Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-11-12

UNwIsK COuNsKLs The Republican press OF tne
non-.laveholding States continue the insane work
Of pooh-poohing the existing condition Of things
at the South. In this they are grievously mis-
leading the communities In whose midst they are
printed, whose interests 90 closely involved In
the continuance Of the Confederacy intact
We sincerely believe that there IL but little
hope Of its continuance remaining, unless the
President elect shall promptly enable those at the
South " 40 would prevent the destruction Of the
Union, to accomplish that object, by himself
taking ground instantly against the ultrasts of his
party, so unmistakably ~ that they Che Unionists
Of the South) may carry conviction with their
words when urging that his administration is to
be conservative one We need not protest the
earnesness Of this opinion Of ours-that 1t 10 not
announced for political effect The whole course
Of the Star upon this momentous question, ever
since We have regarded the Union as being In
danger, involves a guarantee that we are indeed
solicitous only that the South shall give the In
coming administration fair trial. instead Of
resorting to what 1t may deem necessary measures
Of selfProection ere Its policy with reference to
the slavery question may be developed.
The most insane of all the Republican party
journals on this subject, Is the New York Erening
Post, whose current course amounts to an earnest
invitation to the dissatisfied States proceed with
the work Of communicating preparations to leave
the Confederacy In body on the 4th Of March
next. While counscling Lincoln against in any
manner aiding personally to disabuse the southern
popular mind from the impression that his policy
is to be that breathed in all the speeches Of Messrs
Wade, Sumner and Giddings, and their abolition
co-laborers, and in the editorial columns Of the
New York Tribune, 1.-THE almost universal prev
alence Of which opinion throughout the South
forms the whole cause Of the current danger Of
disunion,) II pretends to hold the present Admin
istraton responsible for the due initiation and sue
cessful prosecution Of measures that shall success
fully keep the cotton States in check.
Now, the conductors Of the Ersnixg Post must
know well that the law does not authorize the
Government at this point to take any official cog.
nizance Of anything whatever such Southern
States may do In the way Of preparation to be
ready for secession from the Union in body on
the 4th Of March next. President Buchanan can
only lawfully act In Of the infracton of some
law by some parties or State in the South. He
cannot lawfully move a finger to prevent the
calling Of secession conventions In the Southern
States; nor. again, to prevent the election Of an
overwhelming majority Of secessionists to those
conventions. Nor can he in any way interfere
with the people of the cotton States in their sub
sequentact of ratifying at the polls whatever those
conventions may determine on against the con-
tinuance Of the Confederacy.
Thus, 1t 10 surely competent for the cotton States
to be fully prepared to set up Government Of
their own, wholly independent Of and discon-
nected with the Government Of the United States,
on the 4th Of March next, without having 30
violated Federal law In the meanwhile, as that
President Buchanan can lawfully take any oficial
coQnizance Of their acts whatever.
Already 1t is clear, beyond contradiction, that
the late impression that the Bell and Douglas par
ties OF the cotton States not acting with their
feiiow-citizens of the Breckenridge party in their
preparations for disunion, was grievously falla-
ciou' one On the contrary, in Georgia and Ala
bama, for instance, late Bell and Douglas electors
and newspapers are eagerly rushing forward to
occupy the first places in the revolutionary move
ment
Those who are appealing to the President
elect to do something by way Of aiding to prevent
such action as will result in his Inauguration as
the Chief Magistrate Of but portion Of the exist
Ing Confederacy, are NOT seeking to induce him
TO compromise the dignity Of his position, as the
ErsniHg Post alleges; or any advantage for the
principles OF the Republican party as he himself
announced them on every occasion In the course
OF his celebrated canvass for the Senate Of the
United States with Douglas, e 1t (the Post) also
alleges; but simply that he shall now formally
proclaim, In some unmlstakable way, that he de-
signs administering the Government on the posi-.
hons, where the slavery question may be con.
cefned, upon which he stood In that remarkable
canvass, rather than according to the positions
urged as those Of the Republican party by most of
those at the North who have triumped equally
with himself a. Republican-p party candidates In
the recent election While we have no idea
whatever that such an announcement on his part
will generate for his Administration any party to
speak Of at the South, We sincerely believe that 1t
Will operate more than aught else conceivable In
the present crisis to induce the mas Of the people
OF the south to turn deaf ears Il those who are
seeking to preciPitate them into revolution.