Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-08-14
The Du,,e. before Us.

While our feelings and attention are so
mueh absorbed By the vicissitudes of the war,
I, i proper that we should not overlook or
neglect the due consideration of our duties
and responsibilities at home. We have sue
ceeded in launching a new government, and
taken steps to make it permanent and endu-
ring. The Provisional Government VIII ez-
pire on the 22nd of next February On that
day a President il TO be inaugurated to hold
his Office tor the term of six years In the
meantime the people Of the Confederate States
have IN select and elect that individual
They will also have TO elect new Congress
comnosed of Senate and House of Repre-
ssntstiyes. The President and Representa-
tjVes are to be elected-the former by elect
ors-on the first Wednesday in November, to-
ge,her with a Vice President. These are
mos, important duties. On the prudence,
honesty, wisdom and craftsmanship of the
first administration and Congress depends
much of the SUCCESS, safety and progress Of
the new Government. IF any branch of the
public civil service should fall into unworthy
or incompetent hands the consequences may
be of the most disastrous character. If We
start out under the auspices of weakness,
mismauagement ard corruption in civil ad-
uinistration, our career will probably end
speedily aud ingloriously. If, on the CON
trary, we place in positions of high trust,
men of elevated aud comprehensive views,
of ineorruptible integrity, and unquestiona-
BILE patriotism and devotion to the cause of
Southern Independence and nationality, we
NAV reasonably look forward to the speedy
sccompIishment of the work which we have
beguu. and to new and unexampled career
of peace, prosperity and happiness. springing
from all the great unities, physical and NOR
al which alone can make republics either
lasting or prosperous
On the vital and paramount question now
before US, aud which is OF such vital interest
tn the present and future generations of the
South. the Southern heart and mind are snb-
stantiaIIy united. We are not only united in
the great act of disayowing the government
of the North, but in opposing reconstruc-
ton or a rennion with those who have show
cd an inter disregard of our constitutional
rights, and absolute and unyielding hostility
to our Institutions and interests. In that
uuity consists our strength, aud so long as it
continues we will continue to be strong. But
so soon as alienation, division and strife enter
our counsels, and contention, prejudice and
enuity rule among the people, our weakness
/. palpable and our downfall fixed We
should, therefore, guard and preserve this
unity as we would the apple of our eye. We
sbould suffer nothing to disrupt or destroy
II. We can only preserve it by an utter alb
uegation Of all selfishness, and single and
supreme devotion to the cause--becOme in
thought and action simply and wholly pa
triotic 1t is only TINS that republics are
created, and only thus that they are made to
endure.
In revolution the old Union had its origin;
the unselfsh patriotism and the heroic deeds
of its people carried it through the ordeal
successfully. So it is and is to be with the
Union of the South. But revolutions are not
free from temptation aud danger. The world,
or any considerable part of itswill never be
free from bold, bad, INSCRIPTIONS men. The
allurements of unholy ambition often shine
out more brightly in the midst of the social
storm than in the rspose and calm of peace,
Just az in the physical world the ftfpl play OF
the lightning outdazzles the mild rays OF the
benefcent sun. But the one appals, blights
and destroys by its fierce touch, while the
other Yivifes and fructfies by its beaming "a
dance. Let the people, therefore, look well
TO the agents they appoint to discharge their
orest affairs Let them choose such men as
we have indicated, men who will always hold
the public veal superior TO private advance
ment. Let them yindicate their right and
power and full capacity to govern themselves
politically, by the selection of agents in
whom they can implicitly trust, who would
suffer their tongues to cleaVe to the roofs of
their mouths, and their right arms to tall
from their bodies, rather than utter word or
perform an act, which would hazard the sa-
cred cause of Freedom and Justice in the |
South.