The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-09-13
Sla5hritlr Aluion.
SUNDAY MORNING, sEPr1o, 1858.


All Right.
We do not feel called upon TO make
any general reply to the further STRIFE
lures in the Union Of yesterday, regard
ing the position of the Press. Our neigh.
Dor seems 70 be now pretty fully and
correctly informed upon the subject,
while we have incidentally obtained .
very satisfactory knowledge Of certain
leading principles Of our contemporary. go
Press.
This lie most singular and exlraordi.
nary dropping of the practical question in
CONTROVERSY. We beg leave TO refer
again TO our editorial Of Friday
Quoting literally from the Press's edi-
torial on Redistribution we summed
up the points Of our cotemporary's as
follows :
That Tennessee holds "the reserved
righV 10 dispose of the slaves within her
borders, as she plesses.
That this right is now interrupt
ed and suspended" but "noi Destroyer
by the civil war
That the belligerent right of the
Federal Government TO dispose Of those
slaves is "hmited By tie lars of t0ar."
And, finally, that so soon as Tennes-
see shall be Reconstructed" the right Of
disposing Of slaves will belong TO Tea
nessee "as fully as IL did before the re-
bellion,"
What else does all this mean what
else can il mean than that euery slaye-
holder in Tennessee shall reclaim MS slaUes
and ot0n them as entirely as he dill before the
rebellion The Press positively afFirms
that "the belligereut right of the FEEDER
al Government is limited by the laws OF
war" while the reserved rights" Of
Tennessee on this subject are "suspend-
ed" and interrupted" butnot "destroy-
ed" This brings up practical question
at once, for disposition. The slaves OF
Tennessee have enlisted and are enlist
ing in the Federal army by thousands,
and will continue TO enlist for weeks 20
come. One lull regiment we hear has
been organized in the So 5;;i;TTSS5 % Nash
willie, and the work of recruiting goes on
actively. Does the Press hold that at the
close Of the sOar these enlisted SLAVES shall Be
renandsd 10 bondage If Tennessee, IN the eD-
eycise Of her sovereign folly, shall see ~ 10
enforce her present slaUs code
This is not an abstract but very
important practical question, which no
public man, especially no public journal,
has any right to ignore. 1t must be met
without evasion. If Tennessee or any
other slave State claims the power {,
seize upon oolored United States sol
diers, clad in the United States uniform
differed by United States commanders
and fighting under the United States
flag, and consign them to slavery and
not only that, but to try them for treason
TO The STATE, and hang them as felons, I'M
der the slave code for killing rebels
then this question of power must be set.
tied now. This is the annunciation Of
the incendiary Calhoun doctrine O
estates Rights" in its most odious form
which has cost the nation ito desros
blood already. Besides this, the natior
believes that black loyalist is bette
than a white rebel, and more entitled {,
protection. There is another reason
why this question should be discussed
and settled. There are men in this cit,
protesting to be loyal, who are using al
their influence TO have the slave ques
ton Sllvrea over, until by some hocus
poous and legerdemain, the State ma
possibly be thrown into the hands Of th
pro-slavery faction. The sscendency O
THE faction will be the signal for the so
cial, political and business prescription
of all unconditional Union men. The,
tell you to-day that the discussion o
slavery is premature; and it will b
premature until lying and tricbery AM
fraud shall give pro.slaveryism the re
ascendency. Let all loyal men who val
ne their lives and their principles Sc
that they be not deceived into inact o
by the hypocrisy of the now subdue
but still venomous pro-slavery leader