Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-05-15
NUMBER 60

ces Of tie people, add ths danger OF doing ANYTHING
that might turn them against the governments. NJ.
Lincoln has no power to make war against the
South; the Congress alone coud rive h 70 him. sa5
that IS not hkey 70 % given. because Congress in
not be assembled befors the usual ti,, rrlI,s. jer.
the pressure Of an im9erious necesTltv. :
Why, then hold the forts At sIl9 Whv not g;va
them up Why DOT withdraw the rsrrisous. strike
the flag, and cease to keep up useless source Of
irritation in the midst Of the Southern Coufedara4es-
The answer to these questions is: These forts are
Federal property. The Government does not A.
knowledge the existence of any right on the mari of
the people Of the States to seize them appertain
ing to the Individual States. The forts are protests
against the acts Of violence which the Federal
authority has yielded elsewhere. They are more
over the Poiats dappu, small as they are, On which
the Federal Government can rest its resistaBee %
the claims Of the Southern Confederation to be
knowledged a. independent Republic. II they
were surrendered without attack or without the
existence Of any pressure arising from the refusal
OF the Southern authorities 70 permit them % get
supplies, which is an act Of war, the case Of tho
United States Government. would be, they consider,
materially weakened II il be observed that these
Iors have no strategic value. il may readily be ~
pued that their political value is very great But
serious as these considerations may be, or may b
thought to be- with resnect to foregu reIstiOs tbe-
are in reference % domestic politics still NOR.
~sSLity lndueements 70 hold them. The effect pro
c1ced IN the North and Northwest BY an attack on
tne Iorts while the United States Tag Is floating over
them would be a. useful 70 thu Gova~au,sat Al
Washington the efects Of sbanjoni1e, ths fe,t
or tsnlely surrencering them would be hurtful Z,
them N the estimation Of the extreme Beoibliears
desperate attack. gallant defence. the she5line
Of the blood OF gallant men, whose duty il 1as-t0
defend that intrusted to their kseping and who
yielded only to numbers-she outrage on the A-sr
lean fsg-would c-este Al excitement In The Jnior
which the South, with all It's deterrninstioo All
courage, is unwilling 70 provoke, but which ths
Government would be forced to use IN il own ser
wee.
Such an event must lead to wa--Ss vs-v terrihl.
and merc;less var; and both parties pznss before
they resort to that court Of arms. Unless tha Bor-
der States JOIN the South, Mr. Jefferson Davis could
scarcely hope 20 carry out the grand projects which
are attributed TO his military genius Of marching
noFthHards and debating terms on their own soil to
the Republicans. BE could scarcely venture %
leave the negro population unguarded in his rear,
and his fsnzs menaced By the sea borne Northern
ers on one side, and by such operations As the
watersheds significantly Indicate on the other. Is
IS idle 70 speculate the incidents Of that which
may never occur, and which, occurring may a-surne
the insignificant aspect Of border skrnishes the
tremendous proportions Of q war Of races and
creeds intensified BY the worst elements or serviIe
and civil conflict. The Government Of Mr.. Lincoln
hope and believe that the contest may be sycrted-
The Commissioners Of the SoNth are inclined %
think, also there viii be peaceful solutiOn--ob--
tanned of COURSE by full concession and recognition.
IL.
Already they have begun the system of coercion.
The supplies Of the garrison st Sumter viii be cut
of henceforth, If they are not already forbidden.
They do not fear the moral effect OF this act, for
some OF their leading men actually believe that
nothing can stop the progress Of . movement which
will. they fondly think, absorb all the other States
of the Union, and leave the New England States %
form an Insignificant Republic of lis own, with a
possibe larger destiny in Canada. Their opponents
in the North ere fully satisfied that the direct Ne
all
utter ruin of all their States the moment they are
left to themselves.
The Government is elated at the Buecess Of the
loan. and Mr. Chase has taken high g-0und in rsfis
ing offers made TO him yesterday, and in resolving
to issue Government securities for the balance Of
the amount required 70 complete the amount. Mr..
Forsyth one OF the Southern Commissioners. who
has Just returned from New York here, il equally
satisfied with the temper Of parties in that city and
seems TO think that the New 1Orkers are preparing
for secession. But, though States may be
sovereign, il has never been asserted that cities
portions Of States so, and in the western and
northern portions Of the State Of New York there
is large agricultural population which, with the
sid of Government, would very speedily suppress
any attempt to secede on the part of the city, If
men are 70 be believed who shy they know the cir
cumstances Of the case. Virgins is claimed by
both sides, but accounts this morning are to the
effect that the Seeessonists have been defeated
division by vote Of two to one in favor of the
Union and, although Gen. Houston appears 70 be
forced to accept the situation for tine, there are
many who think he viii organize strong rsactisn
against the dominant SecessiOnists. ->-ss-r
Whatever may be the result Of al these diverse
actions; the Great Republic is gene The shape
of the fragments Is not yet determined any more
than their fate They may re-unite, but the cohs-
sion can never be perfect The. Ship Of Stats
was built upon too many plstforrls there we're
too many eieers on board, perhaps the principles
of construction were erronsous the rigid cast iron
old constitution guns burst violently when tried
with new prOleetiles-any way, those who adhere
with most devotion TO the vessel admit thRs it is
parted right amidships, and that its prestige has
vanished. TIE most desperate Of these would
gladly see enemy, or go out Of their way 20
find one. in the hops Of a common bond OK union
being discovered in 3 common animozity and
danger. -.---.-
TIE naval preparations, OF which you win hear
good deal, are intended TO make good existing
Deficiencies. At any other tine the setiOn ef Spain
in ST. Domingo would create cry for war. Now.
all the Federal Government can do is to demand
and receive explanations. In reply to Mr. Stewards
inquiries the Spanish Minister has possibly stated
that the recent events in St. Domingo have been
caused by the acts ard tkrsRts Of Hsyti, which
forced the Dominicans 70 call in the aid ard claim
the protection os Spain
There have been several attempts from TINE 70
time TO induce France 70 assume tie dominion o.
its former possession, and it is not unkely that an
excellent understanding exists between the Court
of MaGrid and tie Emperor Napoleon in reference
to the subject. The report thas the Aexleans have
mode or Contemplate making an attack on Teas, n
scarcely worthy of credsnce. s.
mas to tho Morrill, tariff, can only repeat v hat !
have already said. IL must be borne till results
show that cannot be persisted in. Then only will
it be repealed OF modified. The theory Of the
Government is that the Up:sd States aivsys taxes
far more from Europe than il can psy for. I" II shs
revenue ia collected there q ne ground for con-
plant. The English and French manufacturer win
be satisfied az well IS the Northern population Ii
the revenue is no: collected. then the tariff must be
repealed. and that will be done within the year X
the mischis1 is serious Birmingham, WOlTer-
hampton, and Manchester mist make the best they