Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-04-07
The Better way.

The Better Way.
From the New Orleans Picayune.
There are several Tennessee journals which can
not be reconciled to the thought that they do not
own Louisiana, and are wrongfuly Invested of some
part of their birthright if they prevented from
exercising in the slightest degree all the rights OF
ownership. The Bonner, at Nashville, 10 one of the
most inconsoable and indispensable in its wrath
that the "usurpers and tyrantsa who administer the
political rights of Louisiana actually interfere by
laws for inspecting vessels descending the river,
with view of preventing smuggling, and actually
Law taxes on Tennessee produce. He is not very
definite in his specifications of what ID done which
has irrtated him much, and, In fact, the degree
of burden imposed on the commerce of the border
States does not enter much into his line of argu-
mentation and announcement It is the thing itself
which enrages him. that the Tennessee farmeris not
permitted to come and go in and out of Louisiana
Just as he goes from one county in Tennessee into
another to come in without inquiry as to what he
brings, and carry away whatever he chooses to buy
without word to designate that the two States are
living under different Governments. This, which is
simply the right of existence as Southern Confede
racy, without his consent, is what he denounces,
and he is very resOute never to permit it, and
threatens awfuly. New Orleans, in particular, is
a spot which Tennessee can't do without, and must
have IN virtue of right inherent in the law of
nature ITSELF" to those who want something which
belongs to their neIghbors.
This sounds warlike. There is the tramp of the
warhorse and the catter of the sabres in these bel
licose words. There is one man, at least-and he a
man of the pen mightier than the sword is likely to
be-who is in hot haste to mount and charge upon
the "Baratarian" oligarchy, who are keeping New
Orleans from its Tennessee owners by usurpation
and tyranny.
This must be very uncomfortable state of mind
in the present state of affairs. To be boiling over
with military ardour without vent is not only I'M
comfortable but might be dangerous, and the pros
pect of active company, for reducing the system,
not Immediately good. 1t is decidedly bad against
Lincolns calling out Tennessee regiment to enable
him to seize, held and occupy the city of New
Orleans as a part of the property of the United
States A filhbustering expedition, without some
order of nationalism from Washington and a COM
mission from Lincoln, would be little too fast
for the stage of the controversy and Lincoln is at this
moment more occupied in contriyng the wav of
getting his troops safely out of Fort Sumter and
keeping them safely in Fort Pickens, than in con-
triving how TO capture New Orleans, in order to
give free range under the protection of Federal
guns on the levee of New Orleans for those who
adhere to his government. With the present inspi-
rations at Washington whether they be pacific from
sheer necessity, the harmlessness of impotence,
or from the policy of artifce TO disarm precau-
ton and get advantage suddenly by vile, there Is
no prospect sufficiently encouraging to impatient
spirit for an early commission in Federal army to
come down the river or over the borders to cap
ture New Orleans. The time is not yet ripe for
charging and cavorting in Louisiana with feathers
and epaulettes long sword. saddle bride, for the
recapture of the State TO Lincolnism. Possibly,
very probably, it may never come, and while wait
ing for the slow wagon from Washington, it might
be profitable to look into these facts little more
carefully and to look the main, stubborn fact more
directly in the face.
New Orleans, under the new order of things, is
place which no Tennessean need be frightened by
hobgobln stories from visiting and trading in. 1t
is very orderly, obliging and agreeable place if
one wants to do business, and very merry place
if one seeks for amusement. We are hospitable
from taste, and we may say from interest. We
have no motive for Stacking commerce, and our
Government is actuated by the same policy. It is
their policy TO have shackles the freest inter-
course with their nearest neighbors and to culti-
vate those anities which belong to kindred nstitu-
tons and identical interests. They tax little
nothing which Tennessee has to send here; they
tax nothing which she imports from us to use. If
they shall have heavy burdens by tariffs it will be
because they remain with Lincolns Government,
not from any action of the Confederate States, or
any exactions in New Orleans. If they shall
be vexed with custom houses along their bor-
ders, it will be mostly to enable the Washing
ton authorities to prevent them from getting
cheap goods from the South. This will not be
our fault. We would much rather have Ten
nessee supplied at low rates, from this quarter
than to have her saddled with horde of Lincoln
oticeholders to prevent il. We have no apprehen-
sion that there need be any great pains to keep the
imports made under Morrill, tariff, in the North,
from coming into this region, wher5 low taxes will
ensura the bulk of direct importations for the ben
eft of Tennessee, when she will accept 1t. If she
will not understand that clear sequence to her own
reasoning of the Importance TO her of the port Of
New Orleans, and the commerce of the COnfeder-
ate States, why it is her blunder not fault and
she it will be who will suffer most, in the travail
through which she will fad out her error at last
The thought underlying all the silly rhodomon-
tsde about buying Louisiana and seizing New Or
leans, because they are necessary TO the well being
of States in the interior is that there is inentity
by nature and association the laws of geography
and indssoluble social afnities which will not al
low permanent separation between Louisiana and
Tennessee or between Tennessee and the Confeder-
ate States which lie on the Gulf of Mexico. If we
grant the whole of this, it is not still a plea for
connection by restraint or violence. 1t is the sug
gestion of a natural gravitation, and the inquiry
should be- not how disrupted parts may be linked
together by mechanical pressure constantly in
creasipg with increasing resistance, but IN what
natural forms they should be permitted to ag'
gregate themselves and crystalline into the CO.
hesion of perfect assimilation. Louisiana may
be of infinite Importance to States cut of the
Southern Confederacy. But the argument Is much
stronger that they who thus recognize the value of
association with her should choose between two
opposing and conflicting Governments, te go with
that towards which interest and attachment so
strongly attracts rather than with one which they
have had so many causes to distrust and within
which they have so many and increasing grounds to
apprehend danger to their ttal interests.
The more heavily the inconvenience are pictured
to be so far they flow necessarily from the fact
of separation, which can no longer be questioned
as it is not possible be traced-they are pleas for
a removal by the only and earliest way, and the
restoration of entire unshackled, friendly inter-
course between kindred people by the accession
of Tennessee to the fold of the Confederate States.
Then Louisiana and New Orleans will be theirs as
well as ours; and there will be sort of use for
the expenditure of gasconade about coming down
IN regimentaIs, with cock hat, spurs, and holsters
to parade as conquerors on the levee of New Or
leang.
That is the shorter way eff closing up all the
alarms felt or fegned about the endorsements on
trade from this quarter, and we recommend it as
altogether superior to the gunpower plan, and bet
ter in the sense that something may be effected that
way, while by the other there will be nothing but
calamity and failure.