Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-08-06
NUMBER lO8

appearances, srre is every probability that if the
war lasts any length Of time, the American people
may nno, oeIore 1t u over, that they really have
/ gos government IN Eenss little dreamed Of By
| the founders Of their constitutional liberties A
vigorous executive, unembarrsssed nv overerfce
notions OF Legality seems to be the present ideal Of
TRANSATLANTIC ssparaaons and it is an ideal which,
under favorable circumstances ia vonserfifllv ars
reazs tselfg LAWS aFa ProYerbiallv silent in se
| midst Of arms and civil war, in which the Cen.
tral Executive constitutes itself the orvxn Of tha
fercest passions Of q democracy is admirably cal
eulAted to generate what European politicians eall
Some progress has already been made tovards
this consummaton. Considering that it i barely two
months since Lncolns Cabinet received its instruc
tons from popular opinion, il must be admitted
that it has not been idle. Mr. Bright never saWs
the British Constitution snd he would perhaps be
equally st loss 70 detect the traces Of al American
Constitution in the recent history Of 4iansatantie
politics. In ioh1t respect he erlSsing washington
Government differs from military dictatorship,
might take some time to erpGiH- We see tne fresl-
dent assuming and actively exercising powers which
might almost content the Executive Of the most ab-
sOlute European monarchy. He invites and ae>
eepts unlimited offers Of men and money from All
quarters, and apparently disposes OF both at ms
own unfettered discretion. His Generals take MI
itaFy possession of towns and districts where the
jurisdiction of the regular civil authorities has new
er been formally superseded, and arrest suspected
traitors entirely at their own pleasure.
As for Congress, nobody appears 60 remember 10
existence. The institution till SURVIVES IN eontem-
plation Of law, but it seems, practically speakiog'
quite a superhuity. The President and his Cabinet.
and his Generals and the Governors Of State, and
the volunteers, evidently consider themselves fully
equal to al the demands of the crisis; and when
Congress does asseuble-Whieh viii be lust ten
weeks after the first proclamation Of wsr-t is not
very clear what it viii be wanted 70 do beyond the
routine business ofproviding supplies for struggle
on which it has never been consulted Louis Napo-
Icons Senate and Legislative body are respectable
and influential constitutional authorities compared
with the democratic assemblies which the head Of
the American Government has not yet thought il
necessary to take into his confidence. As il Is GER
tain that, IN the present temper Of the Northern
mind, Mr.. Lincoln would have found no difficulty in
obtaining from the Federal Legislature any extra
legal powers that be might be inclined to demand,
this ostentat0us contempt for constitutional pro-
pretes is the more marked because it is altogether
gratuitOIa. -r----. ...-s
More than enc recent Occurrences has given start
ling proof Of the superiority Of the Washington Ex
ecutfve to legal restraints. Two OF three weeks
ago the President ordered q razzia TO be made at
giYea day and hour, on the telegraph offices in all
the principal towns in tle Northern States, on the
chance Of finding evidence against "traitors bis
officers took fOrcible possession Of the manuscripts
originals Of all kilograms sent 70 the South during
the preceding twelve months and carried them on
for inspection BY the Government This arbitrary
and violent, but unquestiOnaely smart, proceeding
WHICH may perhaps AEOE4 8 uaelul Allt L4EO-
pean despotisms to have been decidedly
popular. American editors recorded it with IN
disguised compl&cency and evidently admired the
sagacity with which the little e0gp d'stqi plan
ned, and the dexteFity with which II was exc
cuted.
The Times New York correspondent speaks Of il
with much satisfaction "a bold stroke and is
pleased to think that "the possession Of such mass
Of material gives the Government guarantee for
the quiet behavior Of suspected and disaseted per-
sons" Il is Unnecessary 70 remark that the pos
session of the bodies OF suspected and disatected
persons would furnish still better guarantees for
their quiet behavior and in fact. as we shall pre-
sently see, this obvious reflection has already sug
gested itself to some Of President LncOlns Generals
Judging from the general appreciation which has
attended the raid on the telegraph Offices there can
be little doubt that Northern opinion would be
equally ready to sanction the administrative seiz
ure" Of the types and presses Of an obnoxious Sc
cessionist newspaper-if at least it'were possible
that sJBh journal could exist within reach Of .
