Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-04-14

Frm tie Paris Correspondence the Charleston Mercury
Two days ago conversation took place between
Frenchman of this school and an American citi-
zen CT which you may take the following for comis.
rendre:
The Frenchmaa-( Coming to the apartments of the
American.) Now, mon ami, want You to enlpht.
en- me a little upon that amazing revolution in yonr
Southern States. It puzzles US here good deal.
A1aegicda-That surprises me. I fbought Won
Frenchmen were quite able to comprehend the
springs Of human actions and all possible changes
in political states. 1t is many years now since
your Able Sieyes had exhausted the science of
politics.
Fr-Does it not take yourself little BY surnrise
this assumption of certain portions of your coun>
try, that they can at will withdraw themselves
from allegiance to the General Government and set
up for themselves; and, strangest Of ALL that the
General Government does not at once send its
forces both by and land, 10 reduce the revolted
provinces. What would be thought of the French
Empire, if the five departments of Bretagne were
TO declare themselves independent and begin TO act
as parate State and if the Central Government
either could not or would not coerce them into sub
mission? .sa- ssg.e .rsaR
Am II would never do; the Emperor would be
bound at once to place those departments under
martial law, and bring them to reason. r
F. And why is not this done In America?
Am This would be done If there were similar
case If Edgefield District, or Collector Parish in
South Carolina should presume t. declare itself in
dependent of the sovereignty of their State, un-
doubtediy the Governor would send in troops put
the sheriff in Jail, and enforce the collection of
State taxes.
Fl. But when South Carolina and Georgia. and
the rest choose to secede from the United States
which has central government at Washington, 1t
seems the same remedy is not to be applied?
an Let me correct little confusion of ideas
Your French Empire is real gouernnasnt; it is ac-
tually the government of sovereign State; namely
France You have lifted up Louis Napoleon upon
lsol1 y,gffe RIO hax,o
these two thousand years, and made him king and
a realm over you. All authorities, in Bretagna and
elsewhere derive their power from him; and seces-
sion would be q rebellion, to be justified only by
success { r bl body revolution So also South
Carolina Is our so .ereign; we know no govern
ment but the government of cur State. Rebellion
sgainst that would be suppressed and punished.
5Fr And the GJvernment at Washington, then?
an. There is no government at Washington
there never was; only an agency created by the
people of the several Stats .and drawing all its
powers from Hem-an agency for certain defined
purposes, and with very limited powers. The
President and the Congress were the holders of a
power of attorney, empowering them to do certain
things for us. and in our name: and they were en-
trusted with these powers under written compact;
so long that was observed, the people were will
ling to give effect to its acts-the moment that is
violated, each State is thrown back upon its own
full sovereignty; and the State authorities are
bound to take orders that the republic receive no
detriment
r. You seem to take these events very easily,
non ami.
Am. Yes, rather so, because have confidence in
people. They neither will coerce. nor be eoerc-
ed, in any such case as the little difficulty which has
now arisen.
Ff. Why the New York Legislature offers con-
tingent of ten thousand militia neutrality-suspicious.
pledges all her force to crush rebellion, and
An. All! you don't know our dear Northern
brethren; the last thing in the world they will give
up is braggadocio. 1t is one thing for State Legs-
lature to vote is contingent Of militia and quite an
other thing 10 set them march over the borders,
with knapsacks and great-coats on their backs and
rifles over their shoulders. They were ready
enough, it Is true, to volunteer for Mexico, and TO
march also but have too much sense to fight one
another in such cause as this
Ff. Such a causel To hold together great con-
federacy, and preserve the respect which foreign
nations have always accorded TO the Stars and
StripesI
Am. Have you considered whether the United
States could in any be held together by armed
force2 Suppose Northern feet and army had sub
iugated us-conquered us-what then? Could they
make provinces of and rule us by military vice
roys as the Emperor rules Algeria? Or reduce us
70 territorial condition. and send us Governors
from Washington! Or do you imagine that the con
querors and the conquered would or could unite
together again upon equal terms?
FL see the whole difficulty; but if that difficulty
is absolutely Esurmountabe, then is not your great
Republic an utter failure?
Am. No: complete success; and chiefly by rea-
son of that very difficulty and of that difficulty be-
ing quite insurmountable