Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-12-04
he Political movement OF Fernando
Wood.

We can scarcely credit the report that FERNANDO
WooD of New York asks the suffrages of the people
of that city upon the basis of peace and of deear
ing it free city. If public sentiment in New York
has arrived at such point that influential and
prominent citizsn now its Mayor, dares to proclaim
his advocacy of such measure, it is significant of
great aad sudden political reaction that we had
deemed an improbable event at this time. Sixty
days ago the man who might have had the temerity
to become the champion of such scheme, would
have instantly been imprisoned in the LINCOLN Bas-
tile. The advocacy of peace, but few days ago,
was openly and universally denounced as treason
by the Government journals, and its advocates
were subjected to arrest and Imprisonment.
BUTT is now announced that Mr.. WooD. the Mays
or, is a candidate for reelection, upon the basis we
have referred to- and that the Herald is his organ
and advocate.
It is a well understood fact that the city of New
York is ard has ever been Influenced in her polti>
cal action by her commercial interest. The inva-
riable vote Of her people against the Black Repub
ican party was controlled by this policy. Her
seeming opposition to the war, until the conflict WIS
rendered inevitable by the attempt of LINCOLN to
provision Fort Sumter, originated in the strong
luctance to surrender her trade with the South
which had rendered her the commercial metropolis
Of the new world In her concession to the fierce
war sentiment of the North, she YVES again inf1u-
enced solely by her cupidity. She hoped to regain
by coercion what she had failed to retain by her
influence with the North in favor of Cancellation
and compromise.
If she has now undergone 30 marked and sud
den revolution as to sustain the doctrine of Mr..
WooD there can be but one key to the mystery. 1t
is that her people have finally and fully despared
of reconstructing the Union by the subjugation of
the South, and finding that her trade is not to be
restored by SO fOrlorn a prospect, she has deter
mined to cut loose from the corrupt and sinking
Government of the Black Republicans, and to be-
come q candidate for the trade of the South, by
hoistiRg the flag of peace. Such q determination
would argue thorough despair of the success Of
LINCOLN, in his scheme of subjugation.
Coming from the great city of New York, II
would be death.bIow to the war. Whether it shall
Immediately parslyse the power of the Federal
arms, its ultimate influence must be disastrous to
the LINCOLN cause not only from its effect in dlvi.
ding the people and weakening the Government, but
from the moral power it will exert Abroad and the
final conviction that must result Of an utterly pros
significant would be such an event that no victory
that the Confederate arms could achieve would be
half so potential in its consequences.
1t is too late, however, for the city of New York
to assume such position with view to regain
her trade with the South Half century of hyp
ocritical repentance cannot wipe cut the memory
Of the brutal deeds of her soldiery and the mon
strous sentiments of her politicians in this war to
subjugate and degrade the Confederate States.
Abandonment OF the Columbus ExpedE-
Iions
The Hessians seem to have been forced to absn-
don their contemplated attack upon Columbus, by
the energy and daring Of Gen. STERLING PRICs,
who, by his advance upon St. Louis, has recalled
their troops from Cairo and Paducah. If our other
Generals do not exhibit the energy Of Gen. PRICE
in creating and handling armies, they will permit
him to become the great hero of the war.