The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-05-17

blood-siained sword Of rcbelliou--has
como out OF its solemn pomposity into the
hurly-burly OF revolution for the very
purpose OF staying The tide Of progress Ivy
overihrowing free government in Amer
ca2 Conservatism has forced the con-
siderstion Of the question of emancipa-
ton upon rs at the point of the bayonet.
II has heretofore succeeded in REFRESHING
by force OF law and public opinion any
discussion of the question Of slavery,
here as well as elsewhere. " only IN its
religious, moral, but also IN is political
q d economical aspects. The whits people
Of Ma ylaud hare been He-loao Slaves.
They have been denied the privilege Of
free discussion of their beat interests at
the peril of the penitenuary and the
halter DO those conservatives who
placed in the Constitution Of the S ate a
section prohibiting the people from inter-
ferirg with the relations Of master aud
slave, and made il criminal to read q
book or news on the subject, suppose that
tue yoke did not gall because a few law
abiding people, like driven oxen, bore it
unconplaigniDgly2 True conservatism is
that which looks to the preservation of
institutions through which the people
may progress to a higher and n bier lite.
There is another kind represented by the
House of Hapsburg and the master class"
of South Carolina, and its its fleets may
be seen alike on the quay of Venice or
in the harbor of Charleston. Behold. We
conservatives there is still some life there
the life Of the vutures which feed
upon the dead carcass of the body polite.
remember during twenty years past,
at long intervals feeble effoFts Of indi-
viduals - whOse enthusiasm oyercame
their prudence-to call public attention
to the emancipation question in this city.
The editor of the Saturday Visitor was
one, and he found the place too hot 10
hold him, and that he had earned more
kicks than cOppers. Ia 1855 a conven-
lion OF Fremont men met here, pledged
simply TO free soil in the Territories.
and it was dispersed by mob, and one
OF it's prominent m mbers has been since
| rewarded for the loss of bis coat tail by
an Office which will more than epab, e
him to replace it, Yet there are peop'e
who talk about " forcing this question
upon them" That is a mistake. Slavery
inIebellion has forced this question
upon us. We were willing TO let il alone
so long as II was content to let us alone.
But II has provoked a fight. 1t has
struck the blow which, from the iingling
OF burning shame upon the loyal CHI elk
clinches every manly hand for a blow
Ia return. There is no use in fighting
with shadows. We must strike back Al
the power which strikes us.
swell WELL" say some of our public
mn, I'VE won't quarrel with Emancipa.
tiIniste, but VIC do not wish this question
dragged into our State politics. Draggt j
IL! Why, II is the issue of the war. IL
has been upon us ever since the frat ball
was fred st Sumter. When slavery
struck at our freedom it made of us lis
deadly enemies. When the Constitution
makers OF our State--Some of them even
then in the conspiracy Of this rebellion-
tied Us hand and foot so that we mig h,
be dragged int tie Sou bern Confsdra u , '
virtue OF similarity Of institutions,
Chat word is always written in the
plural down South those who have mad,
The laws since endeaYored to cliuch the
mai so well driven by prohibiting eman.
cipatioD, and by other lava of similar
purport; and the Richmond Examiner, in
lts last article on peace, Quoted in your
paper, insisted that Marylan should
have an unlrammeled vote as TO where
she will go. Emancipation, and emanci-
patton only, will enable us to sing;
| "rho last Ink IL brokon
| Winch bonn me TO thee. -