Within the same folds of the edition of the paper appeared an article entitled Virginia for the Union. In it was presented the minutes of a meeting of Rockbridge county, Virginia held at the county seat, Lexington. In it they resolved "That we hereby express our unwillingness to be dragged into secession . . . and we will not be driven from our affection for the Union by Northern abolitionitists [sic] or Southern fire-eating demagogues." Further,

That we believe that, in the present crisis, the preservation of our glorious Union . . . and that . . . we shall present an insurperable [sic] barrier against the wild fanaticism of the North and the madness and precipitate folly of the South, and thus hold them in check until reason and justice returns to the one and wisdom and moderation to the other.
Athens Post Friday January 11, 1861, p. 3:3

Thus, "A referendum was called for February 9, so that the citizens [Tennessee] could decided whether they wished to call a secession convention." [158, p. 3] A number of prominent men of East Tennessee who would later play a prominent role with the men of the 43rd placed their names in nomination for conferees in the convention. Among them was Gen. Wm. I. Standefer of Hamilton County who stood with the Anti-Seccession ticket. His son would later be killed at the battle of Chattanooga with the regiment. Dr. Ambrose D. Hodge, later commander of Co. D, would represent the Floating District composed of the counties of Meig, McMinn and Polk on the secession ticket. From Monroe County, attorney William L. Eakin, later Colonel of the 59th Tennessee, would note in accepting a place on the ticket, ”Secession is not now the remedy, in my opinion,” and would conclude:

I believe it is our duty to stand by the border slave States as long as we can do so with safety and honor to ourselves.- Their geographical position, the similarity of their habits and character of their people, particularly of Kentucky, to that of our people, point to them as our national allies. And doubtless a government reconstructed to meet the wants and wishes of the States you indicate, would apply with equal fitness to the wants and wishes of the people of Tennessee. But in the event secession comes, it is my ardent desire that Tennessee shall form such government with the surrounding States, as will produce the greatest good to the greatest number of her citizens. – This, I believe can only be finally determined when the time comes.

In McMinn County, the Union party met and nominated attorney James B. Cooke as their candidate. Cooke would ultimately raise the 59th Infantry and serve as her first commander.

Attorney Milton P. Jarnigan in a “Card” to the Athens Post, made note of his position, that being that “I have always denied that the right to secede is to be found in the Constitution . . .” and further, “The slavery question must be settled, and I think it can only be safely done in the Union. Every consideration of interest and patriotism and of religion prompts me to cling to the Union as our sheet anchor in the storm, as the bow of promise in the bright sunshine of returning prosperity.” Undoubtedly, his law partner Alfred Caldwell held the same opinion. Yet, late in 1863, after the fall of Vicksburg, Alf would enlist in the regiments’ Company D and serve as an ordinary Private. He, at the time, represented the district surrounding Athens in the state legislature, and had the previous year served as an elector on the Constitutional-Union ticket of John Bell and Edward Everett for president.
Athens Post, February, 1861

Over the course of the ensuing months the air was pregnant with the talk of secession and the probability of civil war. Discourse was raged over whole wide spectrum of potential actions and the citizens of East Tennessee were daily treated to the debates waging throughout the union. Both sides of the picture were equally presented in their local newspapers and with a level of even handedness and clarity one has been led today to believe was then not present in the southern states. [My comments]

On the first of March, the readers of the Athens Post were treated to a novel idea emanating from Virginia in which a "Washington letter writer gives the following intimation as to the course Virginia will pursue in the event the Peace Conference shall fail to agree upon some satisfactory plan of adjustment:"

There is a doubt whether Virginia will fully secede, that is, virtually and entirely from the Union at once. You will have noticed that Ex-Governor Wise is strongly in favor of contending for the rights of the South within the Union. How he is to do this is has never been yet fully stated, but it is presumed that he will soon present his project in detail. Meanwhile, I understand that his plan is to act under the provisions of the tenth section of the first article of the Constitution, according to which a State being in imminent danger, "and she being the only judge of the extent of the danger, may, without the consent of Congress, keep troops, take forts and arsenals, and keep ships of war in time of peace, enter into agreements or compacts with other States or foreign powers and even engage in war. The State may do all this and still be in the Union, and enjoy the advantages of the postal service of the Union, and the whole revenue service, but levying tonnage and duties, etc. She can also, under this plan, retain her Senators and representative in Congress to defend and protect her interests in the Union while she is taking measures to secure guarantees of her rights within it.

It is suggested that the Virginia Convention will put the State in a condition for defense now, and take possession of Fortress Monroe and Harper's Ferry Armory. If a Constitutional Convention be held Virginia will be represented in it. [Athens Post, 3/1/61]

Who is to do the Fighting?

Further to the thoughts of many northern citizens were the words published in the New York Express under the byline quoted above:

Nearly three hundred and thirteen thousand American citizens voted against Lincoln in the State of New York last November. There is no evidence that any of these is, to-day, in favor of reducing the Irrepressible Conflict, preached by the Republican part, to practice.-We will go farther and say that no earthly power can compel that noble army of Union men to cut the throats, or blow out the brains of, or set fire to the dwellings, or excite negro insurrections among their Southern brethren, in whose soil repose the bones of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Henry Clay, William Henry Harrison, Zachary Taylor, etc. Hence, if the Abolitionists or their allies are flattering themselves that "the North" is with them in their crusade, they might as well be undeceived now as at any time. The Anti-Republican party of the North is with them only in whatever patriotic efforts they may make to restore the Union,-but dead against them in any scheme they may have in contemplation for a permanent separation of the Confederacy. The Republican leaders in the last Congress refused to submit the great issue now dividing the Republic, to the PEOPLE-and if their leaders now choose to go into war to carry out abolition principles, we warn them not to call upon the people to back them up. Let this be distinctly understood. [Athens Post ????]

Contributions such as the above gave confidence to southern citizens that wise counsel would prevail in the north, and that the radical Black Republicans would recognize that further aggressive action against the south would not receive the widespread support of the northern states electorate.