New-York daily tribune., 1861-07-17
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The Hon. John e. BreckInridgc, late fico-
President and now Senator Of tho United States,
made an elaborate attack on the policy OF go
50 sercion in the Senate yesterday. MI d.
man of fully average ability, and. having deso'e'
himself to The preparation Of this speech 1t Is
probably as forcibe as the nature oi Tue case ."
lowed. Had he been defending at oar 'eno"
caught in the act of homicide, Dir. biech,"'"so
might or might not have done better; ou' ho
could NOT in either case have reasonably eAPec'eh
{, gain verdict. His best hope mus. "a'e "ee"
.o make a clever. ingenious speech, calculated 10
win him future clients.
H.. a. N,,;on a Rioh to be' That is the
prevous Question. If it has not-if 1t exists
only ON sufIerance, aud so long as few reckless
demacogues see TT to tolerate it--then Mr.
Brecknridge's quips and cavils as to this or that
exercise of authority for its preservation, have
plauabilty il not absolute weight. But II the
Nation has right to exist, then his talk of
yesterday is simply sonorous inperuoence' 10
talk of the President having done this or done
that, beyond the letter Of the law, when all
know that the crisis was one OF life or death to
the Republic is like arraigning Napoleon OF
Wellington before Justices court on an acton
for assault and battery ON one OF tho wounded
at Waterloo. 1t is trIiing with matters OF the
erayest moment, as though ono might stop the
march of vast army by getting out writ
against its commander, requiring him to give
satisfactory account oi his purposes aud n'ofiSes
Mr.. Breckenridge has seen the conspiracy to
destroy the Union matured aud ripehed under
his own eyes lie was in fact Nominated ond
run for President on purpose to give II, through
Mr. Lincoln's triumph, the needed excuse for
breaking out into open rebellion. He has thus
been, it not leader in that conspiracy, ut MI
events its tool. Last Winter, when Senator after
Senator thundered bis defiance of the Government
and shook off the dust Of his feet as he bade a
fioal adeu to tue Capitol and started for the
focus of the rebellion, no one beard WORD OF
remonstrance from the then Vice-President. He
was ut least " srandiog by and consentIng' while
the keel OF the Union was breaking up and DRIFT
ing in shaptless wreck on every side. tie re-
turned to Kentucky. which has since been the
arena of desperate strife between the freud"
and the foes of the Union, wherein hs Influence
has certainly not beeu felt on the side OF the
former. On the contrary, he has been quoted
and relied on by the Secessionists throughout
Their leaders are bis lifelong devoted political al
lea. Magohiu aud Burnett are his intlmates. he
doubtless voted for Smons against Crtteodrn
for Congress. For months, compsnies, and even
regiments of his Kentucky followers have been
Openly raised and sent of TO fight the battles Of
JEFF. Davis. The NEST Democratic corner o.
Kentucky is perfect hot-bed of Secession, in
many counties Of which no ayowed Unonist can
lve Many have there suffered indigDity and
torture for their love of the Union. The State,
under the rule of MagOffin. is now 10 a posture
of emphatic resistance to the Federal authority,
though her people are for the Union BY at least
two to one. Thousands Of Ter Democratic cit-
zcns are now facing tho Union Volunteers in
Virginia, without a word OF rebuke from Mr..
Breckenridge. lie depores no "coercIcn" but
that which tends TO uphold the authority and
preserve the integrity Of the Nation. And he
cites il as an excuse for treason that the Repub
lcans did not see ft last Winter to vote for the
establishment of Slavery by law in all territory
south of $50 80. Such is the man who arr0igns
President Lincoln as usurper and assais the
Administration for not betrayiug ito trust, by
letting the Republic drift TO dissolution and
ruin We appeal from his reasonable sophistry
TO the common sense of patriotic, Unon-loying
people.