Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-07-06

citizens Of the Northern States, who think Heaven
and earth bound to avenge their cause Never
was there such case of illtreatment never was
confidence so abused never was goodness so Hire
Quilted but the stupid world takes the affair in the
gross, and calls it simply civil war. Great is the
Indignation Of the Northerners st the promptitude
with which Lord John Russell has pledged us to a
perfect neutrality and recognized the Southerners
as actual belhgerents. Relligerents! There is no
word too hard for them, in the Northern vocsbula-
ry. North Of the Potomac they Rebels, Trait
ors, Sopoys Blacks, COnspirators, and everything
that is bad. England describes them by the term
1t would apply to an independent nation defending
its territory from Observation-Disclosures The
American lawyers and writers admit that we must
have come TO this at last and that the same policy
which obges the States themselves to accord to the
rebels in arms equal rights of war does even more
cogenty sblge to regard them as "belligerents."
But they cannot bear to see this done, and done Sc
readily, and in such cold blooded manner as if
there was really no right or wrong in the matter.
II must be admitted to be very provoking, but
1t Is the way Of the world and there is help for
It. The world has not leisure or authority or even
the power to entertain the-question of right and
1t can only take rough external views of the actual
disturbance. When the world learns that two part
ners have quarrelled and set up rival Shops that
father and son, or husband and wife, OF two broth
ers, or parson and squire, any other neighbors,
have quaFrelled they simply observe that it is
pity peopie cannot keep from quarrelling, they
suppose there must be faults on both sides. and
think no more about It, When they fall in with one
of the parties the feud he disburdens himself of
his accumulated wrongs, and if they cannot
away or stop their cars they remark lstlessly they
cannot give an opinion until they have heard the
other side, which, however, they have no wish to
hear What they are concerned with is the breach
OF peace and the public scandal, which interferes
with their comfort and sOlicits troublesome exer-
else of their Judicial powers.
They shut up both sides with the one summary
reply. They are sorry people cannot be quiet,
and will take care to keep out of the scrape them.
selves In private life this occurs continually as
the imaginary possessor of "the strongest case" in
the world has known ere this. As nation we have
had to go through this trial several times When
the Canadians rebelled the Americans looked on it
simply as the quarrel of harsh father with for
ward son. rather too like himself, and they bestow.
ed their sympathy more on the younger than on
the elder. &c. toe, did they regard the Repeal agi-
tatiOn; So too, the Indian mutiny. Both they set
down the natural reaction of independent natures
against legal oppression and social contempt No
story of outFages made any difference. 1t was
our duty to satisfy our dependents and make
them more interested in peace and Union than in
war and revolt.
"Here is that old tyranRical mother country
again" they exclaimed, always driving her sub
jeets to rebellion, and then grInacng as if she were
the most il-used of mortals!H Certainly we never
got any sympathy" and when the result seemed to
show that the right was on side-for we brought
things around again-the Americans were the last
to congratulate US on the triumph Of right We
had to do all the work. bear all the odium, and
supply all the consolation to ourselves. They saw
nothing in the matter but domestic wrangIe very
disgraceful to both parties concerned, and were
glad, Tor the peace Of the world and their own com
fort when the disturbance was over.
In point Of fact, the British public has given much
more Of its sympathy TO the Federal cause than the
States ever gave to the of British sovereignty
and union in any Of its trials We were almost
ready to treat Secession Is a gratutOus breach of
the peace, brought about by treacherous eonspi
racy, but the British Government had to consider
what to do, and the matter pressed for immediate
decision Ships were fast leaving our ports for the
Unieu, and, if belonging to the Northern States
were liable to be captured by the pivateels of the
South. or, if British, were liable TO be warned off
the port of their destination by the cruisers of the
North, and captured in case of their neglectns the
warning. In the former case the prizes were liable
to be brought into our ports and sold.
Every packet is now bringing US the tidiDgs of
hot war on the whole Southern coast of the Union.
Charleston has long been blOckaded and on the 28th
the blockade of New Orleans commenced Up
to the Path seven valuable prizes had been ia.
ken by the Confederacy-ships which but the
othe day sailed from Liverpool or HarYe. Of
course the Federal Government may treat the
privaeers pirates if it please, and if 1t is prepar-
ed to see few hundred Of his own people hung by
way Of reprisal; but our concern is with ourselves
and the question whether to consider these
lawful blockades, and these armed vessels as
carrying Recognized nag. Are We ready TO take
up the of any British clipper that chooses to
set at naught warning of blockade and push for
port.
II we are not, then it becomes necessary to warn
our people of the danger they incur by telling them
our view of the quarrel But this the Americans
call Southern sympathy" as if we could have
dore otherwise, and it was limited that we might 90
far to give to the ConfedeFates the use of our
ports. This point IS cleared and can no longer
be made the ground of ridiculous insinuation but
still We are liable to the charge of not feeling for
the North quite so lively an interest as we ought
The truth all that do is to keep out of the
as than with US. Even if the Federalists threaten
revenge, that cannot possibly make their cause any
better in our eyes. We do our own duty and we
leave them to do theirs. knowing well that we
could not do them greater mischief than by taking
their part.