The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-12-28

Before you throw the influence of your
press on the side of coercion" as the
remedy for our present national difficulties,
it would be well to endeavor to see the end
from the beginning. In order to keep your
powder dry, and your patriotism in reserve
to be thrown in favor of the best interests
of your whole country, ego slow" We
walk on slippery places. Volcanoes burn
beneath our feet. 1t is time for prudence,
and nothing but the most moderate councils.
the calmest patriotism, the wisest and most
dispassionate craftsmanship, can save this
young Republic from being drenched in
blood, by war as unnatural as it will be
disastrous to North, South, East and West.
If there was merely some local distur-
bance or characterization, like that of Utah
or Kansas, coercion would meet the case.
But rough hew it as we will, the rugged
issue of War is now regarded as the true and
only issue now presented to fifteen States of
the Union, by those who have separated
themselves from those States on geograph-
ical line, and by sectional adoption of a
hostile policy, and who have proclaimed an
irrepressible conflict" between the North
and the South.
When the new President shall tap the
drum, and call on the " Army and Navy"
to carry out the " coercion" doctrines, what
does he ask He asks one half the army
and one half the navy to fight their own kim
dred and their native land. Will they do
it? Never, never, never. When he calls
on two millions of northern men, nearly all
of whom voted against him, for the very
reason that they regarded his policy as
necessarily leading to war and the destruc-
ton of the government will they have any
heart Tor war which they labored to pre-
vent, and honestly believe to be ruinous to
their interests, if not unnatural, impolitic
and unjust.
Look at the nativity alone, OF those g.
100000 voters. They were born in Ireland
in Germany, in Norway, in Sweden, and
thousands of them in the South. They have
no quarrel with the south, and have sought
to avoid one.
Thousands of them were born in the north
They are men OF liberal views, rational feel
iDgs, large patriotism, and above all, men of
liberation.
Are these men to be forced into war by
party, add for party they know to be
a0rOng?
Would it not be quite as natural for
them to reuoh against that party and hWl
at from poa0er? Already we see in Massa-
chusetts the people arising and taking the
law into their own hands to vent their indig-
nation against the pestilerous agitators
whom they look upon as the cause of the
disasters that have paralyzed their business
and threaten to involve them in still greater
troubles. Already we hear of Pacific
Empire, North western Empire, and other
schemes and coalitions which show plainly
that coercion will be the signal for general
revolution and ultimately anarchy.
AS the patriotic Stephens has said, "those
who commence revolutions seldom end
them" The history of the world shows that
it is easier to take up the sword than it is
to sheathe it. Hatred must have its gut
of blood. Ambition must find its theatre.
Avarice and lust of power must seek their
affiuities and coalitions.
When once the bugle blast calls this ma
ton to arms, slavery will cease to be the
issue.
1t is not really the issue now, nor has it
been. Power has been the issue. ambition,
avarice, and slavery merely its pretext.
If war must come, coalitions must be
formed on other issues, and among those
most likely to exert controlling influence,
will be commercial interests and necessities.
The North west must have an outlet,
and twill neither be dependent province
of the East or South" This feeling, based
upon the "human necessity of daily Bread"
having its birth and its stronghold in the
"pocket" will very soon override and sup
plant the feeling that seeks "crusade"
against the south, to force upon them gov
eminent not of their own making and as dis
tasteful to them as the Lecompton constitu>
tion was to Kansas.
You, yourselves, Messrs. Editors, were
anti. Lecompton because the government
yoke proposed to be put on Kansas was not
their act and deed.
Whether right or wrong in so believing,
these fifteen states regard the government
proposed to be set over them, as the gov
eminent of different people to which they
were not parties, and over which they will
hold no check-and more than this, gov
eminent of party hostile to their institu-
lions, and which has nullifed the constitu-
tion in twelve states of the Union to
obstruct them in their rights of property
guaranteed by the constitution. Our better
plan, (if matters cannot be otherwise quieted)
would be to resort to an entire reconstruct
ton of the government, by general con-
vention of states in which the only question
of difference shall be adjusted and forever
put to rest, if there is patriotism enough left
to do this. If there is not, then like Abra-
ham and Lot, let the north 60 one way and
the south the other-separate peaceably,
divide the assets and liabilities, and form
such treaties of amity, as will best subserve
the mutual interests of sister Republics.
MERRIMAC.
Rn,rp WuJJAMs' Orava at PrOvidancp