Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-10-05

| Secession is now an accomplished fact; fol
| the Federal Government can more exer
| else authority in the seeding States than i
| can affect to regulate the Government oil
Canada or of this country. In support of &
| Union which does not survive, it not only
| wages a costly and unsuccessful war, but il
destroys every vestige of that freedom which
| once was the pride and the boast of the An.
| glo-Saxon race in America.
1t is said that the Confederate States have
| announced their intention to prohibit the ex,
portation of cotton so long as foreign powers
| admit the validity OF the Federal blockade
| They hope by this threat to coerce England
| and France into the recognition of their ma
| tional independence and sovereignty. CUES
| tions of blockade can only be determined by
| the law and practice of nations. No case
| calling for decision has yet arisen, but when
| it does arise little doubt can be entertained
| that every tribunal, except, perhaps, in Anne
| RIGA. would determine the question according
| to the declaration OF the treaty of Paris. The
recognition of de factO independence, as in the
case of the Spansh-American provinces
Greece and Belgium, rests upon an entirely
different basis; and, when the proper occasion
arises, we have as little doubt that it will be
met and decided in strict conformity with the
modern pu bic law of Europe. But the South
ern States have recently announced that, with
the exception of the article relating to priva-
teers they will, with regard to neutral goods,
contraband of war, and the validity of the
blockade, scrupulously adhere to the decla-
ration of the Congress of Paris. In other
words, they are willing to act in concert with
the more humane views of European nations
so long as they can preserve and exercise the
right of commissioning privateers. We re-
greet that the Southern States should, from
a mistaken view of interest. adhere to this
barbarous relic of the middle ages. 1t is a
weapon more formidable against innocent
commerce than against the enemy's trade /;
but it is based upon that principle of mill
tia navy which, until lately, both sections of
public men in America concurred in support
| ing.
We believe that it is useless and danger
Gus expedient, and that, Notwithstanding the
temporary success of the Sumter and other
cOrsairs, it will lead to no practical or bene-
| fetal result. But. whilst we see the South in
regard 10 at least three great principles Of mIri-
time acarf fare, acting in concert Nth the PolOerS
| Of Europe, we see that a reign of terror has
been inaugurated in the North. Not only is
| the press silenced, but a system of espionage
has been established which has sent the May
or of Washington to Fort Lafayette, and has
actually subjected women to its savage and
arbitrary rule. The passport system, in its
most odious form, has been introduced in the
North. The spies of the Federal Government
are on board every steamer which arrives at
New York or Boston. An American gentle
man, who recently returned to America after
a visit to this country, solely on mercantile
affairs was seized Immediately upon landing
from the Persia, and his property was confis-
Gated. The excuse was that he had been in
England engaged in the task of negotiating
loan for the Secession States. We allude to
the case of Mr.. Serrill, whose liberty has been
coerced and his property confiscated upon
the Information of Federal spies. All this
has been done in spite of evidence which
shows that Mr.. Serrill had no political mis-
sion in England, and that the large sum of
money found upon him was his own money,
which he intended to employ in legitimate
mercantile operations. A more gross and in
iquitous case has never occurred, and it may
be hoped that this injured gentlemen, upon
an accurate knowledge of the facts, will at
once be set at liberty. If We desired to sum
up for the benefit of Mr.. Bright and his sup
porters the practical result of the American
Democracy, that result would be irresponsi-
bic military tyranny, the suspension of the
habeas corpus act, the sitting of the press, and
the wholesale production of system of pass
ports and spies. In fact. more outrages have
been perpetrated upon individual liberty in
the Northern States than even King Bomba
attempted to commit in Naples. The Pro-
clamation OF martial law at New York is not
only an evidence of national rottenness and
decay, but shows how, in the moment of dis
aster ana dismay, subservieat and excited
population may surrender all the freedom
and liberty for which they have contended
during nearly a century.