The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-12-24
l9a6hrille Aniun.
WIZ. CAMERON . CO.. Publishers,
SUNDAY DECEMBER p, 1855.



TO rHE CITIZENS OF YORK, CHEsrER, Fh1RF1ELD
RICHLAND, sCNTER AND EEEsHGw OBSTACLES.
In taking leave Of political life, trust I
may not be considered Inappropriate fOl
me 10 address a few parting words 10 you
having been for 50 many years associated
with you in the intimate relation Of repre-
sentative In 1851 took an active part in
| opposition 10 secession. When | FIRST tool
my seat in Washington, we had friend in
the Presidency, @ majority IN the House 81
Representatives, and IN the Senate there
we're only four members Of the free soil
party. The first great error We committed
was in repealing the Missouri Compromise.
| / shsred N that error and may the more
freely refer 10 il. This unio-tunate step
opened anew the slavery agitation. I be-
, came satisfied before the Kansas contro-
very had come 20 an end, that we Of the
South had made . mistake in going into the
struggle for Kansas. | saw that Kansas
vas obliged 20 be q lras State. When,
therefore, Kansas applied, 81 appeared to
Epply, for admission under the Lecompton
Constitution, l sought an interview with
Sena'O Hunter. Of Virginia, for whose
judgment l had the highest respect, and
proposed 10 him that We should reject Kan
sas, and thus take the wind out Of the sails
Of the Republican party. I took gr-und
against the annexation OF Cube, mainly be-
cause 1 did not wish 20 add any more fuel
70 the anti-sIavery agitation. ! agitated
! the subject Of free trade in order 10 organ
ize parties upOu q less dan gerous issue than
slavery, and 10 cement an alliance between
the South aud great Northwest. took
ground against the proposition TO revive
the African slave trade, because I thought
! II impossible, inexpedent, and calculated
only to act as a frebrand. In 1858, being
deeply impressed with the danger OF the
| Federal Government passing into the hands
OF the Republicans party, and a. XiOus 70
! avert this calamity, / wrote 3 letter, and
publisher a speech delivered near Rock
| Hill, in York District 70 q port on Of my
constituents. Ia those publications. / IN
| aertOOk 10 InauguTate q new line Of policy
Tor our State. ! said our great object then
wa, 10 do yerything possible 70 prevent
/ The election OF a Republican President;
that 10 accomplish this, our policy was
moderation, moderation, moderation /
sad, "0ur policy consists in the greatest
possible degree Of moderation in the pO.Iti-
cal movements Of the South
Then advanced doctrine on the subject
| Of slavery in the Territories, which no pub
lie msn in this stste had before ventured 70
put iOrth. On this point ! SAID; "As re-
CARDS the Territorial question, ! think it az
this time a speculative question, because
the Territories Of the United States open TO
settlement are impossible TO slavery" Il Is
unnecessary for me 20 say tina l deeply de-
plOred the disruption Of the Democratic
I party a. Charleston and Baltimore. /
| thought that the South in pushing the Ter
| ritOrial question az far as they did, in these
conventions, committed tha greatest posi-
| bic blunder. IL thew succeeded ca the
1 Territorial question, they gained nothing,
becau e there were 40 Territories possible TO
| slavery il they broke down the Demo-
] cratic party, they ran the risk Of a c0nyul-
4 sion from which they might lose everything.
4 In the summer Of lsj5, ia reply 10 a call for
1 nay opinion, ] advocated secession in case of
/ Dir. Lncon's election. Those Who can
/ refer 10 that letter viii see that ] stated Sc
! eession would lead 10 one Of three results
/ q satisfactory adjustment, . peaceful sepa-a-
/ ton, or war. ] was perfectly ger ain IL
Z would lead 10 q salts a5torv adjustment.
| believed there was sufficient conservatism
/ and prudence outside Of the State both
| North and South, 20 settle the question at
| issse. / was confident that Georgia, Ala
| bsma aud LOuisiau would exhaust all efforts
| for peaceful settlement before breaking up
| the Union.
