Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-04-11
Shall The Government be Maintain
ed.

Shall The Government be Maintain.
lExtract from Forneys correspondence In the Phia-
uelPhta Press.
Presideat Lincoln and his Cabinet bov-
ing waited to see if there is any chance or
prospect of peaceable adjustment of the
strife that has lost us seven States of the
Union, are now forced to rescue the Gov
ernment itself from dissolution. Ii is NIT
whether we shall recall the Cotton Slntps
or hold in tue Border States, or maintain
the capital at Washington, 6u! IrGeiAer are
Sh'Hhdpe a pesfiye Of a country? Whether
our civilization is fraud? Our prosperitv
shamP Our public credit counterleit2 ,
Our liberty ie2 Ii Abraham Lincoln
were not pledged to do right in regard 10
common interests. the gravity and import
nnee OF the obligations now resting uDon
him, and demanding action, instant, reso-
lutte, and preserving action would convert
MIN INTO hero, or, If not fulfilled. cover
MN with an ignominy more lasting even
than that which has settled like an iucu.
rable plague upon the character .of L;s
Immediate predecessor, which has blasted
him living, and will make him immortaIIy
infamous, even when death hides his form
from the gaze of men, aud removes him
from n nation he hns ruined.
am a man OF peace. As satd,I have
begged for 1t in these columns aud in this
city, as you have begged for it at yonr
homes, almost on my knees. Rnt mo
there not cnlamities worse than wnr2 Il
not tile destruction of onr Union by those
VINO lave no gratitude for the past. and
no respect for the future, worse than pnv
war; Shall we not save it before il ia too
it'e! bnti howt By committing the case
.o.E5 70 o5'Ee E public servants, who, having Of
lereo l"ir measures of amity and peace,
must now be asked to enforce the laws and
70 protect the public property If from
TINS act war Is to follow, better thar II
should come in that way than I'M 49,
should he forced upon us by successful
traitors. What American wouTI r,,I,ar
sacrifice his life in defending lis flag than
to be struck down by remorseless fvran-
ny, which grew strong and great because
tnat nag WIS not defended2 We are told
that war IS inevitable. whatever may he
dome 6y the Government, whether il re-
mains passive, or boldly does its duty
Tbs his heen the cry OF the Southern
conspirdtors for months, and their Immense
ntitnry preparations arc proofs that they
n[e res. sincere in making the prophecy. TLey
VIII make II, IL It is made at all: and When
tney strike the blow, lei it be 50 answered.
ana ana avenged as to prove that tile day for
i,'iHt5 with hebellion has passed, and
tne honf for proving that We have Gov
ernnlent has come.
these are warm words, bat they come
rom \ aeart that does not respond TO a
slngle instinct opposed to humanity.
nave nay, come TO the conclusions they convey
ei.sF sls many painful reflections. II is now
fearfully apparent that the enemies Of the
country country have misunderstood peace-
iul counsel, and that they have come
70 regGrd the friends of the couutry AZ
unequal to its protection, or unwilling
70 save II from the fate that impeuds above
u. IN this emergency. I call upon all
good men aud truetO take sides with the
government in the periIs before it and our
ghole people. If blood shall flow. our
esilrts Wlll not accuse as, and God will
iorglye Us, because we are contending for
N5gnlon and government better aud freer
and hapPier, than any that has eyer -four
ished since ae created the world.
OCCASIONAL.