Year: 1863




We clip the following very signifcan
and candid article from the Nashville Daily
Press, paper that has thus far followed
the Administration and its policies through
all the wndings which have distinguished
il. The Press is not the only Administra
paper that begins to grope ia darkness on
this very dark subject. If the whole p:o.
pie as well as the journalists do not soon
begin 20 "look ahead this country will
scarcely be worth saviag:


1--WE are not-nevcr have been pro sla.
very in our opinions. So far from agreeing
with the Mississipp!an, that it is the "only
divine institution" we don't believe that it
is divine institution at ALL On the con-
trary, we think, and have long been salts
fed, that African slavery among us is de-
leterious, politically, morally, socially and
economically.


"With this annnciation Of settled convic
ton upon the subject, we trust that we
place ourselves in the right position to say,
without incurring wrathful ienunciation
from any quarter, that We are quite unable
to see what the national government can
do with that part of our population. Will,
ing as we are, to see the government use
the negro in the most efficient wav
to crush the rebellion, it has seemed
to US all along, that the course which has
actually been pursued must end in throw.
ing upon tn, Federal authorities an embar.
rassment, from which, after the most so
lctous inquiry, we can find no means of
extrication.


Entertaining these views, we have
been reluctant to enter upon the discussion
Of subject which we felt unable to eluci
date, or to complcate the consideration of
present difficulties with matters not press
ing for Immediate solution At length,
however, a case seems to have arisen,
which requires US at once to grapplc with
the negro question" Whether the gov
ernment is, OF is not ready to dispose Of it,
the question IS upon Us, and can no longer
be evaded.


''At the late term of the Federal Circuit
Court at Louisville I. c. Sacklett was con.
vcted Of treason, and instead Of undergo
ing the penalty Of death, was sentenced to
suffer the milder penalty provided by act
of Congress Tor such cases. A par. Of the
sentence, as pronounced by the bench,
doubtless in accordance with the law, was
that aN his slaues should Js free


1t was certainly easy for Congress to
enact, and the court to adjudge such pen.
atty: but not equally certain to our minds
that either of them ever looked ahead, to
see in what way the sentence was to be
carried into effect. We suppose the slaves
are to become free, not only from the own
crship and control Of their former master,
but free in the full sense in which white
men in Kentucky are free. The question
then arises; how is this to be accomplish
edS BY what process are they to be madc
free


We have given to this subject such in
vestigation and reflection as our mental re
sources would enable us to do, without be
ing able to find our way through the diff
culties which environ it. But at the same
time, We would not be so presumptuous as
to suppose that because we have failed no
| one else can succeed, and thus to make
our own intellectual, short sighted ness the
| measure of other mems sagacity. Others
may he able to unite the Gordian knot of
this policy, and show US how the thing
may be done. If so we shall be prompt to
acknowledge our obligations for the relief
and instruction afforded


| We conclude, for the present, with a dis,
c.aimer, which those to whom we are well
known would not require. We say sincere
" that it will afford US no qualification to
find the government embarrassed, as We
fear it will be, by this business of the ne
gro. On the contrary, we shall be in every
way sratitied, if a way can be opened, by
which the nation can pass through the pen
ding struggle to complete and final tri
umph, with its public faith untarnished
and It's pledges to everybody redeemed"