Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-12-29
SUNDAY MORNING, DEC. 90, 1861.

q FERsANDo WooD and CALEB CUSHING were
once What, In the nomenclature of Van Bu-
reu-Jaeksonism, was called Northern men
with Southern principles Each of them
had an eve upon the Presidential apple, and
sought to clutch that tempting fruit by cal
tiyating the confidence of the Southern De-
tnceracy. Both of these gentlemen appear
ed at the Charleston Convention. The for
lDer harranged the people in the streets on
southern Rights-such of them as would
listen to him-and the latter, chosen TO pre-
side over the Convention, did not disguise
his opposition 10 the nomination of Douglas.
Each of them hoped to drive him and other
aspirants from the field, trusting that in the
new shuttle of the cards which would ensue,
be might get hold of ell the trumps. But
they failed. Luck was against them. A
state of things followed which neither had
designed, and, as a remote consequence, the
election of LINCOLN followed. The latter
caused dissolution Of the Union; and now
we find these notorious characters engaged
in new game. WooD recently sought the
suffrages of the voters of New York for May
or, ostensibly as the candidate of the peace
makers; hut really to get possession Of the
Immense patronage OF the city to feed his
followers, and promote his own interests.
We hear of him no longer as a "NorthefD
mau with Southern principles" There Is
nothing nov to be attained by that shallow
pretense. CUsHING has also disappeared
from the catalogue of that kiEd Of politicians.
He is against Us, and has sought position in
the federal army; but his proEerbial easy
virtue stood in MS way, and Lincoln would
have him not. 1t may be that Lincoln, am
ply satisfied with the experiment of appoint
ing his brother readymade General Of Next
can war notoriety, PATTERSON, concluded
that it were safest to permit all that class Of
heroes to pass.
WooD and CUSHING have just brought
themselves again prominent before the
Yankee public, by the publication of cor
resoondence between them relative to the
imbrogliO. WooD, in g brief
mote, asks CUsHING's opinion about the mat
Ser. iCusHISG responds in letter as long
as the voyage out to China and back. He
tells WocD pathetically that his ''yoice is
that of political proscript," and "may
avail n2thing;" but he cannot resist the in
vitatiou to utter his sentiments.
Upon full examination of the question,
CUSHING expresses himself without reserva
ton in approval OF the seizure, ard rests his
opinion on the fact that Mason and Slidell
Il ipic cd o.
such and acknowledged to be such by Presi-
tden DAVIS; and this he regarded "a "the
true and only tenable ground on which to
maintain the act of Captain Wilkes" The
transportation of such ministers, CUSHING
thinks, comes clearly within the principle Of
contraband and in this connection he re-
MARKS that an insurgent ambassador is Ear
more important than body OF soldiers, Tor
he goes abroad to negotiate. not loans on
Iy, or purchase OF arms, but alliances, which
are soldiers, ms, and money together"
and so, he adds, in the revolutionary war,
Mr.. Laurens was exchanged against a Brit
ish commander -in-chief. It is important to
observe that in considering some of the OBJ
jections to the authority claimed by Capt.
Wilkes. CUSHING says that 1t is not material
that the Trent was proceeding from one neu
tral port 10 another. 1.-The responsibility Of
transporting persons contraband Of war can
not b. evaded by snbdividing voyage, and
interpreting intermediate neutral tern,i'i.
This is the conclusion 10 which CUSHING
comes, and then he enters upon very grave
and learned dissertation on the rights OF
neutrals, and exhorts his countrymen to
cease from "cavilling with foreign govern
ments as to the name TO be given to this por
ten;ous thing, which rises terrible before US,
the awful fact of this great struggle in the
heart of the United States, on the one hand
to disrupt, and on The other hand TO uphold,
the integrity of the UniOn," and eutreats
them to recognize 1t as WAR.
We do not know but this is hlt At SEW
ARD who denies that there is any war but
whether it be or not, it shows that CUSHING
realizes, as we'll as the Yankee soldiers, that
they are engaged in War, and very
troublesome one at that. The Yankee con-
tractors and spectators, who are plnckiBg
the federal goose, no doubt believe with the
Premier, and so soon as the poor bird is
stript of all its feathers, Will De ready to
heed the Apoiiiical proscript-" CALEB must