The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1861-03-27
The Navigation of the River.

Some of the western journals in discussing the sub
iect of the free navigation of the Mississippi give
very enlarged construction ofthese words They reason
and complain though they understood by the term
not merely the right of unobstructed transit through
the whole length Of the river the but the right
free intercourse with all the States upon its borders
They argue indeed from the law Of nations and the
nature of compacts, and the faith OF treaties that
equal participation in the free navigation of the Misss
sipp from its source the sea is inherent right of
all the States upon its upper waters When we concede
this unreservedly, and pass ordinances and make laws
tie respect and guard this right of transit find that
after ALL more is meant than the right of navigating the
river They appear to assume that the freedom of
transit the river includes freedom of trade with the
States everywhere, where it touches Absolutely as
though the Union still unbroken. The Nashville
Banner, indeed, places it the following grounds
We only have the national right to the navigation
Of the Mississippi but that right secured to by the
provisions of the constitution; in reference to which
right as well as every other that the people of the
seeding States possess of Tennessee placed by
that said instrument upon the footing as those
people themselves. Thus, the customhouse at New
Orleans is the property of the people of Tennessee by
the title that it is the property of the people of
Lousiana aud for the latter seize appropriate it
themselves and demand that we shall submit under
our roof, their regulations and mpositions can
in the end lead to nothing less than bloodshed and in
tesne war.
The only meaning assignabe to this ferocious iarbe
is that Tennessee will tolerate the collection of du-
ties within the confederate States on the products of
Tennessee brought here by river for consumption within
the confederate States The only regulations made BY
the southern tariff refer to the collection of revenue on
certain articles imported from all places within the
confederacy So far the Mississippi river concerned
there regulations which have not for their excu-
sive object the prevention of illegal imports into the
States There which obstruct the free transit
through their territory by the river the sea If Ten.
has anything she to send here by herver
J az al nuV oth frye
must pay duty If she wants to send anything abroad
by the way of the Mississippi river she may do so with
no other distractions than the indispensable precauton
required to prevent smuggling. If she wishes to send
them abroad she has the privilege of warchousng and
deposit and the right expectation with benefit OF
drawback on all duties Nothing is designed or prov
died. except for the single purpose of preventing illicit
trade The navigation of the Mississippi from its
to the sea, is free provided only that it be used
defraud the revenues Of independent government
! The pretension set up in the Banner--and we omit
the language Of fierce and furious denunciation with
which it is accompanied, that the upper States OF
the Mississippi not only right of free navigation
by the Mississippi to the sea- but they have the right OF
/ unlimited free trade within Louisiana.
Reduced to its simple elements the doctrine asserted
Is that the seeded States had no right to reserve and
have acquired none-and that Tennessee will 60 in for
coercing them Indeed the Banner speaks with some
mpaence of 'the extreme forbearance of the govern
ment' and the "mmobility of the neghborinp States
| provoking the bolt Of retrbution and ruin
II such conflict comes it is very plain that it will
not be from any real ground of complaint about the
free navigation of the Mississippi. [Picayune.
The GEORGIA CoNvENTIoS-The principal subject
before this body, since its reassembng at Savannah
is the reduction of the legislature of Georgia Severa
propositions before the convention and there is
siderable diversity of opinion as to the power of th
body to act upon question outside of the act which
convened 1t. However, reduction is inperatively
called for by the people no impropriety in the
convention maturing and adopting plan and submitting
the same to vote Of the people for ratification or ree
ton We hope also that the convention will have the
good sense and modesty to let the people have voice
IN the question Of the permanent constitution of tbe
confederate States. Surely, in so important matter
the State convention should not transcend the mowers
conferred upon it and bind its constituency for all time
to measures of government which they NAV not
i There Is another thing which we wish this body will
not overook-and that is, that the people have con
TERED no power upon make itself perpetual When
1t has finished the business which it has been called
let 1t have the grace to say amen and fall back into t
original individuality The provisional government
being fairly organised for the confederate States what
need IS there for the continuance Of an imnerium in
lmperlo and still another little wheel inside The egisla
tlre OF Geoga to keep things straight? In the opinion
Of very many the State conventions should all be flacts
oHlcio, Immediately, if not sooner. Georgia Citizen
The jackson Mississippian announces the death Of
Hoa Daniel kayes formerly Of HopkinsvilIe Kerteky