Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-03-31

ample for the evil they remedy, and the ad-
ded one is not only useless in that counec-
ton, but in its misunderstanding it to
be 4ccidental-bearing positive restriction
and probable grievance to the State which
has risked more. in proportion to any imagi-
nary gain it may realize from revolution.
than all others combined. Hence it would
have been the wiser policy for the Provi-
sional Government to have carried the States
through to the establishment of an ackn owl
edged Independence, and for the convention
to have framed permanent government af-
forwards, when their action would be en-
tangled of the irritations and suspense which
are apt to bias the wisest and calmest minds.
The convention thought differently; and we
now make no objection to the time and cir
cumstances of their doing, but to what they
did.
We have heard the most rapturous accounts
of the harmony and good feeling of the dele
cations at Montgomery. God knows they
had no right to look askance at Louisiana:
for if she had offered herself up as a lamO
led to the slaughter that openeth not its
mouth, she could not have presented herself
in meeker guise. Her Convention refused
to instruct her delegation on any subject.
So gentle and so inoffensive was she, that her
representative, Mr.. Kenner, we believe, in
commenting her course in rendering to the
Confederate treasure the money Of the Gener-
al Government found in the Mint and Gus
tomhouse in this city, felt constrained to de-
clare that he meant no imputation upon
South Carolina, whose exigency required
different appropriation of such funds. And
yet. the only amendments to the constitution
which have forbidding aspect is aimed di-
rectiy at her. No doubt this was done in
the most soothing manner, but it is none the
less forttor in re for its sauviter in naodo. But
let not our Convention imagine for moment
that the career of the COnfederacy is to be
strewed with roses. Ambition is not dead.
Commercial rivalry will not be hushed for
ever in the sequel of which the prelude is so
musical. The world is not composed of all
lambs. The strifes which are overlaid by
common indignation against common
wrong, will revive upon the revival OF bust
ness; parties will spring up and policies will
be combatted; and there will be electoneer-
ing, and speech-making, and violence; and
Buncombe will come again unless, indeed,
we have seeded from our natures as we
have from the Union. Run away lovers i'm
agine heaven to be all that is outside of the
domicils of finty-hearted fathers; but on the
first touch of the ''irrepressibe conflict" of
human passion the godlike Augustus Adolf
plus drops heavily off the arch of the rain
bow, and the angelic Seraphina subsidies into
a downright woman.
The commerce of the Mississippi river and
its tributaries, which is to be disturbed in
some way by secession, which is to be con-
Quoted under the influence of warning tariffs.
and protected by double cOrdons of custom
houses is not to be measured by abstracts
and exports. The interstate trade is i'm
measurably greater than the foreign trade
1t might be safe to say that the commercial
marine of the world could not grapple the
trade of this great valley. That inconveni-
ences will be encountered is apparent
These may be submitted to, and will no |
doubt with becoming patriotism. But that |
any one can foretell what the exigencies OF |
this commerce will be, to what contests 1t |
may give rise; what questions of boundary, |
and of jurisdictions; to what forays, reprisals |
and strifes it may lead is denied-indeed, to |
what it will present as a necessity of peace, |
of progress, and of civilization. Nor can any |
one predict what rivalries may thrive in the |
embarrasSments of navigation. 1t will be |
remembered that, when the different lines of |
railroad from the Ohio river to the seaboard |
were canvassing for public favor, every snag |
i'll the Mississippi river was an argument in |
favor of inland transportation. The argu- |
ment is just as good to keep them there |
The Instructions of the river, it was urged, |
enured to the benefit of the Atlantic railroads |
and seaports. If SO then, they will be so in |
the future. Who can say to what Indifference |
as to the peace and security of the valley ma |
vigation, these supposed benefits may give |
rise in the minds of those who are to receive |
them? If the power to repress acquisition in |
the direction of the river is never to be used |
against the State, why was it contended for? |
Why put the State at the mercy of interests |
that have been hitherto held up as autagonis- |
tic? We shall be told that this is a sort of
treason against the exalted gentlemen who |
composed the delegations at Montgomery,
but these Augustus Adolphuses have got |
louisiana by the neck and heels, ''cabined, |
criobed, confined" and we cannot release |
her, we shall at least vindicate her claim to |
be an equal in the COnfederacy; we shall pro- |
test against that part of the compact which |
was aimed at contingencies which concern |
her safety and future greatness.
The topics growing out of this restriction |
are inexhaustible, but we are done. We wish |
to call the attention of the Convention to it. |
They must see that whilst the Atlantic States |
can extend the Confederacy along the sea-
board to the poles, the river States are pow |
erless to move step in the direction of their |
commerce. or in the way of securing their |
safety. Whilst we do not hope, We might |
add wish, to see the Constitution rejected, it |
is too much to ask the Convention to protest |
against this invidious and obnoxious Sec |
ton?