Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-03-15
90. = war, rhat is the question.

The PsfriOs is engaged in shaping what it thinko ]
ought to be the Issues in the approaching canvass
II thinks the present most propitious time to
abandon the practice Of stamping the State" by the
candidates fer Governor. Il also thinks that the
approaching contest should be SO shaped as to test
abe acceptablity Of the amendment to the Constitu-
ton proposed by the Peace Conference. The Patriot
says that the indications are that The opposition TO
the Black Republicans In the North " viii prevent
the Recommendation Of the Peace Conference as the
paramount Issue in the approaching contest be-
fore the people Of that section, in their elections
for Congress and State officers" The Patriot
seems to forget that there are no elections
in most Of the snti-ssvery States before the meet
ing Of Congress They have already elected their
Representatives in all Of those States we believe,
except Rhode Island and Connecticut. OF all the
Black Republican members in the last Congress,
the large majority Of whom are members elect to
the next Congress, not one of them has ever an
nounced himself in favor of such an amendment;
not one OF their papers has ever favored it. The
House refused even to permit it to be taken up for
confederation. In the Senate it met with a little
more respectful treatment but 1t could not have sc
cured a majority vote in thst body, much less the
required two-thirds. Should it ever be presented
the psOple it will meet with determined opposition
Nth AT the North and the South. Instead Of OBJ
fa;uing the votes OF twenty-six States-the number
reouisite. according to the snt.Southern Confede-
-.cv constructicn-it could not get q majority in
six States. There are certain sections in that
proposed amendment to which some of the South
ern States will not assent, and there are GER
tain other sections therein which the snti-slave-
~ States will never rstify. Under the circumstsn
ces with due Difference to the opinion of the Patriot
that suggested amendment is legitimately as far
from the issues Of the next would be the
ratification Of treaty with japan. The first,
great, overshadowing practical question, involving
in its determination, peace war, is the recOgni
ton Of the Independence of the Confederate States
Necessarily incident TO that question are the ques
lions arising ont Of desire OF intention to recap
ture the Southern forts, collect by land or
sea at Southern ports force bills and the like. Fort
Sumter nay be evacuated and We sincerely hope it
will. Fort Pickens and the other Southern forts
syall be abandoned by the Federal troops, the
Administration may not try to procure the passage
of force and war bills, and yet the recognition Of
Southern Independence is the great practical qses
don The United States have either to ae-
knowledge the Southern Confederacy as an indie
pendent government, else attempt subugation.
There Is no middle ground. However much we
might wish it otherwise, with the present Black Re
publican Administration in power, yet it is not and
cannot be. The enormous difference between the
high Northern tariff and low tariff in the South
brings directly home to US the question Of pungiDg
into civil war for the purpose Of attempting to
subjugate the Confederate States. Beat about the
bush as we may, the extra session of Congress
which Mr.. LINCOLN will certainly call, and the mea
sures which that Congress viii probably pass to en-
able him to carry out his policy, will, we fear
throw upon Tennessee the immediate duty of de-
termining whether or not she will contribute men
and money attempt the subjugatiOn of the people
of the States South of US.
We earnestly commend the subject to the serious
consideration of the people, and ask our contempo-
raries Of the Press to speak out upon itI