The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-09-16
From the New York Times ]
state Unity aud EmsncIPanOn--'
Cav Johnson M renue0see


their essential State polity by their rebel
lion, and that until rec onstruotsd by the
consent of the National Government, they
are to be treated as mere territories.
This doctrine we have from the outset,
opposed, as utterly false and full Of mis-
chief. 1t implies that secession is not
only possible, but an actual faot-thAt
South Carolina and Georgia arc day
no more integral parts of the Union than
Sonora and New Brunswick-And that
the progress Of the Union arms into their
domain is conquest pure and simple, TO
be followed by just such a disposition of
the people and their property, as the con-
queror, under the law of nations, may
see fit to ordain. The true principle is,
that secession is possible neither by legis-
lation nor by violence-thAt all doings
toward that end are void from the begin
ning-and that whatever forfeiture may
be visited upon those engaged in this
war, is a penalty for violated law, and
not the spoilation of the victor.
The false doctrine originated in the
belief that nothing else could secure the
destruction of Slavery. But the motive
was as groundless as the doctrine itself
was absurd. IL needs no such unwar-
rantable device to put slavery out of the
world. Every days developments are
making this more manifest II lie strik
ingly apparent in two speeches recently
delivered by Gov. johnson of Tennessee.
On the 23d ult., in n very forcible ad-
dress at large Union meeting at Frank
lin, Tenn, he used this language:
1.-THE idea has been cunningly circu-
lated that after the rebellion has been
suppressed, the north will not let us back
into the Union, nor let us have State
Government! What shallow humbug.
gerry and deception. Some think we must
petition the Government to get back into
the Union. deny the doctrine of Sc
cession, wholly, absolutely, toto cello. Ten.
nessee is not ont Of the Union, never la, been,
and never wjH be ont. The bonds of the
Constitution and the Federal pc wer will
always prevent that. This Government is
perpetual; provision is made for reforming
the Government and amending the Con-
stitution, and admitting States into the
Union, not for letting them ont of it,"
Thus Gov. JOHNSON has no tolerance
fer the assumption that the rebel States
have sunk into the condition of terrific
ries. Yet, in a speech delivered Just one
week afterward, at Nashville, he advo-
Gated emancipation with an emphasis
that no Anti Slavery man could surpass.
As reported in The Nashville Union, he
said
"The heart Of the masses of the people
beat strongly for Freedom; the system
of negro slavery had proved baleful to
the nation by arraying itself against the
institutions and interests of the people,
and the time has clearly come when
means should be devised for its total
eradication from tennessee. Slavery is
a cancer on our society, and the scalpel
of the statesman should be used NOS sim
ply to pare away the exterior and leave
the roots TO propagate the disease anew,
but TO remove it altogether. Let as des-
troy the cause Of our domestic disSensions and
his bloody civil lOar u is neither wise nor
Just to compromise nth an eUils gigantic
He aVO0ed himself unequivocally for the re-
moral Of Slavery; The sooner IL can be effect.
ed the better. Some Inconvenience might,
most likely would, follow, temporarily,
but these would be more than compen-
stated by the grand impulse given to all
our interests by the substitution of free
for slave labor. lie a0as for immediate
emancipation, If he could get IL; If this could
not be obtained, he 'Oas for gradual emdncipa
ti0n--bR emancipation at all eVents,"
Gov. johnson thus plants himself on
the extreme Ant-Slavery grOund-thAt
of immediate emancipation"-And yet
holds firmly TO the true constitutional
principle that State cannot forfeit its
organic existence, or its constitutional
relations. He desires that emancipation
should be effected by the people Of
Tennessee in accordance with the con-
stilutiOnal forms Of the State. II is the
testimony of all close observers that
Slavery is already q doomed institution
in Tennessee. IL is not doubted that the
people, of their own accord, will in due
time pronounce against it. And yet the
Enamel patton Proclamation does not APP
ply TO Tennessee at all--the larger por-
tion of the State having been restored 10
the National control before il was issued
If Slavery cannot keep its life in that
State, even though the Proclamation did
not touch it, what better chance can it
have in the States against which the
Proclamation was directed as 4 militia
ry nectssityY IL it is not necessary to
reduce the one TO a territorial condition
10 prevent Slavery from obtaining a new
lease of life, how can IL be necessary in
respect TO the Othersf The mere fact Of
undertaking to supplement the PrOcla-
nation with another measure treating the
reclaimed States as Territories, implies
= distrust OF the validity of the PrOcla.
nation. If the Proclamation Of itself
emAnoipates, there certainly can be no
necessity, in an Anu-SlAvery sense, for
any further national action against the
institution; and the new device for con-
ferring such power on the National Gov
eminent is entirely supertluous.
Emancipation, through the ProclAma-
ton, has no basis except that which the
laws Of war furnish. IL may be held 10
be ever so valid, and by its operation
may knock the chains from every slave
in the States specified, and yet il would
leave the civil organization Of each State
perfectly intact. Slavery is Amere incl
! dent OF the State, and can be struck out
Of existence without affecting the organ
ism Of the State in the slightest partiou-
lar. IL ia palpably absurd that, for the
/ sake Of getting rid Of this mere incl
| dent, the Stale itself should be cast out
Of existence. This would be sacrificing
| the essential 10 the adyentitious with =
| vengeance.
IL IS high time that there should be an
end TO all these fanciful expedients for
making way with Slavery. They are