The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-04-06
70 Care Irregularities.

nation, in which irregularities occur,
arising from some Unforeseen circum-
stance, which cannot be cured by any
Of the provisions in its organic law
Until men are gifted with the power of
penetrating the future, it VIII be i'm
possible to provide Tor every emergency
which may arise in the moral and in
tellectual world Philosophers-and
particularly Hobbies and Buckle, have
attempted to demonstrate that mind is
as perfectly governed by laws, as mat
ter; but whether this be true or untrue,
we know that as yet there has been dis
covered no method Of calculating hui
man actions with anything like mathe-
NAUTICAL certainty Therefore, we can
only provide for reasonable contingen-
cies; for such as have occurred in the
past and there we must stop.
But there are times in which history
is made and these are the eras Of ir-
regularity. Tomeet these emergencies,
some extraordinary measures are de
manded, in order not to protract an
evil which may lead to the worst con-
sequences.
We can refer to familiar examples.
Were any Of our readers ever suitors in
court? If they have been, they have
learned that there are features Of their
cases which find no exact precedent;
and the Judge was compelled, in de-
Gliding the matter, to appeal to common
sense. 1t was to avoid the hardship5 of
a strict adherence to law, that equity
courts were established bat these, in
time, were - completely guided by
rules and precedents as the judiciary
at large; and finally the policy of
literally constituting statutes was adopt
ed but this is not always sufficient, and
hardships occur.
Other emergencies arise that might
have been foreseen; but against which
for some reason, no provision is made
To this latter category, the present re-
bellion belongs There were those in
the National Convention Of 1851 who
foresaw that ambitious demagogues, in
trusted with the powers Of the State
governments, might, and sometimes
would, be induced to employ the ma
chinery at their command to overthrow
the power of the nation; and hence |
Congress was authorized to suppress re |
bellions; but State rights" were then |.
popular; and men were nervous as to |
consolidation; it was looked upon as
the direct road TO a tyrannical usurpa- |
ton; therefore the disposition to be
made, in the reorganization of States
assuming the attitude of rebellion was
left untouched
We must then look for solution of
the question in the general power to /
suppress instructions; in the relation |
of the States as political corporations to /
the nation at large; and to practical |
common sense
We have already given our views on
the subject of State suicide; it is an /
absurdity; if every member of cor
poration were to commit felony, the |
corporation itself would not be dissol- |
we'd. The maleiactors could be punish
ed but their rights in the corporation
would be transferred to other parties
So it is with the rebel States, except
that in each Of these there are many,
very many members of the political
corporation-for such State is, and
not sovereignty-who are, and have
been, true to the Union. Every traitor
can be punished; but the State exists
as before
But this has no direct relation owhat
we intended, in this series of articles,
to discuss; our attention will be con
fined to Tennessee, and the situation of
the State at this time
Our State exists; its civil authorities,
however, have been suspended; and
whether this anomaly arises from a
want of foresight in the trainers of the
State Constitution, or from negligence,
or nervousness, or even design, on the
subject, we know not neither do we
care Suffice it to say this is the situa-
ton, and we must extricate ourselves
as best we can.
We were, except in very few iso-
lated localities, withouta any civil magis-
trates, even of the lowest order, up to
a month since; in perhaps third of
the State, there are none of these func-
tionaries now; and we are without a
legislature, and without State officers,
within the contemplation Of the consti-
tuition; and the question is, how are
these to be supplied? There is a great
irregularity; how must it be cured2
We do not expect to satisfy all as to
the best method of re-establishing civil
government; there are wide differences
of opinion on that subject, among loyal
and patriotic men; and what we need
is a spirit Of forbearance; desire for
harmony; a determination to accom-
plish an end which all concur in as de
sirable; compromising, If need be, as
TO means, which can lee only tempo
rary matter.
1t is our intention TO give our views
relative to the best mode of securing
the reorganization of the State and
in so doing, ask for them a CAREFUL and
candid consideration; one as candid as
we are prepared 10 give to the sugges-
tions of Others.
Political good is seldom the result of
heated discussion; and never Of SLAM
derous invectiye; we therefore are. and
have been, careful to avoid these; and
we shall continue to do the same in the
future
There are two plans proposed to
remedy the Ills which now afllict US;
first, to call State Convention, to