Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1861-04-17

to discuss now. The time for that calm and
tranquil thought. suited for its discussion in
temperate candid. and dispassionate manner
has gone by, aud We are unwilling to say
anything now calculated to infame the pub
lie mind, or do aught to weaken the league
oflove which we once fondly hoped would
hold the Union together forever. We prefer
rather to Inquire what is the proper course
for 4 true phIianthrOpic, conservative, Union
| loving patriot, to pursue at the present time.
1t may be. that that since the Gulf States
have determined TO withdraw from the Un-
joD that it would have been better to have
acknowledged their Independence, aud allow
ed them TO retire peaceably, rather than plum
&C the Country into the horrors of civil war.
But the President Is not Empowered to do
this Ii is right vested in Congress, and
! ~ II alone. Ii adjourned a few weeks ago
without doing 20, and the President s und0ubt-
ydiy bound To regard the revulGed States as
still iu the UHiJu. aid sat jecr t. its laws
1t Is also clearly his duty to cnieayor, at
least. to ee that those laws are executed In
all of said States, taking care in doiu so. not
TO 90 beyond the limits prescribed BY the
| Constitution which is given him for bis chart
and guide
We entertain DO doubt that the pacific policy
iuaugurated by Nh. Buchanan, and apparently
/ followed for several weeks by Mr.. Lincoln, ten
ding as 1t did, to keep Virginia and the other
Border States in the Union, and bring about the
adoption Of such amendments to the Constitution
as would probably have ultimately drought back
the seeding States. should not have been so has
! uly abandoned. But Mr.. Lincoln in determining
to send provisions to Fort Sumter, 'peaceablv II
possible, otherwise by force was acting strictly
within the letter and spirit of the Constitution
> L.. -..+r.
u stern sense Of imperative duty. He was mere
ly taking the first step in The effort to execute
the laws in States which lie is bound to reeard
as still members Of the Union. This was not
coercion. this was not al attempted invasion Of
sovereign State. but effort 20 execute the
laws; and no law abiding citizen, after carefully
In VestIgatlnG the case can ccCsurc him for doing
so. lie is the executive, not the law making
power, and it Is lis duty, acting with propCr
discretion, 10 execute those laws, whether that
duty be painful or pleasant one. We have no
right to conclude from what has been done, that
NJ. Lincoln intends commencing a cOeTciye war.
a war of carnage and determination against The
Gulf States, or To proceed farther than IS ne
ccssary 10 execute the revenue laws. Indeed he
stands pledged i'll his Inaugural address 10 pur-
sue exactly tile opposite course. To show that
we DO not misreprcscnt him in this. we make
the following extradt from his Inaugural
Il therefore consider that in view of the Con-
to the extent ofmy ability, shall take care. as
the Constitution itself expressly euioius on me,
that the laws OF the Union be faithfully executed
in all tie States. Doing this deem it to be on
~ duty on my part. and | shall perform it so
FAR a pTactlcabies unless my rightfui masters
the American people, shall withhold the reaui-
site means, or In some authOFiIiye manner direct
the contrary. | trust this will rot be REGARDED
as q menace, but only the declared purpose Of
the Union, that it will ConsLitutOuaiiy defend
aud melutaln Itself. In doing this there need be no
b.0odSned OF violence, and there shall lie none
unless It be forced upon the national authority.
Ihe pC'rer copti3ed to me IcW Le used 10 EolG Cc-
cfg and possess hl> property and places g,eLoHg-
ig 10 tie government; 10 collect duties and iH-
poS-s tlr beg0Rd ,chdt may be necessary for these
objects, there JrU be jRraSiOR. 40 sinq of for
&C against or among tie po'71te GHy1rhere.
Where hostility 10 the United States in anv
interior locality, shall be so great. and 50 uni
verSal. as II prevent competent resident citizens
from holding federal Offices; there will be no at
tempt u force obnoxious strangers among the
people that for object. While the LEGAL riobt
may exist IN the government to enforce the ex-
eTclsc OF these Offices, the attempt to do SO would
Je s. lrrataung. and 50 nearly impractcable
wjthal, that deem It better to foreso for some
time the use Of such offices. The mails, unless
reptled, VIII continue to be furnished in all parts
oL the Union, 50 lar as possible. The people
everywhere shall have that sense of perfect Sc
cunty which 5 most favorable to calm thought
ami reflection
WaIte Mr.. Lincoln continues to pursue.the line
of action which he has thus lai1 down for his
guidance, he viii be doing nothing more than
what Is strictly right and constitutional. and
Will % therefore entitled to the endorsement and
support Of his fellow countrymen If he sbouId
hereafter 60 beyond the limits nf the cOnstitn
ticn and laws, he would be clearly wrong. and
doing that with which the Gulf States are now
charged with having done But we have no
right to infer that he intends Going so. At tho
beg.ulnS OF this trying and fearful crisis which
Is apparently teeuing with 80 many evils for
yourselves. tor your children. for all who aro
near and dear to you, it behooves Won. fellow
citizens, to act with pTudence.and firmness. and
IN the spirit OF enlightened patriotism Let us
ie'AeiiiOef tAat however gloomy the present hour
may be, there Is God who watches oyer tho
dcstinics of Nations, and who. if he 81 will =
can soon bring out of darkness the rainbow, of
promise. Let Is not seek to add fuel to the
flames OF civil war, or counsel anv step that does
not LOOK TO the restoration of peace and tram
qUAty to our now broken and distracted cour-
Try. Let rs not go into the strife like SAVAGE I'll
gers SioatlnS tor blood, but like true patriots en-
deaNoln@ TO preserve unimpared the Tnio,
and our free institutions, as they were transmit
ted to US by the heroes and sages of the revoln-
ton Let Us not act Ike the inftIriated nonuIaca
OF Paris during the French Revolution. but with
something OF the firmness. the discretion. rbe
bravery and prudent care which characterized
cur great " Washington, during the struggle that
tried the souls cf men.
ES-The editor of the AHeqhani;an inform.
cd the world last week, that he has ,ften
heard horse laugh Ycs and ho r.. Ill