The national Republican., 1861-03-13
CONFLICT OF ALLEGIANCE,

looking back, no working for reconstruction,
for in the nature of things this could not be.
Men who reside among us must work for US,
and with us. IF they take any part, directly or
indirectly, against us, it is plotting treason, and
they must suffer the consequences. 1ncendia.
ries and incendiarism must be crushed out"
Union man Of one Of the Confederated
States, who does not recognise the right Of Sc.
cession, and who consequently believes that he
is.still o citizen Of the United States, must be
sorely puzzled in reconciling the conflicting
claims to his allegiance. He is really under
three Governments-State, Confederate, and
United States. Two of these are concurrent,
but they both conflict with the third. Now, it
ispret:y evident, from the charge Of Judge Har.
ris, aud other indications Of public sentiment,
is likely to be tolerated the advocacy of the
Union will be "incendiary," and working for
a reconstruction rank treason" 1t would be,
however, very easy to do indirectly that in ref.
erence to which direct action would be treason.
able. A disAffected citizen of one of the Con-
federate States could advocate the secession Of
his own State from the new Confederacy, and,
when this was accomplished, then argue re.
turn to the old Union.
This doctrine Of "peaceable secession" will
be almost sure to return to plague the inventors
of it, and it makes their present Government a
mere rope Of sand. In all other respects, it has
not ore element Of stability or strength. Origin.
ated by political gamblers, in revenge for loss
Of power, and under the sway of mad amb.
ton, and adopted by a frenzied mob, it is a
manifest political abortion. 1t had its birth in
no calm and deliberate judgment of the peo-
pie; it was called into being by no great ma.
tional exigency, as the result Of an universal
uprising from irtolerable oppression. There
was not the slightest need of it; it had no mis-.
sion. 1t has worked no change in the political
to transfer their allegiance from Washington to
Montgomery. 1t has not advanced q single
material interest; and the only way they will
know the difference between their present and
former Government will be by the vastly in.
creased burden Of taxation. Born of a mere
popular impulse, when the impulse dies out, the
Government dies with it. 1t has the sympathies
Of no other people on the face Of the earth. 1t
is utterly without resources and without credit
and could not negotiate dollar Of its loan in
any stock market Of Europe. There are almost
insuperable difficulties in the way of the adop
ton of any system of taxation, and the resort
to voluntary contributions and forced loans
must be in its nature o mere temporary expe.
dent. We can see, then, nothing in the moral
sentiment in which it had its origin, in the po-
litical changes it effects, or in the material ben.
efts it confers, which gives the least promise Of
its permanence.
Already the murmurs of dissatisfaction begin
to be heard in the Confederate States, as the
charge Of Judge Harris is a significant indca.
ton. The cost of revolution is beginning to be
counted, and in the secret heart of the people,
if not openly, the question arises, whether it is
worth all the vast expenditure of money which
has been made and to incur the danger Of civil
war, merely for the qualification of calling JEFF
ierson Davis President rather than Abraham
Lincoln. Let time be given for the subsideuce
the ripening of the fruit of experience, and the
work of preservation of the American Union
may be safely left to the people of the South
itself.
Occasional" the Washington correspond.
ent of the Philadelphia Press is responsible for
the following:
1.-TWO of the three Commissioners appointed
by the Southern Confederacy, to treat with the
Federal Government, are now in this city. The
third, Mr.. Roman Of Louisiana, according to
the New Orleans True Delta, has declined TO
accept, having become utterly disguised with
the whole disunon experiment; and one of
those now here is reported to have admitted,
since his arrival, that he and his friends have
made grand mistake"
The New SECRETARY OF THE TREAsURY.-
We venture TO say, that brief term in the
Cabinet will work revolution of feeling
with respect to Mr.. Chase, and that many of
the prejudices which are now entertained to.
wards him will disappear. Mr.. Chase served
two terms as Governor of this state, and made
one of the ablest, most efficient, and popular
Governors Ohio ever had.
This his bitterest enemies will concede. The
charge of radicalism against him, as far at
least as its present application is concerned,
we know to be unjust Whatever radical views
he may have formerly possessed, time aud ex.
perience have soitened down, and in the prac.
teal administration Of the Government, we
have no fears in predicting that, like Mr.. Sew.
ard, he will be found emineutly national and
conservative, while his admirable qualities for
leading position on the ship Of Slute, during
the perilous storm which she is now weather.
ing, will very soon manifest themselves.-Cin.
cinnati Gazette.
One communion Sunday, an old Kentucky
soldier, who had fought under Gen. jackson at
New Orleans, aud knew well what manner of
man he had been, attended the Hermitage
Church, and saw the aged warrior kneel rever.