Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1861-02-12
shall we have war


shall we have war?
In three weeks from yesterday, Abraham
Lincoln will he inaugurated President of
the United States, to which Office be has
been elected by the people in accordance
with the provisions of the constitution.
In three weeks we shall know whether
the war or peace policy is to prevail The
whole question rests with Abraham Lin
coin, the President elect lie will be called
upon to decide the momentuous issue. If
he fevors the coercion or force policy. as
advocated BIZ Loveioy and Wade and Trum-
bull, then farewell TO national peace. pros
perity and greatness. For as sure as Lin.
coin deviates one jot from the peace pol
icy marked out by the wisdom of President
Buchanan, away goes all hope for the fu-
ture.
Therefore the issue is now rapidly mar
rowing down to point. Soeculatinns and
predictions will soon he tested by the real
ity. Actions will take the place Of words
1t will be seen whether Lincoln is to follow
the lead Cf Seward and Douglas or Greeley
and Giddings. IF the former there may
yet be grounds Of hope, but if he listens TO
the counsels Of Greeley and GiddiEgs the
bloody conflict viii commence.
We await the result with fearful appre-
| tensions. We fear that the enemies of the
country have Lincoln pledged to their MUIR
derous policy. We fear that he will not
hearken to the conservative eounsellngs Of
Seward and Cameron, but that he will
rush headlong into the opening chasm
which threatens to plunge our country into
the horrors of bloody war, anarchy and
perpetual ruin.
Indeed, if we are to judge from the re-
marks of the Illinois Journal, the home
organ Of Lincoln, there is no prospect Of
avoiding the terrible calamity. That pa
per says he Stands immovably on the
Chicago PLATFORM" and that " he will
neither himself acquiesce in nor cour 81
his friends to acquiesce in any compromise"
The organ further SAYS that Lincoln will
insist on taking immediate possession, by
force if need be. of all the forts, arsenaIs
and government property now in the hands
Of the authorities of the seeded States.
Well let this be attempted in the present
excited state of feeling at the South, and
not only the shores of the Atlantic ocean
and the Gulf Of Merico will be crimsoned
with human blood but the waters of the
Mississippi and the Ohio would be reddcn.
ed from the murderous and appalling strife
Of neighbor against neighbor and brother
against brother.
Those leaders of the Republican rartv
who claim to be intimate with Lincoln's
views, declare that the South must be sub
dued at whatever hazard Thay sneak of
the people Of the Southern States as trar-
tors and as such demand their punishment
And in this and other Northern States
where these ultra Republicans are FREEDOM
inant, they are preparing to muster the
militia fer the work of blood. Their
threats and vauntings have not been with
out its effect upon the South. The action
Of the legislatures Of the New England
States, Pennsylvania and New York doubt.
less has hurried the Southern people into
greater extremes. And the present sus-
pense will be broken by the clash of arms,
the groans Of the dying and the confiaera
zion of cities, ifthe inaugural address of
the incoming President declares in favor Of
the coercion and war policy of these reck-
less leaders.
1t is not necessary in discussing this
question Of war and peace, to inquire
whether the South are right or wrong in
their proceedings, nor whether the provo
cations they have received justify their ex
treme measures. 1t is evident that the
South believe they have been wronged,
and are willing to sacrifice their lives and
fortunes rather than submit to fur
ther grievances. Now we are for peace
before every other consideration. We be-
lieve, with Seward. if the Union cannot he
preserved without declaring war against
fifteen Southern States, it is not worth
preserving. We are for the Union
and trust that the dominant party will
make every effort and every honorable con
cession which honorable men may make "a
preserve it. but rather than war let US have
Peaceable separation as the lastresult