Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-09-26
THE sOUTm AND TmE WEST.

From the N. o. Picayune.l
II mans civil life cannot be treated apart
from his physical nature, neither can politi-
cal history be separated from physical geog-
raphy. The natural CONFORMATION Of a coun-
try, is geology, It's photography, its natl We
agricultural and mechanical aptitndes, all
combine in determining or qualifying its po-
litical, social and commercial conditions,
and giving shape to its ultimate destiny.
These principles have long been instructive
~ felt among all portions of the population
inhabiting the great basin formed by the
Mississippi river and its tributaries. They
spoke with 80 clear and commanding a voice
six years ago, that il was heard and needed,
even among the passionate clamors and i'm
petuoH movements Of secession. Those
who insisted on severing the bonds of the
Federal Union, gave express and earnest as
suranoes Of a desire 20 maintain with the
West a cordial comfy, such as nature her
self bad written, in the geographical unity
Of the Mississippi Valley, as an immutable
law for its various communities. The
West, for reasons which il is needless here
10 recall or discuss, was not content with
these assurances.
A war of sections followed. The MISS
sippi river vas blockaded. This obstruc-
ton of sae great finland sea Of the West
fired the Western heart as perhaps nothing
else could have done. With their whole
moral and physical forces they began TO
surge against the warlike obstacles 20 the
commercial uses Of the river. IL soon be-
came evident that the war for the substan-
tive independence and integrity Of the
Southern COnfcderacy was not 10 be decided
in Virginia or any other Atlantic State but
was TO pivot on the contest for the possession
Of the Mississippi river and the command Of
the regions bordering on it. And the issue
Of this contest was determined by the West
ern armies Of GRANT and SHERMAN. 1t
was they that broke the backbone lof the
Southern Confederacy. When its last Con-
federate armies dissolved or surrendered,
loud and truculent cries came up from the
East claiming the defeated States as con-
quered territories. But, IL conquered, none
had 30 much right TO claim the conquest
and control the disposition Of il as the West.
The East, however, has thus far monopo-
lied the pretensions and functions Of con-
queror.
A strange Difference is yielded by Western
uublie men 10 its sentiments and interests
in every question affecting the present and
the future Of the regions which have no
more geographical connection with the East
than they have with Patagonia, and which
NAV, in fact, be regarded as part and parcel
Of the geographical continuity Of the West
VIII the West consent that these regions
shall be ruined under the exactions Of East
ern monopoly, and the harassments Of East
em ismsY Having stoutly won them in
war, will Il weakly and foolishly abandon
them in poaceg Let us hope that a West
ern craftsmanship viii yet arise, worthy to
recall the memory of BENTON, OF CLAY, Of
DOUGLAS, which will protest not in vain
against throwing away the acquisitions Of
Western arms-against sacrificing the most
valuable results for the West involved in
the issue Of the late war, the guarantees, we
mean, Of the means Of preserving close
and profitable commercial association and
of affecting prudent and advantageous Po-
litioal coalition with the States of the low
er Mississippi Valley and Of the agricultu-
ral South IN general.
The success Of Southern secession would
have len the West exposed to the danger Of
becoming a helpless victim Of Eastern poll.
cy. Whether the defeat Of secession will
remove this danger, is for the Western
people 10 determine. Most assuredly the
way 20 avert Il Is not 30 assist as 80 many
Western politicians are nov doing IN i'm
posing Eastern policy ON the helpless South.
The way, on the contrary, 10 get wholly rad
Of the danger is 10 prevent Eastern policy
from distinguishing political forces in the
South that the West may need for protec-
ton against the same policy, which, # 4
succeed in converting the South into conti-
mental 81. Domingos and Jamaicas, will
make these serve a. political outposis and
garrisons ON the flank Of the West, 20 make
sure Of Eastern domination in both sections.
Al the same time the richest sources OF cum
mercial prosperity ior the West would be
dried up.