Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1861-04-20

AuOWS uOW IL " 40 uiouSut uPou ue' -
fanatical party in the North, after hav-
ing, in violation of the spirit Of the Con-
stitution, wsged Ter years relentless
though vain warfare against slavery and
Shareholders, nominated sectional csndl-
dates for the Presidency and Vice
Presidency OF the United States, last
spring. The ultra politicians OF the
South, impelled by lifelong hatred OF
the Union, aud not doubling that the
election Of the Northern candidates
could be used as the most certain means
of its dissolution, proceeded to render
the success OF those candidates inevitable
by adopting measures tor the division
Of the Democratic party into Douglas
party and Breckinridge party. lhis
policy succeeded, the Northern candl-
dates were elected-elected through
the influence OF the Southern eonspir-
acy-and then the conspirators, avail
lu.s themselves of the odious and afro
cious results Of their own Vaccinations
and labors, proceeded to preciPItate
state after State out OF the Union, selz-
ing violently and lawlessly all the United
| States money and other United States
property within their reach,
We need not here repeat the express
ion OF our views in regard to Fort sum
ter. We regard the late assault upon
that fort as an act OF unjust'fable ag-
erosion, an act Of war, deserving the
| seyerest apprehension and the severest
punishment, and We anticipate the speedy
commission, by the South, Of other acts
Of the same character. Certainly there
is much, in what has recently been done
and 10 the prospect OF what is likely to
be done, to provoke the United States
Government to countervalling move
ments of the utmost vlgor. But here
arises he question, the momentous ques-
ton, whether such movements would
not, far from accomplishing any good,
bring about evil and only evil-evi ter
rible in character and fearful in extent,
INVOLVING the guilty and the innocent
alike If both sections OF the country In
the most awful desolation and ruin.
1t is the official duty Of the President
of the United States to execute the
laws, but, when he sees that he cannot
possibly do this at all, or at any rate he
cannot do it without the Inauguration and
consummation of evils and calamities
hundred tues greater than any already
existing, he may well acknowledge the
stern and memorable necessity OF staying
his hand. Assuredly the whole power OF
the nation outside of the Southern Con-
fcderacy could not permanently execute
the United -tates laws within that Con-
fcderacy. The Territory might be over
run, every square rood of its soil might
be moslened with blood, all resistance
might possibly, for time, disappear be
fore the march of victorious army, but
resistance would spring up again as
speedily as a trodden blade OF grass
springs back to its position. Only by
The utter annihiatlon of the whole pop
ulation of the seeding States, only by
the transformation of the entire South
into red and reeklng desert, could the
laws Of the United States be enforced
there; and they could NOT be enforced
even then, for there would be none up
on whom they could separate.
Mr.. Lincoln and bis Secretary Of State
it appears nave ISSUED proclamation,
calling upon the loyal States for an
army of $1,000 men TOR the rctaking of
all the United States property seized by
the Southern forces within the last few
months. We acknowledge, as we have
said, the administrator legal authori
~ to recover, # it can, its property
grasped by the Southern spoilers, but
ITS practical attempt to exercise that
right in the mode it proposes, would, if
there should be no effective interposition
between the beligercnt powers, bring
upon our whole country calamities as
lawful rs any recorded in modern or IN
ancient history. Such calamiti,s must
be averted il it is in the power of wise
and good aad patriotic men to avert
them. And here comes. according to
tour conviction, the great mission Of
The border slave States. We believe
hat the duty Of these important States
s rendered plain and palpabe in the
urid and baleful light OF passing events.
Ii we were to 90 with the South, or if
we were to 60 with the North, the strug-
gle between the two sections into which
the whole county would then be divided
could not fail to bring on, throughout
The continent, reign Of blood and
famine and tenor that would in all pro-
baoiIity extend beyond the years OF our
lives and the lives Of our children.
In this dreadful exlgency, the border
slave States, if they are wise, will take
their position, 6rm and steadfast, be.
tween the North and the South, and in
doing SO, confer mighty blessing up
on both, besides securing their own
compaI alive welfare and prosperity.
Let us Of the border slave States, at
the very earliest practicable moment,
band ourselves together for the preser-
| walton Of peace, 40 far as in rs hes, be-
tween our Northern brethren and our
Southern brethren. Let us be the friends
OF both, but let US be independent Of
both. They can declare war against
each other If they vii, but We shall have
no agency in the accursed work, and We
shall possess a right, sacred right, to
prevent our soil from being stained and
polluted by it. We can say to the Uai
ted States Government that VIC occupy
neutral Territory, aud that they sh.Il
not send troops across it for the Invasion