Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-02-14

On the 23rd July, 1861, two days after
the battle Of Manassas the Congress Of the
United States adopted by an almost unani-
nous vote the following resolution:
" Resolpsd. That this war Is not prosecuted on
our part n any spirit Of oppression, nor for any
q sGnsus' q nor
established Institutions Of those States, but to
defend and maintain the supremacy of the Con-
stltutien and All laws made in pursuance thereof.
equality. and rights Of the several States unim-
paired; that Sc soon a. these objects are accom-
piished the war ought TO cease
The supremacy Of the Constitution and all
laws made in pursuance thereof, have been
successfully asserted. But every other OBJ
ject asserted in this resolution has been falsi-
fed. The South has conceded in the most
solemn and enduring form the a5olishment
of slavery. They, the States ofthe South,
have Joined in the ratification of an amend
ment Of the Constitution forever and ire
voeably abolishing the institution of domes-
tic slavery. Having failed to accomplish
their separation from the other States, they
have inundated the chief cause that led to
the recent strife upon the altar Of the Union
as sacrifice to the goddess OF Peace. They
have accepted the test Of loyalty to the Union
by accepting the declared conditions Of
peace.
Buta new era has dawned. Other and
further and wholly different demands
are ,made. With rebellion as pre-
text subversion of the Government is
projected, and the cabal of fanatics who now
rule Congress are as fatally bent on sunder-
ing the Constitutional Union of the Estates
as any Southern leader was in 1861. If
Davis and Yancey, Lee and Joe Johnston
were guilty Of treason in 81, Summer and
Stevens and their followers are, in effect,
equally as guilty in 1866. The means used
are different, but the result is the same
Finding themselves in majority in Con-
gress, they declare Congress the supreme
arbiter of institutions, laws and governments
State and Federal. They destroy States by
the simple process of calling the yeas and
nays in Congress. The new doctrine is
equally as applicable to other States as to
those bordering the Gulf of Mexico. The
difference is simply one Of power and incli-
nation, not Of principle. The same power
might with the same propriety say that no
State should be represented in Congress any
of whose citizens ever burned witch, as to
say that the Southern States shall not be
represented. Circumstances now subject the
South TO this exclusion--how soon might
the tables be turned, IL Congress equally
unscrupulous and unprincipled, should be
elected.
Sumner should not forget the day when
Massachusetts inaugurated secession by be-
ing the first TO teach its propriety and legiti-
macy. In the changes since then he should
read admonitions of future change. The
day has already come when the odium
of disunion is transferred from the South TO
the North. The South asserted it more
frankly and bravely--the North meanly and
cowardly. The present Congress is but a
ileeting shadow; and if true patriotism, true
liberty and true principles are destined to
prevail in this country, the day will come
when the PEOPLE Of America and Of the
world win look upon the proceedings Of the
present Congress with contempt, and hold
them in their histories as infamous to the
estimation Of future generations.