Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-09-10


. than she shall be deprived of the monopoly Of T.
finest market in the world for her manufacturt
and smpplng. he may think that this war is
thing that will pay;7 unlike the last war with En-
land, which New England would not support b
cause It was "a thing that would net pay" and
get rid of which she loudly threatened Sscsssio,
But he should bethink himself before be desolstS
those eleven States, whether New England can a
ford much blood or treasure in killing the goes
that lays the golden egg for her benefit.
Another Senator, reputed leader, said he prC
posed to lead the President the whole power Of th
csuntry-arms, men, mOney-"and place them /
bis hands with authority almost unlimited" q
want" be said, sudden, bold determined fOrwar
war; and do not think anybody can conduct wa
OF that kind as well aa q dictatOr.n This il III
avOwal Of the deliberate purpose to commit fou
treason against the Constitution in shameless dis
regard Of his oath for its support These atrociou
sentiments he deliberately uttered twice IN rbt
senate without any adequate rebuke. Had they
been uttered in the Revolution Congress they vouli
have met Withering rebuke. Tradition tells u,
that at the Rloomiest period Of the Revolution
when British army was raysging Virginia, pro
position was made In her Legislature to make Pat,
rick Henry dictator. The patriot CoFbin, q warm
friend OF Henry rebuked the prOpOseF and silenced
the proposition, by calmly saying, Your dictate
| rial crown to his brow, my dagger to his hearta
That was the appropriate, indignant manner il,
which the true men of the Revolution rebuked such
infamy. Tradition has lenienty forborne to trans
proposer has secured himself against oblivion. In
enduring print he stands selfgbbeted, a lasting
object for national scorn and Indignation. Perhaps
he thinks he can afford this BE no doubt looks
for high reward The papers tell us he was
promptly offered the reward Of Brigadiership
This he sensibly refused. He deserves much more
than that Why, the papers tell US that Repre-
sentative from Maryland was paid that much for
publicly thanking the President for the ignoniaious
degradation Of his State. If those papers speak
Il IL
Supreme Judgeship for equalling the illustriOus
rail splitter with WashiDgton-ay, showing that be
is to be greater national beDefactor than even
Washington. Now this Senator has not only be-
sto we'd nearly equal adulanon, but by votes, and
profuse public promises, has shown himself pre-.
pared to gorge the utmost greed Of the President
for power. 9e wants him to become a dictator.
What position can be too high pay for him?
In former, recent publication, the writer, from
faith in the Presidents supposed amisbihty aud
reputation for integrity in private life gave him
exemption from imputed design to erect despotic
power on the ruins Of the Constitution for his
benefit or that of his party. That exemption must
now be retracted. More recent developments have
destroyed SO Iauch faith in that smiabdity and re
puted integrity. His perseverance, since the meet
ing of Congress- in reiterated gross, wanton useless
violations of the Constitution shows that he has no
consideration, such an honest man would have |
for the obligations Of his oath to support the CORs
tuition, or the obligations Of duty as citizen and
L
life he has shown himself anything but amiable as
a President. Those developments, in connection /
with the terrible disclosure Of views by his ndis-
Greet partisans on the floors of Congress, require
doubts to be substituted for that exemption. Wheth
er he lacks intelligence to see the infinite perma>
rent injury he is inAichng upon the country by his
bad example-whether he is possessed by the weak
mans foible, and is seeking vengeance for all the
Opprobrium cast by the South upon himself and
his party-whether be has joined a conspiracy for
liz
'uins of the COnsttutOn-or whether he has blind
y yielded himself TO the guidance Of bad men, who
AVE fastened themselves upon him, and who viii
urely lead him to his own perdtiOn, that of the
ountry, must be left for after developments to de-
armiue.
