Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1866-12-16

4H Prom the New Orleans Bulletin 70
As spectators, without the capacity to
act, we have beheld with much interest the
combat which has taken place between ON
friends and antagonists at the North. We
have perfectly appreciated the fact that
each party differed as 10 the best use which
could be made Of the South. The contest
being over, one Of our champions advises
Chat we aeeept the constitutional amend
nenisin block TO save ourselves from worse
Consequences Another recommends ''mas-
teTly Inactivity and swatch and wait
policy IN - III "A =
Some Of cur Radicsii guardians complain
that We do not abdicate che parlor and take
our place in the kitchen, while Others are
Of opinion that He shohldbe compelled to
produce more cotton. No people was evef
50 blest with adyisets since the day when
the man Of u scraped himself with a
potsherd, and was recommended to, course
God and die" We thank these advisers
ali the same, but prefer 70 exercise our
own Judgment. Certainly, the advantage
/ heretofore derived from foreign coun-
asli0n has not encouraged the abso-
/ Lute surrender Of our own discretion
ia cur own affairs. II will have been OBJ
served that the remedial system recon-
mended io ~ has been wholly political.
We have not observed any remittance Of
men or money to build up our dilapidated
INTERESTS Tie remedy consists as far as
We can zee, in raeommending Us TO procure
4 change ~ tsastees the management by
Northern agency continuing the same.
Now, why take al the amendments If we
shouldHot Ike them? To secure arepre.
sentation and share Of Federal admipis-
tration 2 Possibly We do not sci 80 high a.
value upon CONTRACTS and officers as cur ad-
visers. Perhaps some Of the Southern
States would not pay the price Of acknoWl- :
edged infamy for either safety or gain.
Our advisers are not IN oar Hitdation. They
could do what they recommend without
sacrifice. Then Why adopt a phrase used
10 indicate party policy In our situation
Inactivity IS not mastery. The South needs
action, enterprise, development She has
no Time for ssar gazing she eannot wait
like the rustic Of Horace until the "riyer
shall flow by." stgaf ~
We have no eensure, no complaint The
thing has happened 20 rs, hss hapPened TO
a thousand people, and viii happen, If the
world lasts; tea thousand more. We are
conquered-badly conquered, and no mis-
take, We must LEAVE the decision with
those who have the power. We esh8ll neither
improve the situation By crawling to their
fool-stool, aud still less by subsiding into
poverty and Incidence. We cannot break
into the Union with eroWbar nor crawl
into it through a erevice. Let US go to work
IN the field of usefulness until We shall be
called at the door, in the good old Saxon
fashion, 70 come iRte court" There will
be time for this proclamation. We can
not hasten il by subservienee or eontumacy.
Let US be what We have proven ourselves-
men, dignihed, determined and, above all,
uneomplaining. ttEl' 1870
In the meantime, we have enough TO DO.
We need the adaptation of onr whole social
system to the great revolution Of labor and
capital. We need the exclusive devotion
Of all Southern intellect and energy to
Southern interests.
We were present few evenings since,
at q aconference held by some Southern gen
tlemen upon the best thing to be DONE
There were at least two Generals present
We heard no word of complaint icondem-
nation, or comment against the North. The
whole conversation was on education rail-
roads, steamships, the cotton crop, immi-
grant labor, and cotton mills. 1t was
pleasant oblivion of all Individual troubles
to confer upon the eJmmon welfare. 1t so
happened that, though the hospitable enter
tainer set out refreshments none Of these
Sonthern counsello drank liqhor 4 When
they separated, soine one remarked 'Well,
il the same men had spent three hours to-
gether six or seven years ago they would
have represented various parties in Federal
politics. Perhaps they could not have
been convened in the same room. They
would have spoken on many subjects, but
would not have discussed the precise topics
which occupied them this evening at alll
They would have separated with the same
ideas that each had entertained when they
met. Their remedies were then abstract
and political. They are now domestic and
material, They then relied upon what
others would do for them abroad. They
now rely upon each other for what may be
effected at home II is a new remedial
era"