves control, will not gag their
swn mouths on any subject of thought
Frsemen hold that all things which con
Germ the Commonwealth are lawful sub
Jssts Of free inquiry. The man who
. says to another You shall not think
q 90 on this subject; you shall not speaE
your thoughts on that matter" is at.
tsmptns 70 make himself tyrant Thu
man who says: al will not speak or thinl
on this matter,"is a slave to a certain
sxtent He has renowned his freedom
Democracies do not recognize such tram
!. 4 mels; they discuss and agitate every
l thing. Now slavery breads nothing s.
much as popular sgitation. 1t fears th
torch Of truth, borne into its cave b,
investigation, and calls for the Chart,
of silence And just so far as it has th
power it will silence discussion by lynch
law, by the halter, the revolver an,
the bowie knife. 1t breaks open tn
mails to search for inoendiary matter
II muzzles the pulpit and keeps sleepleS
watch over the press.
No. We see the inevitable tendency Of 8
rc these things. Slavery placed in de
BE- mocracy, feels that il is as much out {
place as a keg Of un-powder in glow
ing furnace, and it begins to search In
HhuthNtlN A0A AfANENf 4 NN fVFQe
slavery is depotisn, for the simple reaso
that no other form Of Government ca
sIife investigation and agitation, on an
subject, A despot only can say to Il
troublesome tongue; Peace, be still
We are far from saying that all slave
holders favor a despoiism. There al
hundreds Of them who would rather gi'
up their slaves than free governmen
l They love freedom better than SLAYER
ll Bot these are exceptions TO the mass
slave owners, who would infinitely ratl
or see free government swept out oil el
iSlsReo than surrender the absolute rop
Goo or they possess over the bodies Of Of
OF hundred human beings.
We see now the reason why 90 mar
Of the leading rebel organs and polii
SlaAS, have expressed themselves 10 fav
Of an aristoersey or monarchy. Tn,
seek 10 escape agitation and they cam
escape Il endsr a Government which Ia
crates free speech. The sole purpose
the southern Rights" politicians is
make slavery secure; this is the gre
aim and end of all their statesmAnshi
and they fully understand that to ma
Insecure, they must place it under Go
eminent which can--to use the langua
81 = Journal which is the abject slave
the slave power-"starnp out itG discu
elem, ss If II were the lighted fuse Of
bomb-shell"