As an Indication of the purpose of the ruling par
7 to clothe its chief with Dictatorship all notice
hoUld not be omitted of 8 bill pending before the
enate at the adjournment of Congress, which
TOuld have passed if there had been time, as prov
by test votes, and which, no doubt will pass at
he next session. 1t substantially gives the Presi
ent or the military commander power to declare
lartal Law over any State or district proclaimed
D be in rebellion. It says. "the commander shall
lake such pehce rules and regulations as he may
ee necessary TO suppress rebellion, and all the civil
uthorities shall be bound to carry said rules and
equations into eect;" but if they fnil TO do so,
hen the commander shall enforce them. What Is | I
leant by police regulations necessary to suppress
ebellion" no man can tell unless it means, as it
link necessary. Here is power to be given, and :
Jmmsnd to legisate over n entire State. Nor is
lis confined to such States as have no organized 7
Vi government, except such is aiding rebellion,
ut applies equally 70 any State which the Presi-
ent may choose to declare IN rebellion though it
rs loyal government honestly aiding in the sup I
resson of the rebellion. Another section suspsnds
le writ Of habedS corpus to all persons detained
2 military authority without saying how long b
le suspension shall last Another section SAYS 'al
nd in Nbn ffo1 Geaf1o /
otsTJ0se aiding their enemies, shall be detained
risoners for trial. may at once be placed before
court martial to be deal. with according to the /
lies of war in respect to unorganized armed bands
0t recognized as regular troops, {
What those rules Of war is the writer does not Z
now, but supposes they authorize ieath But what n
Tery lawyer and every of intelligence does n
now Is, that this is a most disgTssefully loose D
ode of legislation even if Congress had the power
this referring to the unknown and unsscertaina-
e 'rules of war" to determine whether citizen o
lal be shot by order of court martial or shall Il
I've fair trial by the law of the land If a citi~ 4
n not IN arms is found doing what court martial d
ay choose to think an aiding Of the Rebels, he a
ay be instantly shot. This Is solemn legislation b
r free Republic. What an admirable engine for
rannieal persecution Jackson thought respect Z
/ published remOnstrance sgRinst the continuance n
his martial law, long after the,defest and with
avail of the enemy, was an aiding of the enemy, | b
d prosecuted the publisher before q court mar Z,
Il
at any spoken, written, or printed censure Of the
esident, the commander or one Of their subOrdi f;
ties or any other trivial matter at which either may
oose to take personal ofense-such, for instance q
eensure of AbolitOnism-is an aiding of the eEe- u
y? :,
Another section, in the tenderness Of cOngres. ~
NAL mercy, says that sentence of death shall no. :
inflicted upon persons taken in srmsn without Ii
approval of the commander Of the military dis hi
ct, leaving the persons taken not in arms to be nj
executed without any such approval "
The two sections taken together, authorize the OF
mmander of military district, and his packed ei
urt martisls to institute indiscrimnate massa- lii
Of all prisoners however and for whatever Ia OF
D. contrary 70 the usages OF all civilized warfare II
en- among hostile nations, and which usages as W
publicists agree the least bloody that should
tain in carrying OF civil war. e1
t there be lower depth of infamy not yet at
ned in these times Of political prostitution and bi
kess subserviency to power this BILL when pass Ia
will plumb that depth. Baseness can dive no III
sper into the peol of depreciation TO permit in
2ked court martial contrary to the usages Of civ op
var, recognized in all the civil wars Of England re
in our own long FolUhOn2ry war to authorize en-
massacre of prisoners taken with arms in their up
IDS, would be lasting disgrace inflicted upon an
character of the nation, for which even the ly
IS of every member voting for the bill would be ex
lie more than an adequate atonement. Their last ha
disgrace, with every intelligent man here and pr
oad now, and in the long future, ia part of the Ur
alty they will certainly have to pay Sc keen is mi
II appetite for blood and Vengeance, that they vi
reckless of the fact, that such procedure ne Th
sary involves the equal massacre Of all EOrth> the
men taken prisoners by the armies Of the the
lth. But, worse than even this, if worse