Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-04-21
What the Northern Press would
Have Done1


The Pittsburg Daily Commercial of the 18Th
inst says
No STEP BACKwARD.-The policy of the
Administration must now be onward, on
ward. The overwhelming demand of the
country is for vigorous policy. Daily dali
living and bread-piils will no longer answer.
The time for these is passed. The sentiment
Of nationality almost extinct under the old
treatment, has now been fully aroused. Two
hundred thousand troops, and one hundred
millions of money will be at the command
of the Government by the lst of May. This
will intimidate the border slave States They
Will probably attempt the armed neutrality
position and forbid the passage of troops
from either side across their borders. If the
National Government sees proper to tolerate
such policy. then the war will be confined
TO the Atlantic coast and the Mississippi riv-
ar. The cotton States have neither navy nor
money; their commerce will be entirely cut
off. and they can be starved out in few
months. The troops from the East and the
navy will encounter the force of the cotton
States at and around Fort Pickens. The ar
my of the West will very soon reduce Vicks-
burg, Natchez and New Orleans. We have a
right to forbid Tennessee AMI North Carolina
from furnishing provisions to the traitor
States This would be the least bloody and
most humane campaign that could be organ
lied. Perhaps as matter of policy, If the
border States undertake to play the armed
neutral, let them do it for the time being
The General Government has the undoubted
right, if desired, te march across them. They
dare not allow the cotton States TO come
North without openly joining them.
The Philadelphia North american of the
18th says:
Now it is more than anything else impor-
tant to put this fiood-tide of patriot energy
to use. The question OF the day should be
settled as promptly az this public feeling has
been evoked, if possible. If the hundreds of
thousands who declare themselves ready to
act can be led Immediately to the work thew
have To do. the struggle may be short and al
most bloodless. Thirty thousand men should
be placed at q point on the Mississippi as low
down possible; perhaps it can be done at
Memphis. Washington should have twenty
thousand, and another twenty thousand
should occupy Charleston. The fleet and its
forces should operate on the Gulf, with
strength enough to take possession of any
point il may be selected first 10 occupy. In
this distribu ton there is force enough if the
number called out is but $4,000 men. To
these the regular army would add Is, 900,
and greater States of the North will more
than make up for the contingents the border
States may decline to furnish. Concentrate
and move this force without delay. We call
upon the government TO act as the spontane-
GUS judgments of all men have instfnctively
acted as the news of the attack on Fort Sum-
ter was received. Weld this tremendous
physical force as the moral power of the
country is now being welded, and the days
of secession will be very few. We beg the
government again to act promptly in the
necessary demonstration of force, to the end
that the struggle may be short, and the
disasters it may cause few.