The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-02-14

What'h you want next wonder
Don't pester re about your cold,
Good graCi0us-''fo 90 thunder y
From Che C.aclunati Commercial.
Letter From CaIhoun Fsenham 10
Mrs. George ID Prentice.
The following is letter from Calhoun
Bsnhsm 10 Mrs. George D. Prentice Of
Louisville. The big rebel argues The
question of Federal compact after the
fashion in which il has been submitted
TO and approved by the Democratic Lit
erarY Association Of this city. Benham,
however, accepted The logical conse-
quences Of bis reasoning and went into
the rebel army. The letter is 3 note
worthy example Of the top-loftical rbeto-
rio and brsg Of the cbivalry. The officer
who sends as the letter Saws, in . note
accompanying it: "Mrs Prentice is as
much rebel agent in Louisville as Mr..
Spence Jain Liverpool. l think
/ could fill any old times mail bag with
the stuff ssnt by rebels to Mrs Prentice"
HEADQUARTERS LEBUREE's DIvIsIoE(
GEoRsIA. December %, 1863
Ny DEAR SIsTER:-Wss il not TO mock
your feelings, I.would wish you merry
Christmas, but I know Of many griefs,
and I feel deeply for them. This time
Of grief Think Of it. While some of
yOur people are unhsppy, there is not
roof tree--a single one-in this broad
and beautiful land that will see merry
Christmas At every board thsre are
missing faces. The missing faces ct
many will never be seen again.
Where are the missing gone? To in
wade come other peaceful land-to lay
waste with fire and sword-to murder
and TO violafe-to risk a self-invited
death on some distant field No But
they are at the border, stepping with the
bulWark Of their thinned and wasting
ranks the horde that threatens to over
whelm the country. Ali what . horde
ie that. A more hellish crew was never
in arms; proletarian Dutch and Irish, and
worse than the native dog; more hellish
passions never passions seethed and
boiled than in their breasts; 3 more Sc
cursed cause never brought wretches
toee'bsr.
Is this true about the cause? / may
never have another opportunity to expose
the views which have directed me in CO.
operating 50 many years with the South
ern party, and in embarking in this war.
There were Thirteen colonies on this
DsrtOf The OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES of Great
Britain. Their governments were author
lied and limited by their several charters
granted by the King. There was no con-
nection between tbem--not more than
between France ard England st that
day. Crossing the astronomie boundary
line between sny two, and the municipal
sovereignty was as completely changed
as by transition from London to Pekin.
They sll owed hllegiapce to > common
Lord but were no more akin than Of ne
cessitY any two vasssl3 must be.
These colonies were petty States and
weak. Time assured rights hey sever
ally had were msnaced By the mother
country. They determined upon war
They formed league for that purpose
holy alliance. They fought and were
successful, but separately they vera still
weak. To part was 10 invite attack. So
though the acknowledgment Of their |
liberty, by England, recognized their |
several character, they formed . new
Union. It's idea was mutual assistance /
in war. All else about il was mere in
cident The idea Of Capitalization never /
entered ia consolidation Of such power /
in the common sgent IS should enable 20
cOerce a part was never dreamer of. The /
constitution by which It's bases were
settled industriously recognized the /
several State governments as independ-
snt sovereighties and adjusted the forms
Of the new creation with Ingenious skill /
10 their forms. This arrangement was /
secured by guarantees. Those guaran-
tees were broken BY the North. The |
coutFsct was At an end. The Southern |
States ceased TO observe IT, and demanded /
the relinQuishment by the functionaries /
Of the Federal Government of such |
privileges az il had acquired on that soil. |
They were not Telinquisbed-the South |
resumed them, and that in the single in |
stance of Sumter by force.
The North invades-tO re.estsblish |
bv force q Union originally established |
By consent--a Union which having once |
ceased 10 exist, can not be re-estsblished |
otherwise than by consent, unless through |
the triumph of an unjust dishonest, viii |
famous snd despotic win BY overpoWer-
ing numbers.
We have lately been unfortunate. Il /
was the imhecilitV of our commander, |
and not he lack OF spiritor zeal. have /
70 thank God that wss not humilisted /
by witnessing any scene Of our late dis
ssters. had the honor Of fighting, on
our right. Che Yankee left at the Tunnel |
7 Al 4.
division to which belong--Oleburne's
which annibilated McOook and the
enemy's right 1t Murfreesboro-which /
first broke the enemy at Ohickamau-
gaon Saturday al night-fall, and which /
gave him the coup de grace by break /
ing, like the wild waves of q spring |
tide. over bis three tiers Of breast i
works at Chickamauga on the second /
day, there, at that coveted hill, |
that brave division, which has /
never shown shame, stood like q
mountain wall-like sea sbore-repel- /
ling The mad wSves of Sherman's battle |
Later in the night, when news had |
reached us Of orr lines having broken in /
the centre. we were Che rear guard, and |
that division bore itself like New on the |
msrch from Moscow, giving safety 70 all |
IN 'front.' and breathing hatred and de- |
fsnce to the rear.
At Ringgold, the second day of the |
retreat, the enemy pressed as rather
elOse, and again cur brave division turn
ed, and taught my old Cslifornia
friend, Joe Hooker lesson. think be
will be more cautious hereafter how he
presses = retreat RiDggold was TO our
arms glorions day. L was fought in
little town in the midst Of women and
children. That day the women saw
their insulters laid low. We killed
3 betacomb. The enemy viii remember
CALHOUN BENHAM.
A Eorrnnrnr-a Gr-rnrrrA KILL, ~.