The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-05-14
Progress Of Public Sentiment.


Judging from facts and individual |
cases reported to US almost daily by the
friends Of progress in this locality, the |
improvement Of public sentiment on the
great question Of human rights among
our citizen is steady, and decided. TIE
PEOPLE are doing their own thinking.
Enthusiastically, and the efforts Of iimid
leaders who hope TO influence them by
appealing to thei- old views and preju
dices, avail no more TO check the health
ful and self-purifyiog current Of free
thought, and free investigation, than 3
pile Of drift avails TO arrest the current
Of a mountain springtide. Since the
putting forth of the Declaration OF the
Union Club Of this city, In favor Of free
labor, its increase ia members bas been
rapid and the organization now numbers
over seven hundred voters, But the Club
is far from containing all Of our citizens
who en- dorse its liberal principles. Num-
bers of our most Influential shareholders
who do not belong TO it, heartily coincide
with the leading position advanced by
the Club, aud will cordially unite with
it in relieving this noble State from a
system which has filled her with DESC
lation and grief Tennessee must be
redeemed forever from the thraldom OF
intolerance. She must seUer the only cora
Which n0l0 binds her to tie throne Of Gie c6ttor
olgaycLy She must be filed with fac
tories, FORCES workshops, printing off.
ces and unmuzzled newspapers, FIRE,
schools for the POOR children, and al
other agencies aud institutions of al
enlightened commonwealth. Establish
or even inaugurate this liberal policy il
Nashville, aud she will speedily be re-
stored to more than her former prosperity
Nashville under the quickening inhuenc,
of free labor viii advance on career o
glorious and marvellous prosperity
Nashville under the lethsrgic spell o
slavery is doomed to rapid decay ant
death. The "peculiar institution" vii
kill her, but free institutions will be he
salvation. 1t is gratifying to see that s,
many of her influential citizens feel this
and are disposed to act as becomes in
telligent men upon their convictions.
Working men of Nashville, who ar
eminently interested in reform, a revo
luton, if you choose, which involves Il
dignity and just re0ard Of honest laJo,
where are you, and where will you stan,
in this work Timid and silent--as be
fore Bullied and hectored over by a
insolent and urse-proud, privilege,
class, Is before? Or will you act Xix
men, and discharge what conscience tell
you is your duty to your country an
I your families ? 1t does not become a
honest working man TO walk like
! lackey at the heels of privileged clasI
{ for the sake of the few crusts whicl
they may cantempiuously toss to him
J Resolve TO be freemen henceforwarG
Are not the interests of the majorit,
Of more value than the privileges of
petty caste Dare to speak your min'
on all subjects. Is il right that slave
holders may speak and write as the,
please, and even insult white laboiers b!
calling them "mudsils," with impuni
Z "; while you are lynched, banished
imprisoned, if you open your mouth
! against slavery, or repeat the bite
words which JEFFERSON, PATRICK HENRY
r and HENRY CLAY spoke and wrote agains
, uP Let us institute free discussion, ant
, if slavery cannot brook discussion, thei
, let it perish, The ball rolls Oh, an,
neither Southern rebels nor Northern
copperhesds can stop its course,