The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-02-06

to see rebel prisoners exchanged and |
turned loose upon us? You ask what
would have been the result if every en-
listed soldier had been asked to vote
whether they would sustain the pro-
clamation. My dear son, war has
never been carried on in this way. The
Constitution has made the President the
Commander-in-Chief Of the Army and
Navy of the United States. When these
men enlisted and sworn into service, they
well knew that Mr.. LINCOLN was Presi-
dent of the United States, and that they
had TO obey such orders as he considered
necessary to a suece ssful prosecution OF
the war, and they knew that they had
no vote in the matter. The course you
refer to is mutiny, and you should neither
give countenance or quarter to anything
of that kind. BE for your country first
last, always for your country. If Pres
idents, Congresses, Legislatures, and Com
handlers do wrong, remember that your
country is behind them, and that she de-
mands every pulse Of your heart, every
throb of your intellect. COL wrote
me letter a few nights since, in which
he utters this noble sentiment 81 am for
my country, despite Presidents or Con.
crosses" Let that be your guiding light.
Frown down everything that breeds insu-
bordination among officers or men. Teach
men that the Constitution of the United
States makes Mr.. LINCOLN Commander
in-Chief of the Army and Navy, and has
not made the soldiers and sailors his
Commander-in Chief. The sailors are
true to their duty, why should the SOL
diers DO less so? Fidelity TO duty looks
neither to the right or left, but keeps its
eye eternally fixed on principle. Is a
man to judge Of the divine mission Of
Moses by the disobedience of the Jews
that kept them forty years wondering in
the wilderness; that slaughtered forty
three thousand of them in one day or
by the conduct of Moses and Aaron, who
after being leaders of the people, one Of
them the tallest of all inspired men, the
other High Priest, fell by transgression
and were not permitted to enter the Holy
Land? Is Christianity TO be judged by
the detection of Judas Iscariot, the
worldly ambition of some of the Apostles
in their early career, the double faced
conduct of Peter, on whom the Saviour
bestowed the highest responsibility in bis
earthly Kingdom the sharp controversy
of Paul and Peter or the embiltered quar-
rel Of Paul and Barnabas? The divine
principles Of Judaism were entirely in
dependent of the conduct of Moses, Aaron
David, Solomon, Ahab, or of any other
men. The purity of Christianity is un-
sullied by the conduct of any OF its ad-
! vocates-those who live that purity have
incessant gains accommodating constantly
And thus it is with every good principle
under the heavens. 1t stands true, nc
matter how much men may err.
There have never been any men OF
, earth who had committed to them NOR,
J sacred duties of an earthly character
, than those who are defen ding the UniOr
t Of these States. The very existence o.
the nation is involved in the issue. Free,
: dom, representative institutions, consti
) tutional guarantees, the supremacy of tn,
= laws framed by the people, are all q
. stake. And are all of these to be throw
5 away because Mr.. LINCOLN acts badly
r even admitting that he does do SO? AR
: men who have enlisted as soldiers, VIII
t stepped forward to fight for the Consti
r tuition and laws, to grow mutinous be
4 cause they are not all Commanders in
D Chief of the Army and Navy, and be
n cause Mr., LINCOLN is? If Mr., LINooLl
4 has done wrong, shall we do wrong toe
= under the foolish notion th at two wrongs
5 by some kind of presdigitation, ma.
Q make a right thing from such materials
5 The name Of the. illustrious Admiral BLAK
i, will flourish green in the memory Will
= patriotism is loved on the earth. He wa
y commander of the English Navy in Crom
S wells supremacy. He was known to b
. Royalist, and, Of course an opponent Z
= Cromwell. But he gained some of tn
10 greatest victories on the seas that Eng
70 land ever won, aud when with upraide
d winning triumphs for CRoMwELL, his no
o BILE reply, in the fullness of his spoil es
10 integrity was, al fought for my country
& not for CROMWELL or myself England ha
y conhded her honor and safety to my kee
y ing, and | was for her gain, not for an
'e mans" That speech come from ma
$, of true mould. Alas that we have
y few who know how TO follow his exampl
y Can you hesitate moment about stand
l. ing side by side with Admiral BLAZE
re Would you be ashamed TO council you
N friends TO stand on foundation on whic
N seearely rests, for all time, the gloriou
le memory Of that great hero Never foi
IL get my son, that men die, and most
y them are forgotten, but good principl,
re live forever All the guilt Of men haV
e. not changed IN the least degree the orig
in nal power and significance Of the prime