The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1861-01-19
The Inevitable Issue.

The signs of the times indicate clearly
that the issue will soon be presented to
the American people i'll q tangible form,
whether this government shall adopt the
policy OF coercion, to be followed by civil
war and certain and permanent disunon;
or concession, mutual arrangement and
compromise, leading either to ultimate re-
union or peaceable dissolution. One OF the
two n.ast be..the end Of the present imbrog-
lilo. The action of the republicans in con-
gress, the MESSAGES of all the newly elected
republican Governors OF different states,
and, what is particularly significant, the
stubborn and defiant stand taken by our
republican Governor and legislature at
Springfield, sitting under the nose Of the
President elect Indicate hexand misappr.,
hension, that COERCION is decided upon as
the republican programme.
This involves, with many others, the fol
lowing action and consequences:
The army innst be employed 10 get pos
session OF the public property in the scce-
ding states.
The army and nary must le employed
TO enforce the collection OF the revenue III
the seeding states.
The army must be employed 70 arrest
and bring to trial persons guilty Of treason
IL the seeding states.
On the appearance OF portion OF The
army in any one Of the southern states
with such ON oyov,aJ ,.-,r,o-a ey.,y
southern state-would or the instant fly tl
arm. There VIII he no slave state hold
ing bacll-Maryland Kentucky, Missouri
al viii 90. There viii following such {
civil war as the world has never before
seen; and though the north might in thc
I'd conquer, could that restore the Union
Never Coercion is therefore civil wa,
and permanent disunion.
On the other hand, the democracy o
every northern state, SO far as they have
given collective expression to their views
the people CT the border slave states al
most unanimously, without distinction Of
party, and large fraction of the people il
the seeding states, oppose coercion under
all circumstances. They favor, first, I'll,
adoption Of n plan like that proposed BY
the Crittenden resolutions The adoption
of these it is confdeutially believed will
on the instant restore peace and quiet The
country. But if they should fail, thcr
they urge the calling of a national conyen
ton in pursuance of the 9TH article of the
Constitution, and if that convention is un
able so to amend the co Institution as to re
unite all sections, let it then arrange 70
peaceable dissolution.
Even this last and most to be deprecateC
of all results, would be no VERSE than wha
would be inevitable under the republican
proGromme, while it would avoid all tn
intervening horrors of civil war But on
object is not at present toarguc the question
between these plans. Our object is to ex
plain to our readers that the sordian kno
of our countries difficulties is unravellin
itself in this way, and that very soon the
will be called upon to decide in practica
way which solution thay prefer. 1t is tim
they were taking their stand on one sid
or the other. Old party issues arc passin
away, and this will now be the absorbin
lssue-coercion or, peaccable accommod'
tion. Take your stand at once!