The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1861-04-17
nur Tndenendence

Among the commercial journals OF the North, the
New York Economist holds the first rank IN apllity
and influence In recent article itadmts that seeeS
sion is an accomplished fact and treats il as such II
says:
The Confederate States are de facto an independent
Government Our control within their province IS not
only disowned but it actually does not exist we
have there representatives OF the uhlteo o'aIeS
government, no State Governors recognizing the
United States authority; no officers to execute our
laws; no collection of revenue for our treasury.
distinct president and separate congress exist bere
the forts and arsenas with one or two temporary eA-
ceptions are in the hands of this new power; a new
tariff is proclaimed and its revenues collected by o-
GERS not our own and paid into the hands OF treas
ury not of the United States. In fact all the seven
States are held by power and governed by an exeeu
tive originating exclusively with themselves ana ope
rating without let or hindrance from the power lately
governing them. So much indsputably is fact, ana
50 much is undoubtedly sufficient to constitute the
confederate States de facto Independent govern
ment Matters having then gone to this extent, 1t IS
plainly mere formal bubble to argue that the seeded
States are still in the Union. Practically and Tor all
the purposes of government, they are out oil the
United States though in the eye OF the federal law
they may be still under jurisdiction. The ques-
ton is whether it would be wise on the part OF the
government of the United States to involve thirty
millions of people in ntercenine war, through Ia
king too positive stand the de ure aspect OF Sc
cesson.
We subjoin the whole of the concluding portion of
the article:
1t may be calling to our PRIDE it may be wound in
our dignity to submit acitly to the defiance to our
national power that has been presented a wholesale
scale in the seeded States; but we justiabe In
rskng the lives of thousands of citizens, and the
happiness and interests of the whole country for gene
rations come, with better object than to support
our pride and yindcate dignity which has sgnaly
/ 4 Alzo 6 hat hn
sentiment of the civilized world and the verdict of
posterity would be utterly opposed to such policy.
What could gain by its adoption? Let us suppose
it to result in the subugaton of the seeded States
(which is begging fr too much) of what service to
the country could such recovery be? We should
have six millions of citizens held under republican
government against their will. We should have in
congress fourteen senators and thiryhree represent
ayes owing their presence there to the anomaly of
republican deSpOtism, and eating like canker-worm
into the heart of domestic harmony victory
would necesstate upon us to maintain rule in at least
seven States by the perpetual menace Of standing
army located in their midst The cotton States, in
fact would be second Hungary and the United States
| a second despotism
The mention of such results is a refuation of
the policy that would produce them. Coercion if
successful would bring no compensation, but would
rather increase difficulties but what if it should
prove unsuccessful? Thousands of valuable lives
would be fruitlessly sacrificed; an immense national
debt would be accumulated; national status would
be lowered before the world, and the dangerous and
humiliatng consciousness would be ever present with
that by side existed country, with popula
ton only one fourth of our own, with whom we had
proved ourselves unable to contend.
Coercion therefore, is clearly a policy not for
moment to be entertained Cancellation is too late to
induce any retracon from the consolidated position
assumed by the new Confederacy. The idea of mas
terly inactivity" is utterly unsuted to the present
rapid progress Of events, and cody trfing to the
great national and commercial Interests suffering from
the present disOrganizaton that whoever adopts it
must be left behind in the progress of affairs toward
settlement or s6rnly rebuked for their apparent in
difference. Only course, therefore, is open-to
enter without delay into negotiations with the repre-
senatives of the confederate States recognizing their
independence, and adjusting in fair spirit all ques
tons standing between the two parties,