The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1870-08-25
should accept such decision as final and
conclusive.

should accept such decision as final and
In other words, the American peo.
pie, North and South, are advised to
accept, as tnu! and conclusive, the idea
That the General Government has the
right to coercc 4 State into submis.
sion! And this advice is rendered by
the so called Democratic Party Of Ten
ncsscc.
Gen. Jno. G. Brown, says the Green
vile National Union, was the Chair
man OF the Committee on Resolutions
which introduced resolutions into the
State Convention Of 'G8, and it 10 to
him, therefore, that we arc doubtless
indebted for the abo &c beautiful y
specimen Of craftsmanship. "If moth
ing else, this should damn, and ought
to DAMN Gen. Jno. &. Brown in the
estimation Of the people Of Tennessee.
He may be clever gentleman, good
lawyer, and a soldier; but so far as
craftsmanship is concerned, when
placed in contrast with Madison, JEFF,
ferson, Mason, Rutlcdge, and other
distinguished men who composed the
Convention ofl7S7, he appears about
as insignificant as toad would by the
side Of an elephant.
TO say that the recognition by the
General Government Of the right Of the
States to sccedc would rob the govern
ment Of pcrmancncy, and result in the
disruption Of the Union, is simple fol
" and is contrary to facts and reason
When the States were Free and In
dependent, acknowledging no superior
upon the earth, they voluntarily came
together and formed a General Gov
crnment; and why, it nigh. be asked,
was this General Government formed,
if the States preferred to exist separate
and distinct from each other? In
point of fact, it was to the interest of
each and oil Of them to be united under
ore government, but that Government
they dete. mined to make their servant,
and not their master. Hence the right
OF coercion was not delegated, and con
scqucntly the right Of secession was
retained. Had the right of coercion
been given it would, in the language of
Mr.. Rutlcdge, have been "worsc than
making mere corporations of the
States" and if the States have not the
right Of secession fol what they may
consider good and sufficient reasons,
then il clearly follows that the General
Government has the right of coercion
And if the General Government has
the right of coercion, then it has the
right to abolish State lines and make q
consolidated dcspotism. We cannot
escape this conclusion.
The General Government has as
sumcd to exercise the power which
Gouvcrncur Morris opposed us "like
~ to be terrible to the States" and
having bound them "hand and foot
We are called upon to recognize the
"impracticabilty' OF secession, and the
establishment Of the theory Of Coercion
as Il fundamental attribute OF the Gen.
cral Government; and this, too, by the
so.calcd Democratic Torty of Tennes
see, III resolution introduced by a.
committee Of which Gen, Jpo. G Brown
was chairman. Why retain the livery
Of heaven to serve the devil in? Why
stay on the Democratic side of the ia
ole to play into the hands of the Radi-
Gals? Why "crooh the pregnant
hinges Of the knee" at the foot of law.
less power, and thus incur the pity of
the Democratic Party in other States
that is led 10y ADLER and better men?
There could not be devised bet
ter check upon the NAL administration
of the General Government than the
right of each State to seccdc from the
Union, and he who would abandon the
assertion of this right, at the behest of
brute force, is unworthy Of the name of
Democrat.