Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-09-24

The prudent mariner will always shun the
rock upon which he has once split The
Union ship of State split on the rock Of sec
siO..-Ii-tn. If we are wise we will aIwa VS.
sbun it hereafter.
A trading, a prosperous commercial peO-
e. pie, considered as individuals, will always
have diversities of interest. These diversi-
ties occur in the minutest business transac-
tions of life-they occur in the same neigh
borhood, in the same street, even between
next door neighbors. If these Individual an
tagonisms of interests, are to swell to SIRE
pressible conflicts in detail we should abau-
don all thought of Republican government,
and either resort to the strongest form of
monarchy, or every man set up absolutely
for himself, and assume at once the character
OF ruler and subject, country and citizen.
holding his acres or his house his nation,
and his family his people. The Section
alsm to which we refer relates to the anita
gonisms, social, political. commercial, real or
fanced, between tue communities and States
1t never did have and never can have real
existence in any government which has been
properly organized in the beginning, and
properly administered afterwards. IF real,
the government should never be formed. for
in its creation it will carry the seed of its de-
struction; if fancied, the fancy should be up
rooted and discarded before it ripens into ac
tual belief on which those who cherish it
will resort to war and bloodshed in its de-
fence.
Does this rock lie in the direct course of the
Confederate States, now launching? If so, We
should undo what We have done, and begin
anew; with the understanding on all hands
that we shall form only such government.
as that we can live in peace and concord IN
or under it. We do not believe there is any
such rock in reality, but that there is fam
cied one, we have numerous intimations.-
The States are sending in their acquisitions
for fsyors already. Individuals are setting
up claims to position or emolument, on the
score of locality. If the claims be un-recog-
nized, the applicants go away dissatisfied;
if they are recognized, somebody else goes
away dissatisfied. Soon we have President
and Vice-President to elect There are two
of them and eleven States. Nobody objects
to tho indizidnal who will be President, to
the extent of bringing out opposition to him;
yet how many States are putting in claims
for the Vice-Presideney A cabinet officer
cannot die or resign, but States put in their
claims for the succession, and some of them
even a. a right. Thus we find a species of
sectionalism terminating and growing at the
very outset of our voyage, even when there
is not person among US who knows be will
live to see our ship safe into the port of re-
cognized nationality and peace. If this be
so in the green tree, what will it be in the
dry? How long will il be till we have an
..irrepressible conflict" between Tennessee
and Alabama. or between Virginia and South
Carolina How long will it be till we have
the simple germ of sectiOnalism rising to the
dimensions of the full-grown Upas, blighting
and whitening our new Republic as it did the
old
We will not ascri3e these manifestations to
the influence of politicians bred in the school
of the old Union; but we caution the people
to beware of the insidious approaches of the
mischiefs which have ruined the late Union.
We have the same form of government that
our ancestors gave US; it may be destroyed
by like means. 1t is generally true that the
interests of all may be best consulted by Sc
lecting individuals to be intrusted with the
general administration from the various
States; but this rule should never be carried
80 far as to elevate ignorant presumption
above true merit. Let the people, therefore,
be more CAREFUL of the men they select than
of the particular neighborhood in which they
happen to live. Let Us erect the new stand
ard of integrity, virtue and ability, and. act
up 10 1t. Thus we may hope to build up and
perpetuate government, which will answer
the ends We have in view, the public liberty,
prosperity and happiness, and which will en-
dure as long as these qualities are respected
and cherished.