Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-05-15

| see'' Wnetner the commissioners consent TO walk
up and down in the sail des pas psTdtts any longer.
Iaey are armed with full powers on all questions
MnI.I can come up for settlement The Govern
Inens mas refused to receive them or to take any
oIcial nouee OF them whatever, but there is reason
~ oeise,e Snes CERTAIN propositions and negotiations
haVe Oeen laio before Mr.. Seward in a private and
unofnclal manner, to which no reply of a definite
character has been given Before This iattar che.
you Mr. Yancy, M Mann. and Mr. Rust wiz have
arrived IN Eufops 70 ny the temper Of the Gov
| ernments Of England and France in reference 10
the recognition Of the Southern States. Both mar,
ties have been somewhat startled by the ntaiI;srco
Of an active movement Of Spain to gain political
assendency in St Domingo, and the news that
| France and England are sending q Combined foat
to these shores, though coming in very question:
bic shape hss excited uneasy feeling and some re-
criminstion.
If the Congress is re-assembled, there is much
reason to fear open rupturei If not another
solution may be arrived at 1t Is unfortunate for
the Government that Gen Scott is suffering at this
moment from the infrmitieS OF age, and the effect
o. the great demands made upon his strength. Mr.
Lincoln gave dinner 10 his Cabinet on Thursday
last the first Of the season. in honor principally OF
Gen. Scott; but the veteran General, who had en-
tered the White House, was obliged 10 leave before
dinner was served. There has been great enigrar
ton of candidates and ofce-hunters from this since
last wrote, some contented, many more grum
bling 1t is asserted that there has been such
a clean sweep of office holders since the practice
was introduced by Gen. Jackson. IL l am rightly
informed the President has the patronage Of 49,
600 places, great and small-some very small.
NIsET.-The influence of England and France on
the destinies Of the Republic is greater than any
American patriot would ike TO admit. II must not
be expected therefore, that there viii be any proof
of excessive anxiety. afforded by the leaders of
either party IN reference to the course which may
ne taken By the EEropeGn Governments in the pre-
sent trials; BUTT is net the less TO be appreheh6ed
that an immediate recognition Of the cOnfederated
Independence Of the South, or of the doctrine of
absolute individual sovereignty on the part Of those
States, may precpita.e the hostile action which, in
the event Of absolute final separation, seems to be
inevitable. To the North i. would be heavy blow
and great Encouragement the consequences of
which could only be aFeTted by some very Yiolent
remedies. Separation without war IS scarcely to
be expected. The establishment Of an independent
Republic in the South may indeed be effected peace
ably, but it is not, humanity speaking, within the
limits Of any probability. that the diverse questions
which wiz arise out Of conflicting interests il
gard to revenue and State Federal rights can be
settled without an appel 20 arms At the present
minute there is nothing to induce stranger to be-
ieve that effectCal resistance could be offered TO
c vigorous aggressive movement from the South.
surprising the means to make il exisiei either IN
the adhes On permission Of the BOr, er States.
The North, however, is strong in lis population,
in its wealth and in its calm In the hands Of the
Border States are all the arbitraulents of revolu-
tion or union. OF war or peace. By unuieaning |
eupheunisn the revolution of the South has been !
called secession, but the confusion and mischief
caused by the euphemstic timidity CT statesmen |
disappear when the acts of the South are tested, |
by the standard applicable to revolutionary cTses,
and by that standard alone are those acts intelh
gble and coherent. Measured in that way, the |
seizure Of property the deeds and the language Of
the leaders of the movement, and the acts of the
masses can be properly estimated. Mr.. Douglas,
whose mental capacity is a splendid Justification
of his enormous political activity, and of high
political rank "unattaLh, q, is understood to be
engaged on vast system for establishing duties
all over the North American continent in the ma
ture of a Z0llverein 1t IS his opinion that the
North in case of separation nust fight the South
On the arena Of free trGje-thst the tariff must
be completely altered, and that the duties must
be lowered from point to point, in proportion IS
the South bids against the North for the COM
merce of Europe. till the reduction reaches such
point that the South forced to rase revenue for
the actual expenses of Government, and unable
to struggle against the superior wealth Of the
North in such contest, is obliged to come to an
understanding with Its powerful competitor and
to submit to Z treaty of commerce which shall in
clude all the States of the North American con-
tinent from the Isthmus of Panama TO the ice of !
