Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-01-30
Some Fac.s Coz w. EwLng,s Con.Ideratlon.


In his speech, Tuesday evening, Hon. ANDREW
EWING, ridiculed and derided the idea of Southern
Confederacy, with Constitution and Government,
sprmging up in an instant of time. He said that
constitutions could net be formed with the same
facility that pitcher can be moulded CT clay. The
Constitution of the United States was the labor of
seven long gears, Of much and patient thought and
of sacrifice and compromise. The Southern Con-
federacy would find many difficulties in the way of
forming Constitution. Tennessee, especially, he
said if she attempted to join in forming that Gov
eminent, might find strong antagonsms of interest
and Of opinion between herself and the Gulf States.
She is interior State, she has no sea coast
and no marine ports All the other States
that have seeded have their commercial ports
on the Atlantic and the Gulf. Her interests
would naturally lead her 20 wish tariff for
revenue while the Cotton States, he would not
charge, favored, but he said, might favor direct
tax Tennessees interest was to preserve the pres
cnt ratio of representation the Federal Congress
and in elections counting threcfhs of the negroes
as persons. The Cotton States might Che could
not say) favor a ratio which would enumerate
every uSEAO ds 1SESOu DAAi5 Nle UdSlS. AhS
Cotton States might insist on the re-opening of the
African slave trade. Tennessee would never con-
sent to it.
Mr.. Ewing ought, if he does not know, that it is
the expressed intention of the seeded States to
adopt the Constitution of the United States as a
compact of union, at Montgomery, Ala, on the
4th Of February This little item of intelligence,
if he had not been ignorant of it, would have
dssipated all his jealouses with regard to the
ton of the seeded States and would have removed
all those fears in his mind which seem to have been
directed toward the South instead Of the North.
The seeded States will avail themselves of the Ia
bors the tolls the patience and the sacrifices of our
Revolutionary fathers and will adopt as their form
of Government that glorious Constitution for which
the South is ready to battle and whose principles
have ever been the guiding star of her statesmen.
South Carolina and Mississippi have passed an ordi-
nance planting themselves the rock of the Con-
stiJuton, and Recommending the formation of pro-
visional government on that basis This little fact
destroys all Mr.. EwNGs fine logic, and all his nge-
NOUS appeals addressed the fears of Tennesseans
of equality and justice in a confederation where the
States, people and institutions viii be homogeneous
with their own.
this fact in mind. 1t settles the question as
to the thrcefth basis regarding negroes. But if it
did mott may bewel for Mr.. EWING to consider that
all negroes are counted as persons in the Northern
States. with whose association he is so well salts
fed.
The ordinance, unanimously passed by the Geor-
gia Convention, with regard to the African slave
trade is the best indication of public sentiment in
the cotton States, and ought to be satisfactory on
that question especially in the absence Of any State
action to the contrary. Mr.. EWING had the
candor TO refer 10 this ordinance, but it
did not allay his suspicious. A mere sus-
picion is worth nothing without proof. Now,
where is the evidence that majority of the
people in any one of the Gulf States, Southern
Atlantic States desire such 4 opening Of the AZ
rican slave trad? It cannot be produced. Are
the people of the South to be driven into jealousy
and division by these unhealthy dreams and suspi-
cious while their common enemy is advancing upon
them?
But we are told by Mr.. EwING that he apprehends
the revenue to support a Southern COnfederacy
will be raised by direct taxation instead of tariff
Where is the evidence TO support such appre-
hension? The cotton States. have always been the
opponents of a protective tariff but supporters Of
tariff for revenue.
When and where was any movement ever made
outside of South Carolina, to fall back upon a sys
TEN of direct taxation, and to abandon tariff for
revenue? Never, never. Even in South Carolina,
Mr. BoYCE and one or two others, have been the
sole advocates of direct taxation. But Mr.. EwING
has no well grounded evidence that such measure
is generally advocated in the Southern states Then
Il
there were settled evidence of their existence?
But Mr.. EWING says that only $lOOOOOOO of rev.
enue are collected at all the Southern ports-not
more than one-third enough to pay the expen-
ses of the Southern Confederacy. Can it be posi-
bic that a statesman Of Mr.. EwNGs experience.
and ability is gnoranto Of the fact that nearly all the
foreign goods consumed 10y the South imported
through New York Philadelphia, and other North
ern ports and therefore, the revenue derived from
them is collected in Northern States! All these
goods would pay duties at the Southern ports under
a separate Government, and thereupon our revenue
from. imports would be gaadrupe what it now is at
Southern ports. We beg Mr.. Ewing to remember
this when be again makes estimate Of the re-
sources of Southern Confederacy. 30 not Mr..
Ewing. conceal from your Southern brethren taelr
legitimate power and resources but rather teach
teu that they are the proud peers Of the proudest
people Oh the face of the earth.
By this raszns you will foster theiF salf-respect,
eu,bolden their action, encourage their hoFez and
make them truly free people.
Every statesman and political economist knows
that tie imports of any State or community are
about cougl to its exports. The exports of the
South amount TO s25O,OOO,OOo to S3OO, 100000 and
# her imports are equal to that amount the duties
collected by the Federal Government from the Sou1
vouid amount to $50. 900 to S6O,OOOOOO all but
$IoOcO0Oo Of which now goes to enrich those states
of the NORTH, who are the declared enemies OF our
institutions. These plain and undenlaSle facts we
wish Mr.. EwING 10 distinctly remember, IN E4dress-
ing himself to the people Of Davidson county