New Orleans daily crescent., 1860-11-20
VOLUME XIII.
Nen Orleans DAILY Crtsfent.
COVERT Acrs.o

Those Of our Southern friends who hold to the
opinion that the rule Of Abolitiondom, under the |
lead of Abraham Lincoln, should be submitted to, |
until some overt act Of unconstitutional and out |
rageous oppression is perpetrated by them upon
the rights and people OF the South, and who there
fore grecdiy devour ALL or nearly all, the reports |
from Black Republican quarters that the President |
elect is mild, moderate, conservative man, who |
will faithfully execute the laws in strict obedience
to the requirements OF the Constitution, should |
read tile following exposition of his views from
most authoritative source-trom his confidential
and trusted home organ.
The suboined extract is short, but it is exceed
ingIy suggestive and comprehensive. 1t is taken
from late number of the Chicago Tribune:
IF Mr.. Lincoln is committed to anything it is to
the 'fpocy of treating SLAVERY as being 1ofo7ag,
with due regard to the difficulties of GETTING RID
OF II in peaceful way"
No doubt these are Mr.. Lincoln's intentions. No
doubt his Administration will be conducted upon
the cardinal principle of treating slavery
in the South as being morally, socially and
politically "wrong,n taking into consideration,
at the same time, the difficulties Of getting
rid of it in peaceful way" His whole recent
political history proves this; the outgivings of
| his Eastern as well as his Western organs DEM
| onstrate it, and there is nothing in the past or
the present of himself or the party which elected
him that does'not 60 to show that every influence
| the Federal Government could command, if con-
| fded to his keeping, would be exercised to the
detriment Of the saveholding interest, and of all
other interests which depend upon that institution
| for vitality and prosperity. We do not look for
| any sudden shock Or any violent proceedings at
| the commencement. Nothing of the kind is antiei-
pated BY sensible and rejecting men. The process
! will be slow and gradual the poison to be admin
istered will not be violent in its operations; on the
contrary it will assume the form of an opiate; we
| will be goothad into dreams of safety, while the
oppressor will be taking possession Of the citadel
of our liberties; we will be promised all manner
of security, while the enemy is gradually encroaeh
| ing upon us from every quarter; we will be told
to slumber on in quiet, until the common foe holds
| every place of power, honor and emolument in
our midst, and has built up formidable organiza-
ton in all the Southern States entertaining its Pc
euar tenets, which will be sustained and en-
couraged, and protected, if need be, by the whole
| authority of the General Governments and then
we will unquestionabIy be told, in language that
| cannot be misunderstood, that Mr. Lincolns
speech at Springfield, Illinois, the 18th of June.
1868. is in the process of realization that, to use
his own language, the agitation of the slavery
question " will not cease, until crisis shall hare
been reached and passed "a house diuided against
Itself cannot stand Jelieue this Government
cannot endure permanently half slaue and halt
free"
As MIR. President Lincoln's party will be numer-
caliy the stronges as it will control the govern
ment, the army, the navy and the treasury it
will have regularly organized force to support ii
Al, ,,.tti sI,af
yards post-ofices, etc. in its possession and il
will move with all the prestige and authority Of a
regularly organized governmental is not very
likely, we respectfully submit, that the weaker
section thus enyironcd by enemies, and thu:
hedged around by laws, the enforcement of which
is in tile hands of an inimieal executive, will be
apt to subject the stronger section to the influences
Of domestic slavery. The reasonable presumption
is that the opposite will be the case; and that the
weaker party will, In the inevitable order of events
be obliged to go to the wall and submit to what
ever terms and conditions the stronger party mag
see fit to impose.
We have thus hastily glanced at few of tht
humiating and disastrous consequences whic1
will most probably oyertake the South in case tbs
advice of the advocates of the overt act doctrine
should prevail. We believe this policy of inactiy
ity to be ruinous policy. We think it fraugh with
every attribute Of mischief-eyery element Of dan
ger-without solitary redeeming quality. w,
say this with all possible respect for the opinion
of those friends who differ from us. We do no
impugn their motives or question the honesty o
their Intentions They are just as good Southern
ers as we are. But we do maintain that thei
policy will, if carried out, destroy the very object
they have in view thatit will result in the subjn
oF thn that
the ueyy policy, and the only policy, the Black Ri
publieans of the North wish US to pursue at th
iuncture; and that, if we are going to act at al
now is the time to act, and if we are going
submit let US submit in silence. At any rate, "
hope to hear no more about @ overt acts,'' to b
e committed by Lincoln or his Government, whethe
the alternative of resistance submission
adopted by the Southern people. Had the " owe
act doctrine prevailed in 1776, the Decaratio
of Independence would never have been writer
In connection with this branch of the subje
there is another which bears immediate relatio
u ship to it. The Abolition journals the North 50
confidently almost every day, that the planters
the South, as body, are in favor of submission
Lincoln's rule. This we know to be untrue al
we only cite the fact to bring to their attentit
another important matter. These very same jou
ed able, pointed out the dsproportion in numbe
At which existed between the slave owners and no
- = slave owners, and declared that when their par
al obtained possession of the Government they wou
stimulate jealousy between the latter and t
former, which would result in the spoation of t
lA one and the aggrandizemento Of the other and Gu
nngly suggested mode by which it could
done without damage to existing or prospect
: interests so far as they were concerned. Of coul
we do not place faith in this; but when Lincoln
army of officials swarms all over the South, the
is no foreseeng what may happen. Hence,
consider it highly incumbent upon our planters
make move in the right direction, as speedily
opportunity serves, in order. that they may not
misrepresented abroad.
TALK ON CHANGE.
If there was nothing else favorable to talk