New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-03-16

cOrdance with their wishes. nave iearpee, W
personal observation, that this il papably untrue
in Northern Mississippi and Alabama, and am
assured, ON reliable authority, that similar
feeling (less intenee the further south you Ro)
prevails in all portions of the two States. The
people are not for Secession. They are grossly
misinformed in regard to the real feelings and
designs Of the North, for the local papers are
their only source Of information, and these, with
the exception of few stanch Union journsls,
babitually suppress everything which would alay
the existing animosity.
The people are taught, systematically, that the
North hates them, is utterly regardless OF
their constitutional rights, and means to reduce
them to yassalags. Can you wonder that this,
among those who believe il, stirs their Saxon
blood, and eIcites determination to maintain
their position, by force Of arms If necessary 7
But, in spite Of all attempts to withhold correct
information, the masses do not fully believe it,
and they hail joyfuly every a'surar ee Of just aud
fraternal feeling In many towns they still keep
the stars and stripes flying; they love the old
Gag, and some declare that they will fght under
20 other, come what may.
There ia much dissatisfaction at the extreme
action of the leaders. / hear bitter complaints
because the people are not allowed to vote on
the Secession Ordinance. We were cheated
out Of cur rghts," observed gentleman to me
to-day. 1--WE elected delegates pledged 10 the
Union; but they joined the Secessioni'ts, and
rushed the thing through, and then dared lot
submit their action to The people for rat fcation In
this district, fornstance we elected Jere. Clemens
He has been in the United States Senate, you
know, and is one of the ablest men in the State.
Before election he made the strongest speeches
for cooperation that were heard during the can
yass But, when the Convention met, he went
over completely to the secssdorists. He claims
that he was actuhted by love for the State; but
that don't satisfy bis constituents. There ia .
will case pending in our Courts, in which he is
interested TO the amount Of $50, COO. Those who
are likely TO exercise q controlling influence In
its decision are fiery Sec, ssionists, and he was
perhaps anxious to coDciliate that influence"
The most violent Sece.sionists in this portion
Of the State are the wealthy citizens, many of
whom own plantations in Southern Alabama,
Mississippi, and Louisiana. So far from being
popular movement, the whole Secession enter
Prise is the protest Of The sidreholding interest
| against the principles Of Democracy. In Tennes-
see, Kentucky, aud Virginia, Slnvery is meas
ureably patriarchal institution; in the Gulf
States, it is at best an oligarchy, tending BY in
sIorablt logic TO despotism. Many Of the lead
| inn Observation-Disclosures whs have long been dis
upiop;sts per se-do not he.itate, Ill their own
councils. TO express their disgust at the princi-
ple. Of popular suffrage, by which any poor white
| laborer can exercise the same influence At the
ballot box with themselves.
The great thing needed 10 thoroughly complete
the overthrow Of the movement here is time.
OsIy LEI Seees.iOn haze rope enough, and It ie'It
hang it.eU Every day is tending more and
moro TO alsy the popular feeling, and if peace
can be maintained, the people will sink the Sc
ce.sion leaders the first time opportunity 10
| afforded Mt the ballot-bcI. Bot those leaders
| don't intend TO have peace. 1t is no part Of
their programme. They arc preparing the popu-
| lar mind for war by such assertions as that
| made by Senator Benjamin in bis recent New
| ORLEANS speech, that Southern independence 10
not likely to be obtained without blOod'hed, and
that war would by no means be an unuiIed
evil. War il their oply hope. They are deter
mined to force the Government into hostilltles,
knowing that II win inten'lfy the public excite
ment, and believing that IL viii close the door
TO any return of their States into the Union.
| No doubt the frat bloodshed viii do much to
crush out the Union feeling. The impulses Of
the people arc right, now; but il viii be very
easy TO insame them to still greater intensity
| than that Of few weeks ago.
Times are unusually hard. The corn crop OF
! Alabama and Mississippi was = failure last year,
and its effects are seriously felt. Nearly all
| business here is done on credit, and collections
are now almost impossible. Some Ct the mer-
chant. In Difference 10 the prejudice agains.
patroniIing the North have been enaeayorlng TO
| buy their Summer stocks in Nashville aud Louis
vile, instead of Cincinnati and New.YOrk; but
| they begin TO find that the laws Of trade are n
| memorable as the forces Of nature, aud not to
be- abrogsted or turned aside BY political feeling.