Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1861-04-05

EeS- The peace policy Of the Administration has
surprised many and disappointed not a few. Is
there motive for it other than aversion to civil
war; 1t is evident that the Gulf States took the
Republicans by surprise, and that the Administra
ton was, for time at least greatly embarrassed by
H. But If the New York Tribune be the echo Of
the sentiments of the Cabinet it would seem that
the circumstances which created alarm and per-
plexty at first, have suggested the waging Of the
"irrepressible conflict " under a new guise. The
Tribune argues, with evident ggsto that the kisun-
ionists of the non-secedng States will fall back,
with their slaves upon the cotton Confederacy, and
that they retreat free labor from the North will
take their places and in this way the border States
win be abotionized, and slavery cooped up in so
small compass that it must work out its own spec
dy extrpation. This suggestion gives rise to two
very grave questions for the consideration of the
border States. First: If this be the policy of the
Administration, it evinces continued settled ha-
tired of the South and its institutions and proves,
beyond doubt that the policy which seems to have
beeen dictated by frutcrnal feeling and aversion to
civil war; is bu the smile that preccdes the daggers
thrust If this be the policy, will the border States
countermine it, or suffer it to be carried out
In the second place: If this be not the policy,
and the same results are to follow-arguing upon
the Tribunes assumptions-the question remains
unchanged, and the border States must deal with it
without any reference to the intentions of the Ad-
ministraton. If slavery is to be abolished here,
provided the border States do not secede it is time
the people were enquirng how far such aresut will
be promotive of their happiness, and how far they
will be justified in becoming the instruments, in
'he hands of the Republicans of the abolition of
slavery in the cotton States If it is the intention
of the Administration to strike at slavery through
the border States there will be difficulty in our
obtaining such guarantees as have been demanded
because the concession of them will be nothing
more than part of the programme; but were that
intention placed beyond doubt, would the border
States accept the guarantees? That is the ques
ton But if there be no such intention on the
part of the Republicans, and yet it can be demon
strated that the Tribune is correct in its estimate of
the results to follow the adhesion of the border
States to the North should such want of intention
modify the action of the non seeding States? That
is another question; but as we do not know wheth-
CT lHe lTiouue IL rlRnt III lto suppoSitlohi NV
whether there is any such intention ON the part of
the Administration, the answers to these questions
must be dependent upon facts yet to be elected
The Tribune is sensation paper and therefore, not
relable but since it has offered these suggestions
II is the duty of the people to weigh them in the
scale of probability and decide accordingly. Of
thing we are satisfied and that is, if it were
known that such is the policy, and that such would
be the result the border States would neither de-
mand nor accept guarantees which were intended
to be auxiliary to the treacherous designs of an i'm
placabie enemy. But, as before said,> have no
faith in the Tribune and reproduce its opinions as
index to possible contingency of vital interest to
the whole South,