The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-02-19

The Responsibility Of the war


the help Of the abolition war upon the
social order Of the South" and without
this war the disunion leaders would have
remained powerless in their cherished
plot Of treason, and secession mould aeuey
have been attempted" The proposition ad.
mite the existence Of he traiiors, aud that
they elerishsa the plot That the.And-
slavery men furnished an occasion for
the execution Of that plot. The conelu-
sion is that The Anti.slayery men are
justly chargeable with The crime Of pro.
dueing the present war Let US put the
argument into logical form:
Whoever furnishes tu men oherishing
wicked plot, an occasion for its commis-
sion, is justly chargable with the crime
The owner Of property furnish men
cherishing felonous plot with au OPP
pOrtunity TO execute it. Therefore the
owners of property, Of which they have
been robbed, are justly ctargeable with
the guilt of the robbery
We design no contradiction with the
good sense or sound logic Of The paper
Both are no doubt excellent, and we only
wish TO extend the advantages they af-
ford TO much abused and suffering por-
ton Of mankind. We will apply tie
subject TO some particular cases, 1t
was by the help Of The Sayiours war
upon the social and religious institutions
Of the jews that those who cruciGed him
were enabled to execute their cherished
plot Therefore, JESUS was justly charg.
able with the criminaliiy Of his own
death. 74
II was also by the war that the Meth
erlanders made on the institution Of
Spain, the inquisiliop, that the terrible
struggle which developed the character of
WnLIAM the silent, and the terrific
slaus liter which eventuated in new ma
ton Of free men took place.
The Netherlanders are, therefore,
chargeable with the crimes Of ALvA and
PH1LLlr the Second.
MARTIN LUTHER made war upon the
institutions of all christian Europe, and
turned loose an ocean of blood. Had
LUTHER remained silent, there had been
no occasion for war. He avowed the
right Of private Judgment, and humanity
confirmed his Judgment at The price of
whole hecatombs Of slaughtered victims.
The argument Of this paper is so far
beneath the dignity Of a respectable
journal, that we only refer to this on ac-
count Of its character. 1t belongs to the
class of traps that have done wicked
work such as, Il am opposed 10 coercing
a State - az am Southern man and
must 60 with the South" and that other
still more fatal to public virtue, "neu-
trality," because more cowardly
But the argument may not be designed
to furnish universal majo premise. The
author may include only the anti-slavery
men in his premise. He may mean
that the circumstances that surround the
friends of liberty are peculiar. If so he
has followed no induction that shows
them different from any other reformers
If they have reason and truth for their
course, then they may safely trust the
Consequences to God
1t 10 difficult, in the absence Of a WELL
defined policy, policy based on prin-
ciple, to reach the argument properly.
Pm the absence of any well-defined prin-
eiples, for this paper win not pretend to
adhere to any, on any political question,
we may safely fix the position Of the
writer. Slavery, 10 the United States,
is either good Institution, an evil one,
or il is indifferent. If it be the for
mer, then the disunion leaders have
the right, and are influenced, with de-
sire to perpetuate a good, AS they
have been opposed in their benevolent
undertaking they have concluded TO APP
ply such force as will be requisite TO ex-
tend their benign principles and perpet-
uaie them. All good men should sym
pathise in thCir success,
II Slavery ia an evil II can be no crime
to say it is. 1t is no vice to discuss it's
abolition, II tits indifferent, its disctg-
sion can do neither party any harm, for
men will soon grow tired of wrangling
about an affair which can do neither any
good or any harm. Indeed ils discuss
sion is the easiest way Of adjusting the
matter.
But what mas been the function of tho
anti-slavery man? Discussion. Think
ing aud speaking aud writing What
have they said What strange gods
have they introduced? Let us see. Mr..
LOCKE says, "thoush the earth and all
inferior creatures, DO common TO all men,
yet every man has property in his oi0a
person this nobody has a right to but
himself" A great English statesman
says it is injustice to permit slavery
to remain for a single hour
Mr. Mcdowell, of Virginia, said, in
1882, "SiE you may place the slave
where you please you may dry up to the
uttermost the fountains Of his feelings,
the springs Of his thoughts yOu may
close upon his mind every avenue Of
knowledge, aud cloud il over with artia-
cial night; you may yoke him TO your la