Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-10-18

read the instructions of Cameron to Butler respect
ing our slaves, and Fremont's proclamation. and
then BY reading the altered tone Of the Adminstra
tion in its Instructions TO Fremont and Stewards
late of the Ia " both made after cur act had
gone into effect. Whether this wholesome inference
would have besn exerted had all the debts due to
aliens been left outstanding until peace when they
would most probably have been returned to the
enemy may vel os doubted But there was even
still higher political consideration which called
for our statute. and which rendered it important
that It should yield its fruits in money at an early
day, aud which ought, in my opinion, to be acted
on even at the expense Of some Inconvenience to cur
debtors.
Maryland. North Western Virginia. Kentucky and
Missouri are mainly in the possession of the enemy
and down trodden friends there are calling for
and receiving our assistance, and wo hope to bring
these States into the Confederacy and it is lust here
that the coDfscation laws of the enemy strike us
hardest and call for full counteractiOn The laws cf
the enemy say in effect TO the peopeof these Ststes
Be culet and remain true to the United States ahd
you are safe. but raise your arm in behalf Of the
rebels ard you and your families are beggsred.n
It IL apparent that we must to our friends:
s not afraid TO strike for we can and viii speed
lily restore sil the enemy may strip from you Is
il not seen that such language from US, accompanied
se,h means and action viii be worth army 10 our
cause? Yet this great end can be ascertsined IN but
two ways either by taxation or by drawing means
of the enemy within our resch. for nloRey to redeem
the promise. No statesman. it IS presumed would
in tkese times suggest the novel remedy OF raising
such fund by taxation, and hence We must allow
the enemy to psfSlyze our friends ia these States
and 70 confscate the property Of people, when
ever we can geta temporary foothold on our soil,
and we must endure it all or compelled to call
on debtors 10 the enemy to pay or secure their in
debtedness to him. The accusation that our mer-
chants or any class Of cur people would claim the
right Of Withholding what they we, TO the great
detrment Of the csuse, believe to BE- a SANDER up
their patriotism and the suggestion has only srls
en- from the failure to observe that the money
TO be realized under the seqdestratiOn Law is not to
enrich the Confederate States, but is as is express
ed in the title Of the law 'fOr the indemnity Of et
zens ct the Confederate States and persons siding
the same in the existing war with TIE United
States"
The real estate, stocks and money of alien enc
mics in the hands of agents would not every IN
telligent person knows yield fund sufficient for in
demnif, ing citizens and friends, who suffer
ing by the laws Of the enemy. Suppose Mobile
should be temporarily taken by the enemy and wo
men and children bsgSared by the confssatioa of
their property and the capture of their slaves
Should Congress say we can render you no relief
because to do It the merchant would be called on to
pay some part of his debt to the enemy?
What tsen oughtto be done? Here is great
political object to be attained and money is redur
ed to accomplish it and the Confederate Treasury
is already burdened.
Plainly, the whole property Of the enemy within
reach, including credits, should be turned into
cash at as early day as Is consistent with fair
dealing with the debtor He should neither be
ruined nor entirely exoHerat7d from payment, but
his Indebtedness should be called in fast his
collections will admit without oppression and the
money applied to tie relief Of those who have been
beGgared for our cause. The money, principal and
interest should be called in by instslments at the
discretion Of the Cour! and security, no. necess1
riy by bond but by such the party Ctfsr,
should be given as well for the above as for the
additional reason that at the close OF the war the
treaty of peace will, almost assuredly, make some
provision for adjusting the claims of each nation
the other for coDfscstions, and If all the debts
allowed to go 60 waste. we may thereby subject
ourselves to amount Of taxation which will hang
like milestone around our necks.
To embrace the question in a sentence, the law
leaves the whole indebtedness outstanding indenn-
itely, but commits the error Of implying that Sc
curity By bond is to be required after the debtor
has had all the delay which his State thinks he
ought to have.
There seems to be an entire confusion of ideas in
blending proceedings for the seqUesraton of debts;
that is for aScertaning what are the debts due to
alien enemies, and for decreeng that the indebted
ness be changed from the alien enemy to the Con-
federate States, with the collection Of the money
owing. The adjudication should be very prompt
more than it by the law; the collection should
be as enient is consistent with the necessities of
government; but under all circumstances the idea
should be held to, that whatever is necessary to be
paid, endured or sufeIe ed though hie or fortune,
one or both. be lest
hear some doubts expressed as to the CSnstitu>
tienal power Of Congress to pass sequsstratiOH or
conscstion act but the question s so fully settled
that do not deem Unnecessary to say any thing upon
the subject
have extended this article further than intend
ed, and yet | have lest much UnnOtiCed that prObG
bly, ought to be mentioned. l shall ba pleased if l
have aided in relieving the minds of any OF our
people from false impressions
II.