The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-11-07
Secession Politics.

The mixture Of the Southern Confed.
eracy grows anything but "slab and
good" as the various internal ingredients
thrown into its composition see the to-
gether. The very principle Of its struc-
ture is fatal to conference, and the right
of secession nothing less than perma-
nent declaration Of suicide. One of the
late futile debates of its fantastic Con
gress brought out the plainest and bold
expression Of what would be treason un
der any strong and regular government
The representatives from three several
States directly denied the authority OF
any central power, Foote asserting that
Tennessee would send soldiers only
upon the grant of peculiar privileges,
Wigfall maintaining that there was no
such government as the COnfederacV, to
which allegiance is due, and Hill de-
claring that snch allegiance belonged
first and always 10 the separate State
the courts in Georgia having decided
that the CONSUMPTION act has no force
within her borders.
Now all this, however surprising il
may be to those in Europe who affect 10
believe in the reality of the Confederate
power, and however alarming 10 the un-
happy holders of the obligations of this
vanishing political ghost, is but the re-
alSOtio ad abs0fduns of their theory of gov
eminent, sharply pressed home by dis
aster without and discomfort within. IL
is interesting chiefly in its relations to
their other public measures, and to the
darkening prospects of the rebellion. OF
course, reputation by the States of their
shares of the general war debt was lOgi :
cal at all times; but it is particularly
convenient TO assert that right now, when
the debt is 10 be largely increased. State
protection will be eagerly invoked by
citizens claiming exemption from new
taxes, and from the impressment Of cot
ton as basis of revenue by the central
power. Home influences will shelter from
the conscription which their own State
refuses to enforce many who would other :
wise be IFS victims. But the most inn
portant consequences of this State soye-
reignty doctrine will be developed in
connection with the external affairs of
secession. I,HtE
For notification RENTS the question
of peace or war TO each separate State,
and makes it the sole judge to decide
whether the time has come for laying
down its arms and re-entering the Union.
Considering the difference in the dan
gers to which the different Southern
States are exposed, the various shades in
their temper of resistance, and the de-
cided lukewarmness Of some Of them in
their bad cause, il is natural that their
representatives should wish to establish
their abstract right Of independent sur
render. And it may well be believed
that the emancipation edict has had the
SOLDERING effect OF forcing them TO reflect
on all the contingencies Of persistence in
rebellion aud to seek a position which
gives them az least the individual choice
TO avert its worst consequences by sub
mission. la this view the declaration Of
lIr. Hill that the United States govern
ment had never wronged them has much
significance.
From all the indications which reach Us
Of the internal politics Of secession, it
is clear that Jefferson Davis holds, in his
devoted and powerful army, the only in
strument for enforcing centralized des-
potism. The murmurs of his Congress
do not help ne, but crushing blow at
the army would shatier the disiointed
fabric Of the Coniederacy, and open the
way for the discussions which sympathy
and terror within it would surely create
That blow speedily and efIectually dealt
will save us, from the hopeless confusion,
the endless difficulty which would attend
the enforcement Of the emancipation edict
over a wide aud united territory stll 10
arp,e - Nan yotL World