Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1861-03-01
Mo Coersion!
lIrorn the Montreal Gaz. tie ]

TLrom tAe Montreal z.tte.l
One of the strnngest of the many strange
features Of ii very deelanrattTy br't very Fe'cc1
able rebellion goirg on among our nel%hborS'
is that the South are ever crying out ~ . CO
ersion! The Federal Government must not
4eI, to knr.e sovereign States to remain IN the
Union by use Of armed force and all the
Northern cluughfaees say, Amen, and I'resl-
dent Buchanan says likewise, and executes
their will accordingly. But the peculiarly
funny feature of this policy is that while the
Federal Government is bid to d nothing, not
on anv account to use cOersion. the Southern
States do not hesitate 10 use it on their 5ide.-
They raise troops and seize federal forts an
arsepals, compelling in som5 cases, by the eN-
hibitiou of an overwhelming superior torce'
he capitulation of garrisons. They Ire upon
transports in the service Of the Government
and take forcible possession Of the revenue cut
teFs belonging TO the United States and yes
sels employed in the coast survey. They seize
upon and plunder federal mi nts and rob sub
treasures They employ all the force neCcS-
s;lry to compel the federal authorities to sub
nit to this spoliation, yet cry out all the time
to the Government No cOersIon. Really
people who are mere lockers on must soon
come to one Of three conclusions; that the
Government and the Northern men are great
towards, great simpletons, or are deslrous that
the Union should be broken up How else
account for such abject submission TO such
continued series of insults aTN acts OF open
hostility to the Federal Government: II there
be Federal Government, possessed of any
functions and any powers over the people OF
the United States, surely It ought to have SAID
ong ago, pass your acts Of secession II you
choose hoist your palmetto or any Other flags
you choose, but any acts of hostility against
fedora forts, arsenas or vessels will be punish
ed with the whole power at the disposal of the
Government That is the only language and
the only conduct consistent with the Govern
ment which either respects itself or deserves
the respect of the people. But The fact Is, the
General Government has been too long III the
hands of the States rights party, whose policy
has ever been 10 reduce IFS power to the miul-
mum, who regard the Union formed now under
the new Constitution as nothing more than the
Confedera. ion which existed under the old
Hamilton, Madison and the true stateano1f Of
ClG ijStIUu WIKI lilCSSbe COb"AA''''''' ~
framed, saw all the evils which q loosely bound
Confederacy must suffer-indeed, forcsaw just
such state oI chaos rs now exists, unless the
basis of the new Constitution was ~ laid that
the Federal Government should derive its chlci
or whole authority, not from the several States
but directly from he whole people Only by
that means, they felt, could the Federal Gov
ernmcnt be made strong enough in properly
derived power to keep all parts Of the coun-
try in the subsection necessary for maintain
ance of national unity and national action
! Calhoun aud his followers have set up the riv'
al flag of 'strict construction" against FEEDER
al authority and in favor Of scperate State
/ right, and their doctrines have leavencd the
whole lump Of the Democratic party. The
action of the several States upon this crisis
has been promqt, vigorous and manly, both II
the North and South. That of the Fedora
Government has been faint hearted, vacillating
undiynifed, Intellectual. Calhounism seems tt
have impreguatcd tue minds OF the party still
in office (but whose domaination' has becom'
luckily effete,) the manliness OF Jacksonisn
seems to have died out Of it, Firmness lik
that of General jackson, shown by Presiden
Buchanan, had crushed secession in the bud il
South Carolina. 1t would never have sprea
to other States.