some persons have asked me, why, oppo-
| sing secession so warmly in 1889, / vet "a
/ yored IL in 1860. Mv answer is, that 1
| thought tie time had come 10 get a de6uits
/ settlement of the slavery question, and
4 thought such settlement certainly attain
/ able in 1860. Besides, a public man is
/ obliged, in order 10 preserve any influence,
| 10 consult the temper Of his people. Il was
| impossible, IN 1860, o. oppose secession in
/ this state aud preserve any bold on public
/ opinion My purpose vas 10 use secession
| like nullifcati N had been used in 1882, 10
/ obtain q good set lement. In Dec mber,
| $50. / went on 10 Washington. Willis
| theie took every step thought available
| f r me IN my situation % facilitate a settle
mont, 7 communicated nv ideas in this
Regard 10 such leading men there as were
] disposed to act en- that line. Among others
/ 10 President johnson, then Senator from
| Tennessee. I had a COnhd entail intercourse
/ with senator UOuglas, TO accomplish 8 set
/ Element He was sauguiue Of such result
| IL the South were prudent, gave time aud
/ avoided wav. The result Of my cuEsUlta-
I ton with him was, that al his instance
called on senator DAVIS, OF Mississippi, 20
I invite him into q confidential COME ence
with Senator Douglas Mr. Douglas said he
/ was satisfied IL AIr. Davis could agree upon
| programme Of settlement, everything
could be tremendously arranged ] WrOts
| from Washington 10 Mr.. William s. Lyles /
| s member Of our Stale Convention from
! Fairfield, urging upon him. in the strong
| terms. the avoidance Of every step tending
! 10 collision with the United States au-
/ thorities. J WTOte, 10 the same strain, to 6
| high official in cur stale and 20 Alr keitt. ]
| When our commissioners, Messys. BaruYell,
| Orr and Adams, arrived in Washington, J
| cal ed upon them and urged the same line
OF policy.
wrote 10 a gentleman in New York, Nj.
| Peil, az the same time, and stated my ideas
ola compromise. proposed in this letter 10
ID nh rshv
| lished Of the time IN the New York Evening
| Post. that the South should give up slavery
| IN the Territories, and the North should, BY
/ an amendment Of the Constitution, leave
| slavery in the States 10 the action OF each
State. In this letter I also asked for the
| South bslance-Oi- power principle, to be
| inserted in the Constitution, 10 prot o. the
| Southern section. ] would not, however,
/ have made this an u.timstum. IL was with
| most prof0uud sadness that / heard Of the
| attack on Fort Sumter. ] thought il was q
| great mistake, and opened future Of in
| definite horrors 10 my view. I did not think
! the suthoTities at Washington or Richmond
/ either had sufficiently eXerted themselves
/ 10 avoid . collision. Mr.. Seward wss evil
/ IDENTIFY impressed with the great policy Of
| coneiiation, which ives obliged 10 be sue
! cessful, but he was oyerbsrne BY the pressure
| in his own party. After the hrst battle Of
/ Manassas threw out the suggestion, in Sc
| crst session OF Cong ess, that we should send
/ the prisoners back. At the same time /
urged that propositions ior peace should be
made.
When Gen. MeClelau was driven froIa
| Richmond, i wrote 20 Mr.. Benjamin., then
| Secretary Of State, and urged upon HIM the
/ policy Of opening negotiations when Con-
/ rress assembled. made this policy the
/ subject Of q resolution and an urgent address
/ in secret session. As on as l saw how
/ earnest the Northern Ststes we've in prose
/ cutting the war, I saw ID was impnssiLle ioT
1 the Sou j ever 10 have q permanent peace,
vi le the Mississippi lowed IA its present
| channel vas satisfied the only satisiac Org
I solution was peace through tleagency the
] conservative portion Of the North In posses
] sion Of she Government. moved resolution
[ on the subject OF peace agaiu in secret ses-
sion IN the winter Of 1864. I need not refer
20 my letter in September, 1904, 10 Presi-
/ dent Davis, with which y0u are familiar
for i created great opposition % lie, an OPP
| rositiou which does Eot die cut even now
. When Mr.. Blair came 10 Richmond on bis
peace embassy, did everything ] could 70
make biz efforts successful ] should also
| add that during the war alvays urged the
Z most humane treatment possible % the pris-
] onars. IS 4 ndIng % benefit the condition Of
/ our own soldiers in The hsudt Of the United
I St.fes. and leaving the door t1 Cancellation
As areu as poss bic. A few words a. 10 our
present policy, and 7 viii have fuished.
I Your rehabilitation isobjected b. BY parry
AZ The North, on the ground that yo1 are
Z not Ioval 10 the Union. . % avoid the OBJ
lection, you should 20 gveTythlg b. your
mower b mauiiest she sincerity 90 your De-
voticu 20 the Union. And this Is not diai-
cult in your petition, for nothing else IS pus
sibIe bat the Union. The oaly possible way
7 a. preserve free institutions lE by clnging
10 he Union. 4 wise people never seek The
! impossible, they make the best they can cut
I gf ihe atiaiuslle-
Z Aroibsr objection is you VIII lot 90 JUS
1 tics to the emaBdpatsd blacks. You must
I get over this obstacle Us veil &c yIu San BY
/ doing everything that e possible consistent
\ with your own safety, b give them perfect
equality and Just &c before the law. Upon
/ this point, would % y, y on cannot Do better
I than con orm % the opinion o. PresidenI
/ Johuson. Tor it will be impossible Tor ca
! q Ealntaiu any o. her line o. policy in this
! feesrd thau Btaf may BE- laid down By the
Pfssidsut, vale think the sKparinent Of I
: free labor should Be isirly tired, ald unger
6 svsrv Circumstances Of humanity Cpd kind