The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1867-09-05

our people uoI 10 provoke war. not 10
begin war, not to abandon the Consti-
tuition, but il war must come, lot it find
them battling for their rights lin the
Union and under the flag But when
extreme men in both sections forced a.
sectional war, and it was section against
section, as believed, every impulse Of
nv heart, and every act ofmy life, was
with and for my own people; and | de-
spise the man who, looking from my
standpoint, could condemn me. But
the sectional war is over, and yet OK.
treme men are still refusing to let the
Union be preserved, and still insist on
keeping alive hatred and strife and dis
trust. Their conduct will breed hun
dred wars. l earnestly desire to aid III
averting wars by exposing and defeat
ing their wicked schemes against the
Constitution; but if wars must come,
beg now, as in the beginning, that our
people will find and keep their only true
place in the flght--ia the Union, unacr
the flag and FOR the Constitution. And
plead for this tho more earnestly for,
the future, since our people are able to
see the evils which befell them by pur-
suing the contrary course in the past.
From this great purpose can neither
be driven nor seduced. And while l
scorn the men who, in face Of the fact
that their councils have always misled
the people eherctofore, still thrust them
selves forward as the only worthy ad.
visers, and not ashamed ofhaving gui-
del the people to ruin, still insist up
on urging thenfto hshonor; yet / have
no time or spirit to enter into mere
personal controversies. Whatever may
have been mans errors or mistakes in
the past, am willing TO forget them
and love him as a brother, if he will
only now help to save the manhood Of
our people and the Constitution of our
country. If our country can be saved,
in that fact alone I shall find reward
enough. If the country must be lost,
| pray that and mine may be crushed
by its fall, and may sleep, forgotten,
beneath its wreck, rather than live to
prev on its carcass and be honored by
its dcstroyers.
Some learned critics tell US that
writer's heart can always be discovered
in his writings in spite even of any ef-
forts at coneealment. believe this is
true, and ! care not what enemies may
say, or troubled apostles may write. 1
kno,v my heart is in what l write, and
l know every sensible man will sec it,
and every honest man will admit it, and
every true man will approve it.
There are many who know / was
drawn into politics in 1855 contrary to
all the plans Of my life, only TO aid in
averting evils which sincerely believ-
ell would result from the repeal of the
Mis- jouri Compromise. l had again
T made up my mind TO ignore politics.
, But desired to have peace myself and
see the country have peace. When
these Military Bills passed l desired
9 fully TO comprehend them-in mean
4 ing, purpose and tendency. I studied
" them for this object / saw-have no
|. doubt l saw--as l have announced, that
r. every interest and all hope was destroy
@ ed and blighted if these bills succeeded.
|. Yet, | saw many honest, good men ac-
|, cepting them. saw they were accept
e ing them from the most laudoble no.
i. tions. They were tired, despondent
q and anxious for peace. They were
. told these measures would bring peace
r 1 believed they were dcceived-fearful
a ly deceived. l believed they were leap
v ing into the fire to escape the burning
:. sailing into anarchy to find safety com
n mtting suicide to end trouble. / be
{ came painfully convinced that the Mil
}. itary Bills were in violation of the Con
@ sttution; of the laws ofnations; of th
n terms of surrender; aud ofevery hop,
O of restored peace and union
II With such views, silence would hav
o been crime. MypurpOse was to shov
r these conclusions by argument, and t.
+ accompany that argument with stron;
f? but logical warnings to the mistaken
t. and with dcnunciations of the design
/! ing. Ineither felt nor intended mer
= personal unkindncss to any living thing
le SO far from deprccating replies l GOV
eted them. earnestly desired to Sc
If if could be wrong-determined, i
@ convinced, frankly to admit l woul,
>: love the man who could show the az
:. gument unsound. The Radical pres
Is anonymous scribblcrs, and the man,
=. wounded, have let loose all their wrat
" upon me, but have not touched the al
!. gumcnt. Lastly, the Ex, Governor .cn
10 tered the lists with a formal review
c. But he has scarcely said anything bu
o re-hash editorials. l have not seen hi
ID sixth article, but in all the others hav
D. been unable to find that lie has ever ta
ID ken issue on the very first point in th
N discussion. He has not even sal
y ; whether, in his opinion, the Militar
ID Bills are Constitutional Has he eve
he said it2 Will he ever say it? Dar
I'd he put himself on record as saying @
nd ther that the bills are constitutional o
,e unconstitutional They must be tn
,r. one or the other. Stupid followers Q
oh this political Rabbi, anxious inquirer
,g for peace and safety, will make hir
;3 teach you even his opinion on thi
RS point.
Instead of argument find my insie
n nificant self most untruthfully assailed
~ quotations made from utterances hav
be never spoken; sentiments ascribed t
Is me at war with my whole life and nj
Of ture; my sentences cut 10 twain difel
m cnt sentences taken from their context
" and words changed and added so as
% reverse my meaning. For the sake 6
ID truth l am mortified, but for myself nc
lie ut all disturbed by such work. Wi
,h not editors, scribblers, and reviewers a
N see that in such wrisings they are Onl
v. revealing their hearts, their purpose
3. Do they not perceive that In every Lin