Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1861-04-12
For the Chronicle.
Reconstruction of the Union.
EOW CAN IT BE EFFECTED !

you use the following language:
A friend wants to know why-f we are in fa-
"yor Of seeding in the event the North win not
concede our rights-we do not advocate mmedi-
ate secession. We have two good and sufficient
reasons: One is, we are for the Union as long as
p" there is a chance to save it and live in it with
"perfect equality and without dshonor"
1t seems to me to be great msapprehension of
the true condition of our political difficulties to talk
or even think, now of saving the Union after sew
en- States have declared themselves separated from
it; and not only effected complete separation, but
have formed themselves into distinct Confedera-
cy-performing the functions and exercising the
highest powers of an independent government, such
as maintaining an army contracting loans on the
faith of its public bonds, and collecting revenue un-
der . tariff law of its own adoption. The separa-
ton is not only real and actual, but rendered as
complete and effectual as ii can be made by the for
nation of the seeding portion into distinct Con-
federacy, exercising the prerogatives of an in
dependent sovereignty 1t is important that this fact
should be realized and duly weighed in devsing
remedies for our present political troubles.
1t now becomes purely question of reconstruct
ing our broken and divided Union, and in no other
sense can your expression of Saving the Union
have any meaning or force whatever The impor-
tant point to be decided now is, chow can the Union
be Reconstructed" and upon correct decision de-
pends the Of the ISSUE if it can ever be ac
complshed at all. At best it viii be an exceed
ingy delicate task to bring together, in harmony
and friendship, people once united, but now sepa-
rated politically, and in mutual hostility engendered
by long sectional conflict; and especially will it
be difficult to induce proud aud high-minded peo-
pie thus separated because they feel aggrieve d. to
abandon and give up a government which tn ey have
established for the purpose of securing their rights
and voluntarily come back and re-uuite themselves
to people whom they regard as their oppressors
Such an instance can scarcely be found in history
have thought much on this subject and can see
uut one way in which reconstruction of the Union
can be effected, and am not smguine that it can
be done in this way If effected at ALL it can
only be done by the adoption of the Montgomery
Constitution by such States as desire re-construc-
tion; otherwise it will utterly and surely fail The
Border Slave States are deeply and vitally involved
in the ISSUE for its success depends their secur-
ty their prosperity, and almost everything concern
ing them except their bare existence as States. If
they allow the separation to continue permanently
as it now exists, they will gradually become i'm
povershed and ultimately cease to be slave States
Their only reliance to accomplish a reconstruction
and thereby save themselves is to plant themselves
on the basis of the Montgomery Constitution in a
Convention of the Border States, or otherwise, as
they may choose, and depend upon time to accom-
plish it. If successful at all, it will be n work of
time
The Influences which will chiefly operate to settle
this issue, and decide whether live perma-
nently divided people or not are ye' to make
their impression and become generally understood
There is one influence we can appreciate however,
and that is that such people compose the sece-
ding States will not abandon and undo what they
have done and come back into the Union except up
on a basis in the highest degree satisfactory to
themselves Those who suppose otherwise, mistake
the temper and spirit of the people. The writer has
lived among them for six years, and knows them
better. He Travelled to-day, with very intelligent
Georgia planter, who stated that he had always be-
longed to the conservative party in Georgia-that
he a strong Union man last fall, and supported
the cooperation ticket in the election of delegates
to the Convention. lie says there is now no Union
party in Georgia; that he knows the public senti-
ment Of the State as well as any man in it, and
that he does not know solitary man, in the State,
who would now be willing to take the Crittenden
Propositions ahd come back into the Union He
says, further, that they would gladly have taken
them before going out of the Union, and coul2sav
whipped the Secessionists with them, badly but
they now regard themselves as having been driven
to secession by the North--that they pledged their
honor to abide 10y and sustain the decision of
the State--that they have already borne a part of
the burdens produced by the change, and, finally,
that they could get back into the Union without
civil war among themselves. lie represents that
the Cooperation, or old Union party, will support
the new Government with as much determination
as any party in the State. He is intimate with A.
H, Stephens, and knows this TO be his position. |
learn from gentleman who has just Travelled thro'
mississippi that he found the sentiment existing
in that State even among those who opposed seces-
sion.
But the leading influences to operate upon the
whole country in the decision OF this question, are
commercial interests. 1t is not to be supposed that
so great change can take place in the internal po-
N;ical relations Of great commercial nation with
out being followed by powerful commercial chan
gcs, increasing the prosperity of one section and
destroying, in some degree at least, the wealth Of
the other sections. A divided Union will necessa-
Irily lead to divided commerce
1 In this change there can be no question but that
the seeding States will he benefited aud enriched
No man can consider the question in all of its ten,
denotes, and come to any other conclusion. The
South holds in hcrhands the commercial power Of
thc whole country upon which the commerce Of the
entire nation has been built because she makes the
exporting products OF the country. Besides hel
wealth is from the most reliable and independent
sourcc-the soil She does not make single stapl,