the Arctic The Canadss are, Of course, in |
cuded such project; indeed, it is difficult to
say where the means OF escaping from their press
ent embarrassment will not be sought by the
leading statesmen of America. But on one point
all are agreed. Whatever may happen, the North
will insist 3 free Mississippi. Il is the very
current of life for the trade of myriads Of people
hundreds OF miles from New Orleans. Ii Lou
isiana either as q sovereign State or representa-
tive agent to the Southern Confederation, attempts
TO control the navigation Of that river. we shall
see most terrible and ruinous war. Let England
look to the contingencies. |
April 5.-One month and one day have elapsed
since Mr.. Lincoln and his Cabinet were installed at
Washington. Long previous to their accession to
power or rather TO Office, the revolution Of the
South had assumed the aspect Of al Independent;
Government. When the new Administration tried
TO direct the horses heads they found the reins were
cut AMI all they could do was TO sit on the state
coach and take their chance % falling into soft
place or of the fePy steeds coming TO st I'D 81
from exhauststiOn. month ago and the State
Tres sury was nearly exhausted only some 957OOO0
was forthcoming TO meet demands and requirements
four times as large. The navy was scattered all
the world at stations by 70 means readily access
sible the army posted along frontier Ines between
which and the Northern States was inte-posed the
expanse Of the southern Confederation the officers
disafrected 70 the Government Or ct all events so
well affected to their individual sovereign States "a
TO feel ndisposed to serve the United Ssltes; the
vi o machinery Of Government in the hands OF
revo utionary leaders every trace OF Federal ez
istenee erased in the South, wiped away by acts
which. unless justified By successful revolt, would
be called reasonable OR By force or stratagem and
only two forts held on the seaboard weakly gar
risoned and unhappily situated with re erence to
operations of relief. In addition to these sources
OF weakness. came the confusion and apprehension
caused DV CIVlCSU c0unseiS WAN u COuSSLOur tiA1
disorders Of violent national contest mistrust OF
ADEQUATE support, and, above al the lmper1ous ne
csssisies of place seekers. whose importunat5 re
questions distracted the attention o. the Goyern>
ment from the more important business whlch pre-
scented i5sef for adjustment It was, Of course, ne
cessarv to III the posts which were occupied by
enemies with men devoted to the interests of Gov
eminent which could little brook any indifference
or treacherous tendencies on the part OF its suoOr
1iustes But had the Administration been strong
il Ifnitad
could CT hope 20 be- IN reference TO such emer-
gencies as the present It really have done Little
except precipitate civil war, in which the Border
States would have RANGED themselves BY the
side Of the Cotton State. A considerable por-
ton Of the North would have been hostile to eoer-
ciOn and the theOries which have been Propounoed
with much appreciation respecting the actual uses
Of Government. its powers and jurisdiction shoW
that European doctrines on such points are nos at
AL accepted By statesmen politicians, anu juTlSes III
North America.
without the means of enforcing an authority
MANY of its wn adhersAts and most OF the neutral
partes denied to il. Mr.. Lineolns Admins tfatlon
finds itself called upon to propou1d poley ana TO
nrooaed IN vigorous action. The demand is scarce
iy reasonable. The policy OF such men suddenly
lifted to the head of affairs. which they cannot at
tempt 10 guide must be to wait and watch and their
action must be simply tentative. rs they have no
power TO put forth WITH Moderate nope OF success
any aggressive force.
BE satisfied OF this-the United states Govern
nent VIII give up power or possession which it
has at present got. By its voluntary act 1t VIII sur
rerder nothing whatever. No matter what reports
may appear in the papers or in letters, distrust
them if they would lead you to believe that Mr..
Lincoln is preparing either to abandon what he has
now or to recover that which he has not.
The United States Government is in an attitude Of
protest, it cannot strike offensive blow. But if
auy attack is made upon it, the Government hopes
that will be strengthened by the indignation Of the
North and West to such an extent that It cannot
only repel the aggression, but possibly give slim
Mus to a great reaction in its favor.
On these principles Fort Sumter and Fort Pickens
are held. They claimed as Federal fortresses
The stars and stripes still float over them Whats
ever may be seid TO the contrary, they will remain
there till they are removed by the action OF the
Confederate States. The Commissioners of Mr. JET
ferson Davis Government 'have reason to say tnat
If any attempt be made to throw reinforeemens
into Fort Pckens, unless they receive previous
notice of it promised, it will he breach OF Roou
faith" From all can learn nointentlon OF streng.