Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-04-13

their forces and putting themselves upon complete
war footing. Our own people cannot too early
commence the work of forming equipping and
drilling efficient volunteer corps that will be ready
and willing. in the war of the North against the
South. to risk their lives in Southern defence.
Revenue Negotiations of the Ssathern
COnfedeFacy.
We publish this morning highly interesting
communication written by Hon. L. P. WALKER, Sec
rotary of War of the Confederate States in answer
to letter from the Hon. W. J. SYKES of this State,
relative to the collection of duties at the Custom
Houses of the Confederate States along their bord
ers suggesting the complaints and irritatons which
it might occasion on the part of citizens of the
Border Slave States of the Northern Confederacy;
between whom and the citizens of the Southern
Confederacy it highly important that the utmost
harmony of feeling and friendly intercourse should
be pursued. Mr.. SYKES suggested in his letter that
it was the policy of the Administration party, as
shown by their journals, North and South, to en-
gender feeling betw cen the Border States and the
Confederate States and hence the necessity that
every source of irritation should be removed, and
all legislation having that appearance be avoided
It was in reply to these friendly suggestions that
the following communication was written. Mr..
WALKER, it will be remembered, is the able Secreta
ry of War, of the Confederate States, and speaks
therefore advisedly:
Cen. walker to Mr.. Sykes.
MONTGOMERY, April G, 1861.
W. J. SKIES ESQ: Columbia, Tenn. :,
DEAR Sir: Your letter of the
seth ult reached me some days since but, as
wrote you briefly, deferred 8 more particular re-
ply, that might obtain and transmit to you 9 Sc
ries of Circulars" from the Treasury Department
which, especially that numbered G, are quite worthy
of your perusal and consideration. Humber six
viii accompany this letter, the others having been
previously sent
l share in the solicitude you express, on
the subject Of causes of Irritation" between
the Confederate States and their adjacent
slaveholding neighbors Of the so-called Dor
der States" But, l feel sure. If you will
closely regard the embarrassments which surround
ed, necessarily the legislation of the Congress af-
fecting external interests you cannot fail to observe
| that most commendable forbearance was displayed
towards states inmlcal to this confederacy one OF
the strongest reasons for which was an earnest de
sire to prevent possible injury to States with nsti-
tutions similar to our own, and supposed to enter
! tain strong sympathes with us and our Gauge, An
example of this forbearance is to be found in that
portion of our legislation which provides that all
| goods, wares and merchandise imported into this
Confederacy and destined only to pass through our
territory, eeppt from any duty rhdtsUer And, by
this legislation which consideration for the Border
States" mainly prompted, the citizens Of Tennessee
and other Western States have virtually opened up
to them absolute free trade with nearly all of the
| civilized world; for our ports are those through
which the importatons for Tennessee naturally and
necessarily are received The citizens of the North
eastern portion of the United States are CONNER
ciaily and indeed, in their general industry al
| most destroyed, by the tariff lately adopted by
| the Washington Government, the people of the
/ Confederate States are reqTired to submit
to moderate imposts for revenue purposes tits only
the Western States, Tennessee, most especially
from her position and connections,) which receive
/ their imports from Europe, without the payment OF
| any duty whatever.
As draw back OF set-oR to this vast boon of free
trade, with nearly the whole civilized world, and
which must in the nature of things continue while
| the Government at Washington fails TO recognize
| the Independence Of the Confederate States-the
disaected in Tennessee you think, will oppose the
| very small annoyance which may grow out of a
necessary regulation TO prevent fraud at our reve-
nue. stations. That the trunks Of travellers, even
fros Tennessee, must be liable to inspection and ex
animation Ct our frontier station is necessary in
cident Of any revenue system we may adopt, and q
similar regulation is part OF the machinery of every
/ such system, in the whole world. But practically
| you must be aware. that, for the most ps 1T
the regulation is formal and nomnal and that as its
object is to prevent frauds upon the revenue of the
Confederate States. and nearly every article (for
| example, corn, wheat, barley, flour of all grains
bacon lard etc y produced BY the citizens of Ten.
nessee Is admitted free into this Confederacyy there
is little probability. that in any ordinary cages so
far as citizens of Tennessee are concerned, there
/ could be annoyance.
| am free to admit, that the working Of any rev
enue system as between the Confederate States of
America and the slavehodng States of the Northern
/ Republic, must produce more or less of cha fng
| along the line which divides the two peoples but
the advantages Of the Free Trade given to the Bor
/ der States by our Acts OF Congress, Is largely
and most substantially in excess of slight deteltiOps
| to your citizens to prevent evasions OF our laws
And would ask any sagacious citizen of Tennessee
viewing the whole matter abstractly from its po
| litical bearings-n the benefits conferred by the
| Tariff Acts of the Congress of the Confederate
States are not more than full compensation for any
mere inconvenience attending the enforcement OF
/ any one of them! We give you free goods from
Europe; and we ask you, when you come into our
COnederaey TO allow us to assure ourselves, IN ht
usual teay, that you come p rlghtfully and legally
Is this more or less than fair ststeReRs OF the
case?
| And upon this point let me urge the truth-that
Tennessee, geographically politically and socially,
| IN my opinion is essentially Of this Southern Con-
tederacy. If this were not so, this correspondence
between you and myself would not have been writ
ten; We both proceed upon the unexpressed be-
| cause pnaolbted truth, that we are part Of the
same people and are different from that
ether people with whom you happen, abnormally
Auu unnaLSrSuS AZ we Ilnk, 70 be temporarily con-
! nected. Even the emmissaries Of those whom l
consider our common enemy in your midst implied
~ admit the fact that you are Southern and slave
holding in your interests and ideas This conceded
/ the argument for your alliance with ms. is won.
There is then the coincidence of the political idea
and the strong natural tendencies of your animation
to mpel you TO the Gulf of Mexico: the sb;na which
/ bring us our goods must bring Won vopr goods.
and the reciprocites of that internal trade Sh;ch
| has been so beneficial to Tennessee Mssissinni
Louisiana, Alabama and Georgia will be continued
4 and largely expanded
AfteF all then, the question is practically this
lie Tennessee determined the maintenance of n a
institution of slavery, or, are her citizens prepar
ed to anticipate, and submit 70, its extinction within
| her limits
By your decision of this radical ausstion ill
your final action be determined. If You remain a
slave State you must come to us and trade with the
world, under the flag of the Confederate States and
through the ports of the Gulf of Mexico mainly. If
however, sub SletiO you have really determined to
abandon the ideas, customs and institutions of your
fathers. no earthly power overcome the attrac-
ton which keeps you within the anti-slavery repub-
lie of the North, and the consequent diversion of
your trade to the North and East
To deal frankly, many peEzons in this Confeder-
acy, deriving their views from such publications
as that you enclosed to me,) apprehensive that
your citizens are already demoralized on the SUBJ
ject of slavery and estranged from those who main
tain it; for myself, having, as / think better
knowledge Of your people, their instincts and modes
of thought, have never doubted that, in the end,
they would unite with US, who offer them fraterni-
ty, protection TO common interests and glorious
future of independence and prosperity.
am, ny dear sir, respectfully and truly,