The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-11-23

wi
stitution prohibiting slavery in tn
United States was adopted in the Tn
ted States Senate, the past session; B.
the two,thirdsa majority required b,
that instrument. The amendmen
failed in the House of Representatives
where it obtained decided majority
but not two-thirds, of the votes cast
The Congressional elections this yea
have resulted in giving the supporter
Of the amendment the requisite major
ity in the House But the new mem
bers do not take their seats until th,
lst Monday in December, 1868, and ths
adoption Of the amendment may no
be consummated until after that date
unless the present House acouiesces il
the verdict of the people; or in default
thereof the new Congress, is convened
in extra session, after the 4th of March
when the present Congress expires
AS the State Legislatures will be il
session during the ensuing winter, anc
can take immediate action on the
amendment, if submitted to them, il
would be preferable for the present
Congress TO discharge its duty by re
flecting the national will And we ere
not without hope that it will do this
The Chicago Post, q supporter of Nc
Clellan, in an article of great ability
some days ago, recommended the adop
ton Of the amendment; and in another
article on the 18th inst, returns to the
subject 1t says
We took occasion to express our own
views in favor of the submission of the
proposed amendment of the constitu
ton, to the people for their ratification
or rejection We did so because we
believed that it was proper and right
in the people TO do whatever was in
their power, by constitutional means,
10 cripple and embarrass and weaken
those in rebellion. Such an amend
ment we should oppose so long as the
the people were united, peaceful and
happy, but as the rebellion is for the
dissolution of the Union that slavery
may grow, increase and be more pros
ductive, we do not think the interests
and blessings, present andfuture, which
depend on the permanency of the
Union and the preservation of the gov
eminent, should be permitted to be
endangered because of any unwilling
ness to strike at slavery There is
nothing in the institution itself.
morally, to claim of us the sacrifice
of the Union that it may live, nor is
there anything in it politically or econ
Omically that commends its security as
of greater Importance than the great
social, political and moral interests that
depend upon the preservation of the
American Union-the last hope of free
government on earth. As slavery has
struck what il regards a blow for the
destruction of the Union, justifying
that blow because it was necessary to
save itself, we, whose interests and
hopes are all centred in the preserva-
ton of that Union, must in the life
and death struggle inaugurated by
slavery itself, destroy it, oEbe destroyed
by it. If Mr.. LincOln's proclamation,
like all the measures of the anti slavery
party that had proceeded it, was extra
constitutional, and therefore worked
evil instead of good, the present
measure is a constitutional one, and
when matured by the required ratitica-
ton will be legal beyond all, question
Maryland and Missouri have already
abolished slavery, and we would have
preferred that it should cease by State
action in all cases.
Passing over the Posts incorrect as
sertion that the Proclamation of Mr..
Lincoln has worked evil instead of
good the reverse being the truth
we welcome the step it makes in the
right direction. If other democratic
newspapers will follow the lead of the
Post, before the budding of the leaves
next Spring, the world may rejoice in
the sublime spectacle of nation re-
deemed from the curse of tolerating
slavery. There is no reason why any
one who wishes to see slavery prohib-
tied should hold back any longer The
institution Is doomed It's extinction
was assured when the Southern people
rebelled, and rejected al oYertures to
return to their allegiance. The OPP
ponents of the amendment Of the Cons
titution may postpone the day of puri-
fication, and keep the putrid corpse of
slavery bound to that instrument, few
months, or year longer, but they can
not alter the decree of Destiny. 1t
would be far more manly and honora-
bic in them, to step forward and inn
lnortaliae themselves by supporting the
proposition.
Even the National Intelligencer, slow
moving, cautious, timid, evinces signs
of awakening and progress on the sub
ject of slavery. In recent number it
publishes an essay on the institution
from Hunts Magazine, and accompa-
mics it with the following comments:
"But, before submitting the writer's
views, in the wisdom and humanity of
which we fully concur, we viii take 90
casion to say, that in regard to the pol~
icy, economically considered, and throw
ing out of view the moral or political
aspects of the question, our own impres-
si0ns in regard 10 the irStitition Of slavery IN
our southern states have undergone much
change Although long fully imbued
with the sentiments on this subject
which prevail in the South, and which
were implanted by those causes--birth,
education, and associstion-whieh mould |
everywhere the opinions and sympa-
thies of men, we have for many years /
regarded slavery amongst us as de- |
cieuous institution; and, brought by the |
drift of recent events to look at the /
subject under the revolution which has |
partially reached and still further me-
nsces it, we much question ekether The |
abro9ation u The system Of negro slavery, as /
Il sristS q, our southern states, isiH be as pre-
judicial 70 ne interest and comfort Of Their |
present o'Oners, as IS au8ngst them tnipers
ally believed and deprecated They cling /
most naturally 10 that on which, with |
numerous exceptions, perhaps, they are I
convinced that their prosperity and |
even subsistence depend but we are |
y.arctaaHad that g., L.