The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-11-19
A Glance at the Doings of the Rebel
Congress-Valuable Confessions.

From the Baltimore American.
The Rebel entanglements as to the
relative positions of the State and Con-
federate Governments seem to be greatly
multiplying Just now, if we are to Judge
of this matter by what is occurring at
Richmond. Every day almost we find
new causes for thankfulness that the
''rights" of the citizens of the loyal
| States are not based upon the shifting
sands on which is built up that incon.
gruous edifice-the "Southern Confede-
racy"-since even the most learned and
| busy of its architects are not able to un-
derstand all the complex. details and
multifarious purposes of tie crazy and
disiointed structure. Called upon to de-
wise and enforce measures relative to the
! straits in which they at present find
themselves in compelling citizens to mil
itary service, the old conflict betwixt
the States and General Government
jurisdiction is revived in all its earnest
ness; and compelled TO moderation in
tone by the pressure of the call for self
| defence, they yet evince feeling any
thing but promising of harmony in the
future. How the controversy would
terminate if they were "let alone" il is
not difficult to conjecture, since we find
amongst the most determined champions
of Estates Rights" the very chief engi-
neers of evil there, Yancey and Wigfall.
But when we remember the pertinacity,
cool determination and savage ambition
of Jefferson Davis, we are forced to con-
slider it conflict such as would inaugu-
rate for them a new attempt at revolution
and civil war, were it not for the dire
necessities which frown upon them at
present
We have been led TO these reflections
by the sketch of a debate just come TO
hand which recently occurred in the re-
bel Senate on bill for the "Ertensioa Of
the se9uegtration laio 10 all alien enemies"
A substitute was proposed, providing
"that the President shall issue his pro-
clamation ordering all persons within our
limits who adhere to the Lincoln Govern
ment TO leave the Confederacy within
forty days on pain of forfeiture of pro-
perty and granting immunity TO all who
have heretofore adhered to our enemies,
who shall within forty days take the oath
of allegiance to the Southern Confed-
eracy."
Mr.. Hill, of Georgia, took the ground
that off a citizen has once elected to be
citizen of the Confederate States, that
act makes him citizen of the Confed-
eracy, and he cannot throw off his alle-
glance" To this declaration Mr.. Wig
fall opposed the belief that "7Fere was
no such a thing as citizen Of tie Confederat
States No citizen o,oea allegiance 10 the Con-
federate States" Mr.. Hill retorted thai
'"the citizens first allegiance is due to his
State, but through the State he owes al.
, legiance to the Confederate Government
TIE people Of the S0utj
! ncUer dissolOea the Union on account Of com
} plants against the Federal Government"
Now, if the declarations here chroni
0 cled as coming from the very leaders 0
the Southern Confederacy do not nov
! startle and surprise their dupes every
where we know of none that can or will
0 In the first instance we have it announced
9 that all the cruelties enacted at Rich
0 mond in East Tennessee and elsewhere
9 by the robbery, Imprisonment and op
q preston of Union men, are the work o
Q an absolutely irresponsible tyranny that n
= q one owes allegiance to; and lin the mex
0 that the attempt to destroy the Union wa
Q not from any ground Of complaint against h
o Federal Government Truly they ar
o coming TO their senses when admission
= like these are made, and when Mr., Hi
> added to this that the "Supreme Court Oa
n l0ih them to the last" and that "He S0ut
4. hal a majority IN Congress-" it is not won
= derful that Mr.. Wigfall expressed sur
prise at Mr.. Hills "recollection of facts
F" so well calculated to cause chagrin an
modification amongst the conspirator
there assembled.
"a But Mr.. Hills reminder has more in
when we remember him as along wit
Alexander IL, Stephens, amongst tn
last dragged into the accursed conspira
10 cy; and as the author at that time {
% one of the most able and admirabI
~ speeches against the doctrine of seceS
sion ever uttered. No wonder the rec
g. objections of that period are seen croI
ping out in his speeches in the Reb
Senate now; no marvel he is unable
he repress the poignant convictions whiC
10 assail him as he looks around him {
the guilty conclaye who have perlecte
in the murder OF tens Of thousands Of Il
poor people Of the South, the plots whi'