Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-04-25
The Character of the War-The Du-
nv of the South.

nv OF the South.
Co far as we are able TO judge from the
,ass of facts which have reached us and the
,n.voidable deductions from them. the war
which the Administration at Washington has
forced upon the country is not to retain the
character of a vindieation of the Constitu-
ton and laws as is now asserted to be its
purpose. The first demonstration was not a
defence either of the North or the Constitu-
tion but an invasion of the South. 1t was
but the frat step in the bloody and brutal
programme for the subjugati0n of the South
and the practical assertion OF the equality of
races on the American continent. The ex-
ten.iye preparations and ornaments at Bos-
ton and New York before the occurrences at
For. Sumter, and the vigorous measures by
which those movements have been followed
ND, exclude every other hypothesis than that
the South is to be subjugated at any cost and
at all hazards. We have already given ex-
pressions from Northern journals indicating
this purpose. Each day snd each hour brings
its confirmation. The war is not against the
seeded States, but against the South and its
institutions. 1t includes every foot OF terri
tory In all the slaEeholding States. Its re-
solve is to make an end at once and forever
by force of the peculiar institution which
gave rise to our differences. Our readers
know how slow, perhaps fatally slow, We
were to accept these conclusions; bat we now
have no room to doubt. determination, or
absolute and unconditional subjugation is
the alternative presented to u.s. Who can
now doubt Who can adduce at this hour of
the day one single opposing fact? If the war
is against the seeded States alone, why are
our daily bushes. matters interfered with
Why are the railroads concentrating at Lou
isviIIe from the other side of the Ohio river
taken possession Of and positive interdict
placed upon the delivery Of provisions and
munitions in that city, Why is it that no
boat can pass along the usual highways of
our commerce. the Mississippi and Ohio riy-
ers, without being overhauled and searched
by fanaticaI, unlawful and revolutionary
committees, backed by the proximity OF IA
natical, unlawful and revolutionary mObs.
and all sustained If not directly instigated
by the Administration at Washington Why
is the free intercourse between Nashville and
Saint Louis, both situated South of given
line, both belonging to slayeholdIng States.
practically stopped at Cairo by the minions
of this new dispenser of despotic DEGREES at
the national capital: Why is it that abe sele-
graph gives Us only such information as
il may suit the whims or the settled designs |
Of q miserable abortion of Republication to |
ALLOW the people Of the South to reeeive?-
Who will answer: Who can cherish hope |
of peace when every breath of air that reach |
Is us from the North is freighted with war, |
and with the account OF preparations 10 make |
it of the most desoiatiDg and prolonged |
character Who in all the South can fold his |
arms and cry, a little more sleep, little |
more slumber, q little more folding the arms |
togetherf
The South the whole South, at the sacri- |
fee of every consideration of minor import, |
must take counsel of knowledge and act upon |
facts She must meet the armies of the |
North on the threshold, and contest every |
inch of ground over which hes maddened |
enemy seeks to pass Her sons shall lock
shields from the Rio Grsnde to the Chesa-
peake; they shall pour out their blood, and,
if need be, make bridges of their dead bodies
over which the foe shall reach their homes
and fresides, if at all. Who wants desc
lated fields? ruined homes? scattered fami-
lies Who wants subjugatiOn? degradation?
dishonor? Before such questions who can
enter into q foolish contest with his brother
about words, or names, or flags, or notions?
1t is grave undertaking; it is a mOmen-
toas enterprise; at best it involves unknown
peril and untold suffering. and we must now
make up our minds to accept the conse-
1uences The odds are against US, in men
and munitions aud money. In all the appli- :
.nces of war we are inferior, but there is {
Power above that Of men, and IN Justice we !
nave strength beyond that of armies. Let
unity and courage but prevail in our coun- 1
'els and all will be well. 1t may be years
before this contest is ended, but it ought not
o be ended before Right and Justice and
Honor are indicated. If it is nominaIly
nded before, it will be but half finished Let
his by ali means be understood at the be-
ginning