The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1861-03-16

which alone could pfetend any fear of
being incommpded 10y their use Of the
river was nat the thoosanl,h part of that
extent. This vast portion Of tic terrific.
ry oil the United sutt1hud no other out
let for it's productions $ifd those produc
tions were Of the bulkiest kind. And
IN truth, their passage down the river
might not only be innocent, MS to the
Spanish subjects on the river, hut would
not fail to enrich them Har beyond their
actual condition. The real interests
then. of all the inhiA.Ei1s, upper and
lower, concurred in rs8 with their res
pective rights
Such is the statement of Wheaton. in
his great work on international law, up-
ON this topic. The innocent passage of
people inlubiting the upper banks of
The river leading to the sea, which is the
common patrimony uI all mankind. is II
natural right and it cannot be diverted
or slockled by the inhabitants of its low
er banks, without Il gross violation of the
law of nature and nations.
But what regard to the law OF nature
and nations can we expect from men,
who, without any other than the most
selfish oil reasons, have found it in their
hearts to set at nought the most solemn
written obligations, 10y which man can be
bound to man!
We not only have the national right to
the navigation oi the Mississippi. but
that right is secured to Us by the provis-
ions OF the Constitution; in reference to
which right as well as to every other
that the people of the seeding States
possess, we o. Tennessee are placed by
that said instrument upon the same foot.
ing as those people themselves. Thus.
the custom house at New Orleans is the
property Of the people Of Tennessee 10y
same title that it is the property Of the
people of Louisiana; and for the latter to
seize it and appropriate it to themselves,
and demand that we shall submit. under
our our own roof, to their regulations and
impositions, can, in the end, lead to moth
ing less than bloodshed and intcrnecine
war.
These violent and groundless usurpa-
tions of the Southern people are TO be
maintained 10y "a standing army, which is
fast preparing to rivet the chains of slave
ry on their own necks, and to wrcst from
Us the rights which are ours by natuce
and by the Constitution, (which We on
our part, have never violated, and for the
violation Of which, on their part. these
wrongdocis can plead no excuse in any
previous conduct of ours. Already. be
cause we adhere to our duty to our sister
States, these men who have been time
and again defended by the yalor of oui
people, begin - tuunt Us with cowrdc,
and threaten 10 march armies into uuI
lrrrtoric, to coelce Us TO initiate thcl
treason and vile nh,lclity to the most 81,
! cred of human Obligations.
! All this must eliminate, at no yer,
disJnt dag, in disaster TO thcme elves toe
/ dirriul t. contemplate. Are these mcr
really insane, maddened hy some Diyin,
affil,us preparing them for destruction
| Emboldcncd by the extreme fort earanc,
Of the Government, msd by the imnlubl
ny OF iAe neighburing States, they seen
tobe advancing, step by step, to greatcrmt
greater wrong injury and violence, till n
last their cup will be full, and the bolt o
retributlon and ruin will iail upon thci
devoted heads.
For Heavens sake, let them resume
reason enough to survey the consequen
COS. the inevitable results OF the conduct
briore it be too late. Let them asl
themselves whore their trien Is are to b,
tnund-by whose aid they can open th
African slave trade, seize the Tcirilorie
ot Mexico, Central America aud Spain
and make themselves Il mighty power il
the rarliE Let them consider il it b.
rational TO found an empire on rapinc
injustice and treason. Let them bcthul
themselves whether they can really sue
ceed in solidIy erecting a governmen
upon barelaccd usurpation ofthe right
Of their Own people.
Gs1gn The Springfield tMtss.) Repuhli
can thus remarks on the presumed polio
of the new Administration with reglr,
10 the treatment Of the Secedng States:
"Neither the integrity nor the honor q
the General Government requlres an in
mediate attempt 10 recapture the fort
nrld 10y the Insurgents. They are no
neediul To the defence Of the country $
long as we nave no iorelsn war; tud IN
I;lcl that Ihcy welc nrnriy all wituou
garrlSuns at the tune they were taken
aud thoae that contained any troops la,
only afew.men to look AFTER the properl
rather than for any military purposes. in
dicates plainly enough the policy OF allow
.ns tiiem TO remain as they are till IN
States voluntarily restore them. The
cannot be used against the Governlnen
unless the government should invade III
States to subdue tlIem, wich' is not to b
done. Only ut Charleston and New On
leans is there any reason 10 fear coili,
ion, and there il can only occur by direc
assault on he part OF the revolutionisl
themselves. 10 this they are hot now in
ciined, and they will have less reason 4
adopt such a policy atmy iuturemomen
ii matters are Judieiously managed.-
While, therefore, the new Administrative
will show that it grasps power with a fra
hand, and will administer the Cover
ment according to the requirements {