Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-10-09
VIZ AL How TENNEssE FouGHT.

WHY AND HOW TENNESSE FoHSHT-
Gen. JOHN /. 7. SSEED delivered speech
at the opening Of the Tournament atScmer-
vile. last week, from which we take the fol-
lowing graceful and eloquent extract:
Five years ago, the people Of Tennessee,
right famous in the annals Of the past for
their devotion 70 the Union and the Consti-
tuition Of their fathers, had 10 choose
'Twixt HARRY PERCY and the Prince Of Wales. -
in a grand national tournament, as sad and
mournful inits surroundings, as it was bloody
and dreadinl in its consequences. Some
talked Of neutrality, but neutrality was
death between the upper and neither mill
stone. The Volunteer State" was not afraid
Of war; but from such a war her gallant peo-
pie recoiied with horror. But war came;
sudden, fierce and terrible war, and kesita-
tiOn was a crime They felt that they owed
their first and holiest allegiance TO their
own wives andchildren, to their own mothers
and sisters, to their own homesteads,
"To the ashes Of their fathers
And the temples Of their COD.
They counted the costs, and accepted the
issue under the conviction that their cher
ished institutions could notsurEiye the con-
ficf They fought, therefore, not 10 perpet-
uate the bondage of the black man, but to
vindicate, as they believed, the inherent
rights Of .the white man. They had been
accustomed TO a large and feryid sense OF
freedom. and such had been the inspiration
inherited from th,f fathers from the foun-
dation Of the Government. They fought not
to overturn the system Of republican gov
ernment-but 70 assert and maintain its
l..I hon fouuhf fF,fo
pref them. They fought not against the
Union and the Constitution of their fathers,
for they loved them both, and attested their
sincerity in every period Of political convul-
sion and upon every battlefield.
Il is well that future ages and the present
generation should understand the precise
status ofthe people Of Tennessee in the late
grand conflict Of arms. They fought against
the principle Of FORCE as applied 10 great
communities, to States and 70 soyereignties,
whose fundamental laws had seemed to
them to base ali popular government upon
the consent Of thegoyerned. They believed
the principle Of COERCION had no warrant
in the Constitution Of their fathers-and
they believed that if il we're yindieated at
the point OF the bayonet, it would sound the
death-knell Of popular liberty in America
And, behold how prophetic were their in
stinctsl For coercion has triumphed, and
even while speak TO you, constitutional
liberty, startled, trembling and quivering in
every limb, is upon her knees with arms up
lifted, imploring the men Of The North and
the men Of the South to stand up by the side
Of their Chief Magistrate, who, single-hand-
ed and alone, is battling as never man bat
tied before 10 save the nations life.
This great commonwealth her tradi-
tions are 10 be believed-had never allied
herself with any special welded fondness to
what have been unjustly denounced as the
centrifugal doctrines of'9S and '99. But her
heart was nevertheless fred within her,
when she saw the most formidable military
power on earth comprising sea and land
and marshaling gigantic armies to crush out
the spirit Of independency,
That glorious fault Of angels and OF gods"
which had asserted a right 10 separate
nationality among her Southern sisters. She
felt that, right or wrong-politic or impo-
litic-this was her country; and she spoke
20 her sisters in the beautiful spirit of MAO
mrs daughter, "Entreat me not to leave
thee or 70 return from following after thee
for where thou goest there would | go;
where thou lodgest, there would l lodge;
thy people shall be my people; thy God
shall be my God; where thou diest, there
would die, and there would be buried"
With what devotion, constancy aud courage
her noble children have followed the cheq-
ured fortunes Of a LOST CAUSE, The historian
will tell TO future ages-and the minstrel,
haTping on his harp, will sing with gather
ing zeal and swelling symphonies from gen
Grafton 10 generation.
When ERosTRATUs the Bphesian, burned
DIANA's Temple, curse was denounced
against his memory, the calumniation Of
which vas death b the man or woman who
should even breathe or write his name.
Perhaps such would be the doom OF the
Southern warrior, II a few implacable nom
combatant politicians could make il so ; for
they seemed peryersely resolved 10 con-.
found a spirit which is nothing less than
the legitimate bdirR of an American educa
tion-with that demon disposition Of mere
wantonness, which would burn for the sake
OF burning the consecrated temple Of human
freedom. But such can never be with
brave and gallant people, who fought, as
they felt, in the sight Of God, for the holiest
convictions of right and justice.
"Feiir qui pot,sif oOgnosoere cd'tsas rcrlHn."
IL these people understood us as we un-
ucis'tliu o"iaeiNes' ahu aAN uae anu PatAANei0
in their purposes, we would have such
peace tomorrow as would make the angels
clap their hands for joy--and such a union
Of hearts az has never existed in this coun-
try before. But rebel or no rebel, treason
or no treason, brave men everywhere will
respect the prowess Of such soldiery will
speak well Of such fortitude and such endu-
rance, and history will canoniEe our South
ern armies as among the donghtiest warriors
OF the habitable globe.