The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-03-28
Prorro,s Of pubic sentiment,


sentiments from Southern men in regard
to tbseystem Of negro slavery, which, if
uttered few years ago, would have
madetheir authors the victims Of lynch
Law. Men now talk boldly of slavery,
because il is5sufered to do so. The
people have been aroused by the arrival
Of The present dreadful domestic con-
vulsion, predicted by MADISON, JEFFER-
SON and HENEYs aud the thought Of
which thrilled bthe soul Of JoHS RAN
DMpn, like the telling Of a fire bell at
midnight. The people are AROUSED, and
all inquire what brought about the re-
bellion against . mild government which
oppressed no man In other revolutions.
" has been The oppressed who rebelled;
but in this strange rebellion Of ours, il is
DE eppressors--the pro-slayery faction
abe most prOsperOusmen ofthe nation
aalittle oligarcby Of some three hundred
thousand people, among over 3oOo0OOo,
who ruled the whole land with a rod OF
iron. Since the foundation of our gov
ernmahf, tho oligsrchy has been over
bSafingy clamorons for power and insa-
tate; ever on the verge Of revolt, and
threatening 10 do so, unless they were
not pacilled for brief space, with con-
cessions and compromise. Now all this
has aroused the spirit Of investigation
among the people, who are inquiring into
the nature of the slave system of the
rebellious States, which the Louisville
journal asserts to be ga Uital institution
of the Government, and necessary 10
keep in check the unbridled radicalism"
Of non-slayeholding States. Among the
loyalisisof the South who have passed
through the fiery furnace of affection,
there. is now scarcely difference of
opinion as to the perniciOus influence Of
slavery General HAMILTON, of Texas,
declared In a speech delivered in New
York recently, that his mind was unal-
terably fixed against the Institution of
slavery, because it had made war upon
the Government, Read the resolutions of
lthe East Tennessee soldiers published
in our columns the other day,
and see how boldly they speak on
this topic. Then consider the march of
events in Maryland and Missouri. Lis q.
ten to the declaration of Governor JoHN-
son, that the Government is of greater
value than banks, or tariffs, or slavery,
and il any of these stand in the way OF
.nlhe Government they must be crushed
ioout that the Government may go onward
Scarcely a day passes in which we do
mot receive letters from, or converse with
officers and soldiers from the Northwest
and from Kentucky, who entered the
war as slavery Democrats, but who
now declare their firm conviction that
the system Of negro slavery is incompat
IDLE with democratic Government
g What" they ask, shall we consent I,
give our lives for our country, and shall
the South refuse TO give up the institu
'tion which has oeen and must be as lonI
asit exists, a source Of bitter strife :?
We talked the other day with a highly
intelligent officer, who was editor of {
Democratic paper in Arkansas for twelv
years, and he assured us that in the who'll
regiment Of which he was member
and which contained a large number o
Democrats there was hardly a mar
whose opinions as to the necessity Of re-
moving slavery was not as firm as hi
own. We are told by timid men
that although slavery be great
evil, yet IL would be dittisult e
remove, and must therefore be
let alone. But il slavery be great evi
now, what will 1t be when the number
rothe slaves shall be doubled and quad
rupled? Ii it is hard for us TO remov
now, how much harder will il be for on
children Shall we force upon our pos
terity the work Of removing 100000 o
81 slaves when We are troubled with tn
presence Of 4 100000? Policy, juslic
and humanity forbid US to act SO dishon
orably, aial U.r.
Men stand appalled, and pAralyzsd il
the presence Of this cancer on our politi
cal body, which HENRy CLAY pronounce,
70 be the greatest curse of all hnma
evils" oh hsiec ..f.
d"Tah boun avs Uras, this al blasting Tree
Whose roQt Is hsl, waoa9 leaves and branches De
Tho skies which rain thtir plague ON men Ike DIV
Disease, death, bondage--ali the woes we see
AHd wor'e' ne wocs zee s.s not'
We rejoice to know, however, that lher
is glorious progress in public sentimen
now rapidly going on, and that in spit
Of the conservative choir which hA
gathered Itself around "this boundles
uPss," singing plaintively, TO the grea
multitude which is gathered aroun,
them, with spades and pickaxes,
.s,7.fe.i wooamsn, spare tins treor
that the Upas tree will be dug up by IN,
roots, and the nation will no more h
poisoned with its noxious oxidation. o.
poisoned with its blistering dews
Don t-r - .-------,-
aa The newspapers whose war CRY is moi
against the rebels bat against tho Ad.
mipisTatlon, are as dumb as death II
reference 10 the DendinQ canvaaa co. a..