New York mOb
The last mail brings US word Of StlA bOtder stroke
of military llsrpdtioR. The collision between Gen.
Cadwallader ard Chief Justice faney is somewhat
absurdly called in the newspapers "a conflict Of
Laws" but tcGs IN truth simply conflict bStcesn tQo
and Illegal Uiclces, IN ltich LaU suffered total dse1t
IL lust amounts 70 this-that the commander Of the
Northern troops now in occupation Of Baltimore has
taken it upon him, without so much as the prellIn
nary fOrmality Of a proclamation Of martial law,
10 arrest and mprson at his discretion civilians
eused or suspected of political offences and that the
authority of the Supreme Court Of the United States
is sumnsrily set aside by order Of President Ian
coin. Without any sanction from Congre 5, and ey
simple fiat Of the President and his General the
writ of ha5sds corpus is treated 50 much waste
paper and this, too, in State which stil adheres
to the Union. and in which the civil authorities have
never been superseded. ..
His an omigosts fIci 1hGt his dIrihg assumption Of
raitary despOsm does not appear to s1cits the small
est ObisctisR IN any quarter. The Northern eSsPa-
pers we are told, are mostly silent on the subject,
while some Of them urge Gen. CadFallader TO ar
rest Judge selfeonYicted Of reasonable sympa-
thies. The New York correspondent OF the Tines
severely blames Chief Justice fancy for having
.put the case in way TO excite the already embii-
tered feelings OF the people of Baltimore, and re-
marks that the GeZeraPs lawless violence in a
country which has lust been subdued, and which
sympathizas actively with the rebels ought not to
be measured by the same criticism that w0 uld be
applied to such an act in time Of peace. If We are
justified in assuming this writer to be not unfa-
Vorsbe specimen of average Northern opinion, q 3
clear that The American Democracy IS fast leay71ig 70
make present of lis LIBERTIES to any Government Aqs
lciH find the means Of gratifying is political passions
AN IurRoxPrU FLAG PREsESTAT.oS.-O On Friday last,
the Pepper Guards, Capt w. Lowe, attached to the
Tennessee Regiment, arrived in our city, and on
their vay to camp they were halted st the inersee-
tion of Church and Fifth streets for rest IEelr
tired appearance suggested to lady IN the neigh-
borhOOd that they were also hungry anu sag lllns
diatelv sent out from her breakfast table Sucn q
supply 70 them as she had at hand. Finding It IN
ADEQUATE 10 their wants, the ladies' Immediately
around were notified and soon came servants bear
ING food in abundance for all the men. Ihe IeiioH-
ing note of thanks was sent IN:
HCapt Love- Of the Pepper Guards SprIngneld,
Tenn. tenders the thanks CT himself and company
for refreshments to Mrs. Buekner. We are thank
full that God and the ladies are for rs"
The ladies, ever quick TO discover q want ana %
administer TO the wants of our brave soldiers, saw
that the company hag was small banner, unsnltea
70 the brave hearts that mustered under ITS insignia
One of the ladies' (Mrs JRmiesOn,) had banner Of
the Confederate States which she sent for, IND y
was presented 70 the company. On receiving II.
in behalf of his company, Capt. Lowe was so much
affected by the unlocked for kindness and interest
evinced for his men, that tears stood in his eyes In
vain he sought to express IN suitable language tne
thanks of his company for the token OF Virgins
hospitality of which he was the recipient, ana VOW
ing 10 bear Aloft that flag and to carry u Veto
rSs through the fight or die beneath its todsi they
took M their line of march for the camp. In about
two hours they were ordered OF, and on pass
ing the house they stopped and gave three
cheers for the LynchbErg ladies. May success
attend the Pepper Guards Of Tennsssee-LgRch-
b,ug Va RspablieGR. july 30.
TgE LADIES OF JAcKsoN.-The Southern Mothers
of Jsckson'' are doing noble work in taking care
of and nursing with tender care the sick soldiers
Who have been providentslly assigned 70 their pro-
.oo.;n,, ca-o The large and well arranged build