Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-11-20
AitRu1on0 Enqulrer~
TUESDAY MORNING., NOVEMBER y
xyhnt Will Lincoln Doi
-.
BY TYLER, WISE &c ALLEGRE.

TUESDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 2O
! what VIII Lincoln Doi
The New York press seems to DC busted
with the question, "Whnt will Lincoln do:"-
Indeed, the respective editors Of the Herald, "
the ''rribunc" and the Times, unite in favor.
ing the idea that the fate Of the conlederacy
now hangs upon what Mr.. Lincoln shall do or
leave undone-Say or leave unsaid.
The Tribune" thinks that Mr.. Lincoln will
ensure ultimate Southern submission by a "wise
and mastery inactivity" that his true course
will be, first TO await the ''probability' Of I'M
conditional submission, to result purely from
| the fears of a submissionist majority in each
Southern State; and, in case any State shall
happen to secede, passivcly TO permit the Sc
cession, with the hope that it will entail such
Hardship on the seeding State as 10 obligc her
voluntary return to the Union.
The "Times" suggests modification, viz
tha, South Carolina, for example, shall be per-
ni,tcd to exclude from her limits all the fede-
ral courts and post Offices, now established
there; and that coercion shall be applied only
when the State authority shall interfere with
the federal navigation and revenue laws. The
Times" thus eyinccS somewhat more saga
cious appreciation of the power of State re-
sistancc, than that manifested by the "'Tri-
bunc."
Abolish Federal Judges and post.mastcrs in
South Carolna-vrry well, says the Times =
tAat will only affect the people of South Caro-
lima l. will not affect. Mr.. I.inc0ns especial
proiescs -lke people Of the North. Mr.. Lin
coin EBAY qnielly permit this. True-Mr. Lin
coin prufrSScs 10 believe that his oath TO sup.
port the Constitution binds him to uphold Fc.
deral judges and postmaSterS, against State ac-
ton; but the higher law morality OF such phi
losophers rs Greeley and Raymond places par.
lisan expeliencv far above the obligations of an
oath. IN oath P>iiaw! There is something
stronger than M oath among the tranScendrnt-
4! class Of phllosophic politicians. french
politicians suddenly transformed from kepub-
lican To Imperial sentiment, call it "h neces.
site" Old Will Shakespeare, prone to blunt
nome ncaturc, calls it Tickling commodity"
Lincoln Greeley, Raymond, &C., call it 'highcr
law"
Even 50. Higher law, for the sake Of po-
litc cxpedieucy, will most politically shut the
eyes Of the Federal Executive to the fate Of
courts and poSlotlicci.
But 10 the genius Of Raymond looks be-
yond this, and discovers truth-a great, big.
real, stubborn truth-which all the devices Of
higher law eXpcdiency are incompetent TO
smooth over. What if South Carolina shall
drive away the Custom House officers, take
possession ol Fort Moultris and Castle Pinck-
ney--opcn the Port Of Charleston for the i'm
por,ation Of foreign goods FREE OF DrTY:
Lincoln proclaim Charleston closed port,
or blockade the coast of South Carolina, or
uuiieS @ lnls viii ue coercion, and phloso-
pher Greeley disapproves coercion. Here, too,
Mr. Greeley would adopt the policy Of "laissss
ut Charleston, sold there at prices 90, 80, 10,
80 per cent. cheaper than those Of New York.
Charleston merchants would drive n thriving
import trade New York merchants no trade
at all: and the revenues Of the Federal Govern
neut would be icarfllly curtaed. What then,
if not coercion?
Simply the acknowledge cement of South Caro-
linas independence, the negotiation OF treaty
Of commerce with that republic, or at least the
enactl -.nt by Congress Of new revenue laws
and the environment Of the Palmetto State
with Gordon of revenue ports on this side the
international boundary line.
The latter alternative is altogether dist"ste-
jul to the Times s"-doubtless also 10 Greeley
and to Lincoln. and coercion is the watch
word
The New York Herald is also intent on
the question, '.what will Lincoln do?' The
Herald does not look so far ahead as DO It's
Black Republican contemporaries. 1t docs not
attemp; to decide whether Lincoln Will or
ou.ht 10 coerce. Tho Herald is satisfied
with recommending \ prrrcnttce, VIZ: mat
Mr. Lincoln shall lose no time in the pubIica-
tian Of a manifesto, assuring the South that nc
will SO employ his Office AS to avoid all INJURY
to Southern rights.
We would suggest that the preventive re-
commended is altogether inadequate Tor 'h'
rent prevention. Mr.. Lincoln is little more
than cipher in the present account. lie Is a
mere exponent, whose significance is due not
to his personal or official conduct, but TO the
attendant unit figure which preccdes Inc
significant fact which uenaces the South, Is
no, that Abe Lincoln is elected President, but
that the Northern people, by sectional Vote'
have elected President for the avowed pur-
pose Of aggression on Southern rights. The
purpose Of AGGRESSION has been declared This
is Il declaration Of ,car. An important act has
been committed for the purpose OF consumma-
ting this declaration. This is an act Of tcar,
committed by State officers, acting under the
dictatIon Of popular vote
The war is made and Mr.. Lincoln is impo'
tent to command the peace. What then? Full
assurance of peace must be given from some
competent quarter, or the Southern States
mus. choose between sukiection and resistance.
Tie Northern States which have declared
war against US, and committed acts OF war
against us-they alone are competent TO shield
us from revolution. Let each Northern State
through her Legislature, or in Convention
assembled, promptly repeal all nnllfyIns laws
passed for the INJURY Of the constitutional rights
Of the South; pass laws to secure the easy ana
promnt execution of the fugitive slave law;
pass other laws imposing adequate penalties on
all malefactors who shall hereafter assist OF
encourage the escape Of fugitive slaves; pass