The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-03-11
Union for the Sake of Union.


The loyal men are fighting for the
Union, and TO fight successfully they
must be united. This is no time for diff
ferences and wrangling about minor mat
ters. We must yield our own peculiar
views on minor matters for the good of
our cause, and sacrifice non essentials to
the essentials. There is more danger in
our internal divisions at present than
most of us are willing to acknowledge.
II we would realize how perilous are the
beginnings of strife" let US look back
70 the divisions which existed between
tho North and the South, prior TO the
present rebellion. We commended, we
strove, we fought fercsly with words, yet
most of US laughed at those who pre-
dicted the controversy would end in
blood. Heaven forbid that the strength
of the loyal States, now laboring together
in the holy cause of liberty and law,
should be rent asunder and divided at an
hour like this.
All other feelings must be lost in the
3 great ocean of patriotism. The legal
men must be distinguished by their sim
gleness of purpose. The preservation OF
their country must be the paramount OBJ
ID ject with them, and on the altar of the Re-
public should be sacrificed all personal
ambition, rivalry and enmity. Especi-
30 ally to the loyal men of Nashville do we
20 address these words. Is there any one
among them who ever finds himself
hating between duty and temporary
popularity; between what he feels in his
own heart is just and demanded by the
good Of the country, and his chances in
future race for oficeY If there are none
among us who have ever felt the weight Of
these cehtesding influences, IL is strange
indeed. The demon of selflshness will
squat close at the ears Of the best of men
y at times, and especially at doubtful times
- which "try men'e souls" and whisper as
"a seductlvely as though he were a nightin-
gale. To one man he whispers "Don't
support that policy, or you will be de-
feated for the Legislature." To another
he says ;"You can secure seat in Con-
gress by advocating certain course"
On the minds Of the aspiring, hope aud
fear operate alternately. If the man
yield himself to their power he becomes
acold-heArted, narrow souled calculator
Y of chances, who ignores all manly prin-
soiple, and all public virtue, for the sake
of number one. We doubt whether a
man ever lived who has never passed
through one of these terrible moral or
deals, ON some, and perhaps, on many
occasions. To pass through them, un-
contaminated is one Of the highes,
achievements Of which our nature is ca
pablo. hN al t-H
These ideas may be common. place,
but they possess, AS we humbly conceive,
apeculiar force at the present time, in
this State. We live at a time when a
mighty revolution is shaking the land,
and when dogmas and ideas, long un.
questioned, are dragged forth for fearless
investigation. We are acting drama
which history mus, characterize either
as Anoble success, or The most ignoble Of
al failures. We know Of but one safe
= standard to direct our course, and that
is justice. We cannot conduct the ma
ton honorably or successfully through
the present whirlpool Of passion and vio-
lenee, by practicing the temporizing
tricks and articles Of politicians. whose
sole standard is cxpediency. We must
be honest in this tremendous contest.
h' We must resolve to do our duty, looking
not TO the temporary interest Of our
State, but to the general good Of the Re.
public, and asking not is such thing
expedient, but is il right as wen as e1-
pedient? To all, we would repeat the
golden words Of the great poet
''Be just and fear not
Lot all the ends thou aiTnsst Al bo ely couAtry'.,
Thy Coda And trnthis