New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-03-11
sESTrnR,rAL sTATGsmANsMHP.


! sENTrnENTAL sTATEsMANsEhP.
Seme sensitive gentlemen, who are accustomed
70 pin their faith to Mr. Scwurd's sleeve, profess
70 believe that THE TRIBUNE has pcnonuly
| os,oilrd their Cnyorite statesman Nothing Is
! further from the truth While we suppose 1t 10
| be lawful TO differ in opinion from any public
/ man and conceive il to be duty to criticize the
/ words and deeds of all Official personage., We
are very far from assailing the motives OF all
with whom we differ in opinion, and we certainly
have no quarrel with the good intentions of Mr
Seward II is the curse Of American politics
that they run in the channel of the baldest par
/ tizspsLip. When Sir Oracle opens his mouth, no
dog must bark, under penalty Of instant cJecton
/ from his party. leading Ounce makes party
speech aud the party organs must approve or
fall under the party ban. This system Of indis-
crImiDate laudation will answer very well for
those who like it, but to those who Ike 1t not 1t
is an abomination. II makes little difference
whether ii be q single depot, or whole party
of dr.pota, who assume TO suppress the free ex-
preston Of opinion, the attempt is in either case
equally intolerlble and equally 10 be resisted.
We speak, therefore, our honest sentiments.
whether they agree or conflict with these Of any
man OF any party with whom or with which
We generally act
Mr. Stewards recent tone is so cs.c centrally differ
ent from that OF the proud statesman who recently
sounded the defiant trumpet of Freedom through
out the great Northwest, that we are compelled
to inquire hs meaning; for, TO our mind, be
gives an un certain sound, which needs eSplana
ton. II was but the other day that lie stood
opposed 10 those sentimental statcsmep, who made
business of Union-sayng to the great encour-
aqenent Of those who sought to destroy the Union.
Yet DOW il sosms--wc do not say it is so-but it
seem. that Mr. Seward is tending constantly
to the sentimental school Of politics, and meets
this crisis with an apparent want OF energy and
decision, not at oil in harmony with Lis past
record. We mny err, but II seems 10 us that
Mr.. Fillmore in Mr. Stewards place would be
exactly what Mr. Seward appears to be. lie
seems 20 ignore the question OF extending Slavery,
aud all other questions connected with that in
famous institution, and 10 address himself solely
TO saving the Union We do not forget, how
ever, that, few years ago, Mr.. Seward openly
declared in tie Senate that he was not party
man, aud that ten years thereafter, none who
read his speeches could tea TO what party be had
belonged. But this was oil mistake. If We
have been awake during the late canvass,
nothing has been palmer in Mr.. Stewards speeches
and in his acts than the fact that he has
acted with the Republican party. Nothing was
more evident at the Chicago Convention, and no.
II ia therefore quite possible that what now
seems to us an enigma will hereafter become u
clear proposition, and that the sayings which
now appear as uncertain as Delphic oracle will
come to mean that the Union is to be preserved
without any great amount Of cayng-in. AT all
events, we hope so, and the masses Of the Repub-
lican party hope so. Their victory was won in
the face of threats of DisuniOn, and We all had
notice Of these threats and persovered in the
good cause, Notwithstanding The time to aban-
don the field was before the battle aud not after
the victory, with its fruits all untasted and un-
gathered
While giving Mr.. Seward, then, the fullest
credit for pnre motives, We shall not hesitate to
protest against the kind of craftsmanship which
be has lately exhibited as we understand it.
The imbecty Of the late Administration was
the scorn of the whole nation and of the world
yet Buchanan had certain sound theories Of gov
eminent, although he could see no way to give
them effective practice We all remember the
short but sharp synopsis Mr.. Seward gave Of the
Presidents Message, viz; That Secession was
unlawful, but there was no law to prevent it,;
and the laws must be enforced uDless somebody
objected. How much better Mr.. Stewards own
policy is than that he ascribed 10 Buchanan he
does not enable US to Judge His answer to all
questions is 1.-THE Union," and he does not con.
desceL to cay how he expects to bring about its
preservation. 1t is good thing to save the
Union but something more tAan sentiment
is needful to effect that object. If the
only policy of Mr. Seward is to
save the Union, and if all other questions are as
nothing compared with that, why should he not
ayow that he is willing to yield up all those prin
ciples in which be has helped to educate the
public mind, and which he has helped to plant
in hearts which cannot discard them, for
tho sake Of Union which will enforce de-