The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-12-27
From he N.nphIs Journal

Mr.. EDITOR Mr. e. w. Gnatt, of
Arkansas, an ex- Brigadier General in the
Rebel army, has recently made a speech
to Union Club in Little Rock, in which
he speaks freeley on the subject Of slave
~.
That question which three years ago,
would have cost man his life to have
meddled With, can now be discussed.
with entire safety. The tide Of civili-
zstion and progress is sweeping over the
South West and be who does not go with
il will be buried beneath its overwhel-
ming advance. Mr.. CAN'T sees this and
takes the lead in preparing for it /; be has
treated the subject in such a bold and
fearless manner as it new demands, be
says GAS secessionists we supposed we
were out Of the Union. We went out to
protect slavery aud we failed. Wewent
out to protect he aegro, we come back to
protect Die ,0lsite man "
These are the feelings and sentiments
Of every man in the South who looks at
this subject calmly and deliberately in
connection with our present troubles.
They know they went out of the Union,
or tried to do so, 10 protect and perpetu-
ate slavery they stAked THAR all on .
single throw and they have lost and
now they see they cannot do otherwise
than abide by the consequences. Mr..
CAN'T further says: eve who own
slaves have lost, fairly lost, and we must
abide the decision. The people of Ar
kansas are therefore, the proper ones to
act 10 its final extinction in our midst.
The sooner we do so the better for us
and for the country"
These are truths that are undeniable,
and they are as applicable to Tennessee
as to Arkansas. A few years ago the in
stitution of slavery was a sacred thing
among us; now, thanks b the prevalence
of more enlightened public sentiment
it can be examined and its merils dis
eusssd withou5 the fear of having our
heads shaved, and sent North. The day
is not far distant when this will be the
great question TO be decided by the peo-
pie Of Tennessee. The people Of East
Tennessee will, no dcubt, dispose of it in
a summary manner the people of West
Tennessee may be more tenacious, but
they will eventually see that the course
Of events cannot be impeded, aud they
will give q cir hearty CO operation.
By complying with ths Presidents
proclamation, which can easily be done,
Tennessee can assume her place in the
galaxy Of stars from which traitors for
time hurled her, not fairly and in accord
ance with the wishes of her people, but
trsacherously, and at the point Of the
bayonet. One party wished to drive her
to ruin, to crafty the ambition of aspir-
ing shareholders; another would now re-
duee her TO territ rial insignifcance.
But thanks to the wisdom Of President
Lincoln, it is now left with her own peo-
pie TO say what position she shall occu-
py. Let them avail themselves OF the op
portnnity offered them by the prOclama
ton TO set themselves right, and remain
so; and in order to do that, they should
rid themselves Of the evil that has been
the cause of all their trouble; and that is
negro slavery,
Iii is true the proclamation Of emanei-
patton does not include Tennessee, but
nevertheless the institution is as virtually
dead in this State IS in Arkansas, and
we might as well perform the funeral
rites with an easy and becoming grace.
The FIRST step towards organization
will be TO ascertain whether the number
specified in the Presidents proclamation
will take the necessary osths. OF this
there be no doubt. Let the proper au-
thority appoint some person or persons
TO administer the required oath, aud en-
roll the names Of those who shall have
taken il and when ia any Congressional
district proportional number shall have
been enrolled sufficient 10 meet the re
quirements Of the proclamation, let such
enrolled persons, as loyal citizens Of the
United States, call convention Of loyal
citizens to meet and take the proper steps
10 organize State government.
As soon IS this IL done, We may expect
te be declaed ola Of instruction. The
sooner we attend 10 this matter the bet
ter; for, as States under the proelama-
ton may define their own boundaries,
East Tennessee may 60 to work and,
having enrolled the necessary number
who have complied with the conditions
Of organization declare herself De State
Of Tennessee, and thus leaves West Ten
nessee out. The State having been
formed, it is very probable that Governor
johnson will appoint Senator'S to take
seats In the National Senate, until such
time as the State Legislature may elect
Senators regularly, and East Tennessee
being De State would, &c q mstter Of
course, have both the Senators; whereas
II West Tennessee takes the proper steps
and tales 1es IN time. we might ressona-
bly, expect u have Senator'S from this
portion Of the State. Th people Of Mem