The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1861-04-04
The New Administration.

positions For months treason had run riot
through the land 1t had invaded the Cab
met of the preceding President, and its
ramifcations extended through every
branch of the public service-sapping the
integrity of officers both in the civil and
military departments-un it became i'm
possible to tell who should be trusted, and
who discarded. Day after day some new
outrage upon the government was brought
tolight-some additional instance of breach
of faith on the part of officials made known.
So entirely did many of the army and navy
officers disregard their solemn oaths, that
the government had no assurance that the
best vessels in the navy would not be sur
reudered--as did Gen. Twiggs with the
finest department of the army. So sudden
was the attack upon federal authority-so
widespread the disaffection, and so timid
and hesitating the movements of Mr.. Buch-
anan-that the National Capital itself was
endangered, and everywhere patriots began
to despair of the republic.
Under these gloomy auspices Mr.. Lincoln
was inaugurated and delivered his celebra-
ted inaugural address. This address won
derfully revived the hopes of those who had
we'll nigh given up to despair. He imme-
diately gathered about him, as his advisers
and assistants, the most eminent men of
the nation-men esteemed at home for their
integrity, ard abroad for their talents and
statesmanship-aud the new administration
was at once set in motion.
Congress, prior to adjournment, refused
to pass any law that would have a tendsn-
cy to strengthen the new Presidents hands
or enable him to maintain and uphold the
national honor. They voted down bill
authorizing him to call on the States for
men and money, and to close the ports Of CT
ties in the seeding States or to collect the
revenues from the decks of vessels stationed
without their harbors. Having tied Mr..
Lincoln's hands as completely as they knew
how, the sagacious lawmakers retired to
their homes to await the result Soon the
painful rumor became current that Fort
Sumter would have to be abandoned. Va
rious reasons for this course were assigned
by everybody-e1cept the Administration
itself-the most plausible of which seemed
to be that the fort was no longer tenable,
from the inability of the Government to
reinforce its garrison or supply them with
provisions. This rnmor was speedily fol-
lowed by conflicting reports in reference to
n Il a, A I
ministration intended vacating that fortress
in order TO placate the border Slave States
and convince them that its policy was to be
eminently conciliatory and peaceful. Re-
pubHcans, who had bitterly denounced
James Buchanan for not taking prompt
measures to crush the Rebellion when il
first began to show its hideous front,-com-
menced manifesting symptoms of impa-
thence and displeasure at the apparent
apathy of the new Administration. Some
of them even went so far as to call in ques-
iron its " backbone" Without fairly COM
pretending allthe difficulties that surround
ed the President and his Cabinet they hast
ened to decide what Mr.. Lincoln should dc
and then growled because their recommend
atoms were not adopted.
In the meantime, while the country is
lost in doubt as to what course Mr.. Lincoln
win pursue while the papers are discuss
ing and placing their own constructions on
his inaugural--the new Cabinet is busily at
work. The foreign missions have been fill
ed with the very best men that could have
been selected. The home patronage has
been rapidly dispensed. The home squad
ron has been collected and concentrated
The army of Texas has been removed from
that State-leaving it to the ravages OF
Camanche Indians and Mexican bandits
and concentrated in the forts bordering on
the Gulf. Silently, but with the certainty OF
fate itself, have been its movements, and its
designs have remained unknown until their
accomplishment makes them public. No Ad-
ninistration that has managed the Govern
ment, ever kept their intentions so pro-
foundly secret as have the Cabinet of Mr..
Lincoln. The Foreign Ministers have re-
ceived their instructions, yet the tenor OF
remaiu--a mystery to everybody except the
Ministers themselves. Orders from the
War Department are traversing the country
thick and fast, and yet the indefatigable
neWsmongers at the federal city fail to
furnish Us with any correct information as
to what they are. So com pletsly are they
at fault that they frequently are compelled
TO correct in the afternoon, statements
they telegraphed in the morning. An Ad-
minstration that can thus keep its own Sc
crets when it Is besct by horde Of impu-
dent reporters who are paid to pry into
and publish, its intentions and orders-is
not likely to fail, if success is possible.
Gradually, however, its movements are
demonstrating its intentions. The dispatch
es of the past five or six days Enthusiastically
indicate that no American will have reason