Daily National Democrat

The Meaning of this Southern Confederacy.

The telegraph very coolly informs us, that Jeff. Davis has been elected President and Alex. H. Stephens, Vice President of the Southern Confederacy or Republic. (We suppose that Stephens has accepted, if it be true that he has, on the ground that, since his State has refused to take his advice and has passed the secession ordinance and declared herself out of the Union, he has nothing left him but to go along with her, if she goes to the Devil.) What this Southern Confederacy is-on what basis it is established-when it was formed-how many States are in it-how Davis and Stephens were elected-whether it is a Provisional or a permanent government, it does not condescend to state. We are simply told that Davis and Stephens are elected President and Vice President of the Southern Confederacy.

But, if this Southern Confederacy has been formed, we think we can define its basis scope and intention. Its object will be the reopening of the Slave Trade. Formerly the trade was immoral and a crime against God and man. Now, it is a virtuous and a right thing, almost worthy the appellation of holy. The Cotton or Gulf States are pretty well satisfied that, in this move, they cannot have the co-operation of the border States, and particularly of Virginia, whose slave-breeding markets would be totally destroyed by the importation of negroes from Africa. Therefore, they are not anxious to wait for any compromise to which the border States would be likely to agree. A compromise which would satisfy them would not satisfy the cotton States, because the interests of the border States are different, notwithstanding all the mad rantings about their being identical. The first and leading policy of a Confederacy of the Gulf States is a re-opening of the African Slave Trade, and we believe this to be the object, notwithstanding the disclaim ers which have been made by the leaders in those States. They may think it wise to cover up their policy for the present, but such is the ultimate intent, nevertheless.

If this Southern Cotton Gulf State Confederacy has been formed, it is for the purpose of shutting off all compromise whatever. It is for the purpose of being in a position to dictate terms to the balance of the Union as the conditions upon which the seceding States will come back, giving the remaining States the alternative to part with the public property, the command of the national ports, the free navigation of the Mississippi and other advantages of national importance, or fight for their recovery. It is the assumption, a deliberate and insulting assumption, of the ground that they will have their way, and their way alone, the opinions, wishes, feelings, remonstrances of all the free States and all the border States to the contrary, notwithstanding.

What sort of compromise can be made with men who assert their absolute right to dictate to the entire world? There is no way to get along with such men but either to yield to them in toto or to conquer them. And that is the choice which they have now given the border States and all the rest of the Union.

They will refuse all compromise, unless everything that they demand is surrendered. Such is our opinion of the movement. We shall be very happy, indeed, if we find ourselves mistaken in the prediction.