The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-11-28

tOu qive TO tie nations Of the earth TO Jttst.fs
4Hf They will be the calm and deliber-
ate judges in the case; and what cause
or one overt act can you name or point TO
on which to rest the plea of Justification
i What rsolt has tie North assailed VIVA
interest Of the South has been invaded
What Justice has been denied? and what
claim founded in justice and right has
been withheld? Can either of you TO-
day name one governmental act of wrong,
deliberately and purposely done by the
government of Washington of which the
South has right TO complain? cLal-
lenge the answer. While, on the other
hand, let me show the facts (and believe
ne, gentlemen, l am lot here the adyo-
cate Of the North; but l am here the
friend, the firm fiiend and lover of the
/ South and her Institutions, and for this
reason l speak thus plainly and faith
fully for yours, mine, and every other
| mans interest, the words of truth and
sOberness) of which l wish you to judge,
and / will only state facts which are
clear and undeniable, and which now
Z stand as records authentic in the history
Of our country.
"When we Of the South demanded the
slave-trade, or the importation of Afri-
cans for the cultivation of our lands, did
they not yield the right for twenty years!
When we asked three ffths represen-
tatioh in Congress for our slaves, was il
not granted? When we asked and de-
handed the return of any fugitive from
justice, or the recovery of those persons
owing labor or allegiance, was it not in
cotporaged in the constitution, and again
ratified and strengthened by the Fugitive
Slave law of 1850? But do you reply
that in many instances they have viOlat-
ed the compact, and have not been faith
ful to their engagements ? As individual
and local communities they may have
done so, but not by the ssction of gov
ernment, for that has always been true
to southern interests.
"Again, gentlemen, look st another
fact when we have asked that more
tsrritory should be added, that we might
spread the institution of slavery, have
they Dot yielded to our demands in Civ
ing us Louisiana, Florida and Texas,
cut Of which four states have been cary
ed, and ample territory for four more to
be added in due time, if you, by this
unwise and impolitic act, do not destroy
this hope. and, perhaps by it lose all,
and have your last slave wrenched from
you by stern military rule, as South Am
erica and Mexico were; or by the vim
dictive decree of q universal emancipa-
tion, which may reasonably be expected
to follow?
WHAT THE SOUTH HAD IN TIE UNION.
"But, again, gentlemen, what have We
to gain by this proposed change of our
relation to the general government? We
have always had the control, and can
vet, if we remain in it and are as united
as we have been. We have had ma
yority of Presidents chosen from the South;
As well as the control and Management of
most Of those chosen from the North.
We have had sixty years of southern
presidents to their twenty four, thus
controlling the executive department.
So Of the judges Of the Supreme Court, we
have had eighteen from the South, and
but eleven from the North; although
nearly four fifths of the judicial bust
ness has arisen in the free States, yet
majority of the court has always been
from the South. This we have required,
SO as to guard against any Interpretation
of the constitution unfavorable to us. In
like manner we have been equally watch
ful to guard our interests in the legis-
latiye branch of government. In choosing
the presidiug president (pTO TEN of the
Senate, we have had twenty four to their
eleven. Speakers of the House, we have
had twenty three, and they twelve.
While the majority of the representa-
tives, from their greater population, have
always been from the North, yet we
have so generally secured the Speaker,
because be, to greater extent, shapes
and controls the legislation of the
country.
''Nor have we had less control in every
other department of the general govern
ment. Attorney generals we have had
fourteen, while the North have had but
five. Foreign ministers we have had
eighty-six, and they but ffty-four.
While three fourths of the business
which demands diplomatic agents abroad
is clearly from the free States, from their
greater commercial interests, yet we have
had the principal embassies, so as to Sc
cure the world markets for cotton, to-
bacco and sugar, on the best possible
terms. We have had vast majority of |
the higher offic Is Of both army and navy,
while larger proportion of the soldiers
and sailors were drawn from the North. |
Equally so of clerks, auditors and comp
trollers filling the executive department, |
the records show for the last fifty years |
that of three thousand thus employed |
we have had more than tWo-thirds of the |
same, while we have but one third of the |
white population of the republic"
"Again, look at another item, and one,
be assured, in which We have great and
vital interest; it is that of revenue, or
means of supporting government. From
official documents we learn that Jrac-
ton over three ;toastIS Of The revenue collect
ed for The support of government has uniform
" been paid fran tbe North.
"Pause now, while you can, gentle
men, and contemplate carefully and can
ululy buebc At1 poAtant AtSmss ACdfAhS
out of view, for the present, the countless
millions of dollars you must expend in
= war with the North; with tens of thou
sands of your sons and brothers slain in
battle and offered up IS 8 sacrifice upon
the altar of your ambitiOn--and for what?
we ask again. Is it for the overthrow Of
the American government, established by
our common ancestry, cemented and built
up By their sweat and blood, and founded
on the broad principles of right, justice
md humanity? And, as such, [ must
declare here, as have often done before,
md which has been repeated by the
greatest and wisest Of statesmen and
patriots in this and other lands, that it
e the best and freest government-the
most equal in its rights, the most just in
ts decisions, the most lenient in its
measures, and the most aspiring in its
principles TO elevate the race Of man, that
he sun Of heaven ever shone upon. Now,
or you to attempt TO overthrow such
as this, under which we have
we'd for more than three. quarters Of
.enturV--in which we have gained our
18th o,,s atandinp "a a nation, our