, 1861-03-18
Gbitagt, Ttih1|&tte.
MONDAY, MARCH IS, 1861.


MONDAY, MARCH IS, 1861.
WHAT SHALL BE DoNE7
The condition Of the country demands
action. A mastery inactivity; policy is
the wisest for some emergencies. but it is
not adapted to our present needs. The
Government must vindicate its power in
the face Of treason and rebellion, or It's
destruction is as certain as that Tue law Of
gravitation will execute itself The de-
moralization Of public sentiment now in
progress Us to the powerand efficiency ofour
National Government must be speedily ar
rested, or no earthly power will be able to
avert the ruin that threatens it.! We are
not for making war upon the people Of the
seeding States, but We are for enforcing
the laws everywhere within the jurisdic-
ton Ct the Federal Government If men
choose to make war upon the Government
for the proper exercise Of its Constitutional
prerogatiyes, that is matter for which they
alone are responsible. As the upholders Of
the Constitution and laws, it does not de-
volye upon us 10 discuss the question Of
warat all. That burthen rests upon those
who tra.nplc upon the one and resist the
execution Of the other. Governnent does
not make war upon 4 murderer when it
arraigns him for trial, establishes his guilt
and executes him. It's simply performing
one Of its legitimate functions, the neglect:
Of which from any cause whatever, would
be an end Of civil order and Of government
itself The effect is precisely the same in
kind, if not in degree, whether it be the case
Of a single cuiprit, or Of whole community
Of criminals The majesty Of the law
must be vindicated in each case, OF the
government has practically vacated its func-
tions and ceased TO exist 1t is . delusion
and snare, therefore, to talk about the
Administration making war upon the Sc
ceding States, SO long as it confines itself
to the exercise Of those duties for which it
WIS created. -
The checks and balances provided by the
trainers Of our fundamental law to restrain
the coordinate branches Of government
each to. its proper sphere, are such as to
place the present national difficulties whol-
" beyond tho reach of the Executive, un:
less aided by the. Legislative Department
The Force bill of 1882, adopted by Con
gress for the plrpose*of supprcssing nulli-
fication, expired long since by limitation.
The law -ot 1893, empowering the Presi-
dent to:call out the military force Of the
country to put down insurrection in q State
at the solicitation of the Governor thereof,
is not applicable to Tho present condition
Of affairs. In each Of the seeding States,
unless Texas be an exception, the. Gov
ernor is at the head Of the insured
ton, and is not likely to prefer. the re-
quest contemplated by the law. The
President, therefore, is measurably pow
erless- If reports from Washington. be
true, Fort Sumter, with its magnificent
armament ane munitions Of war, is abo"t
to be surrendered to men who are in arms
against the Government. Whatever Of
men OF money might be REQUIRED for pro-
visioning, reinforcing and holding posses
sion Of that stronghold, would be forthcom-
ing at the call Of the President, ifl1c were
but invested with the power to make it
There are other Forts at the South still
held, by the loyal forces Of the United
States, which may soon be reduced to I.
similar strait: With: Fort Sumter. Shall
they too be given up to rebels? There
again, unless :: the law making ports
Of entry of certain places in the
seeding States, be repealed by act Of Con
gress, large proportion Of our foreign
commerce will be diverted 'tl1ither from
the ports Of loyal States and the: duties
collected upon it will be used in strength
ening and sustaining the rebel government
The difficulties in the way Of collecting du-
ties on ship-board seem to be insuperablc; ;
and that project would not meet the emeE-
gency fully even if attempted.
Looking at the whole subject from our
standpoint, there seems to be but one
course which the Administration can pur-
sue with any hope Of reaching favorable
solution Of existing difficulties. That is to
Summon an extra session Of Congress with
ont unnecessary delay-to place before
that body in plain and unequivocal Ian
guage the condition Of the country, aud
to demand In no less unmistakable terms
that it place the Executive in possession Of
the means necessary to execute the laws
and to vindicate the power Of the Govern
ment- Feara are entertained by some that
certain Republican members of Congress
would, in that event, unite with Democrat.
ic members and Secession Sympathizers 10
Withhold the needed legislation. There may
be danger Of such 4 result. But for fear Of
the apprehended detection Of a few mem-
bers of Congress- sl1all the process Of de-
moraiization be permitted to 60 on, and the
Government hastened to an ignonlinious
end7: For ourselves, we are for placing tic
responsibility where the Constitution in
tended it to be placed, and :risking the re-
sult The Administration is fresh from the
people. and the people expect it to do its
duty. It cannot afford~to stand between .
disloyal Congrcss-if indeed that be lis
character-and the people The Execu-
tire feels the need Of power which Congress
CAL alone give to uphold authority and En-
force the laws. Let him demand Of Con-
gress to plaee that power at his disposal
II it refuse, the responsibility for whatever
may follow will rest wholly upon Congress;
otherwise the people will hold the Admin
.isration responsible. This is the case in q
nutshell: Let us hope that something will
be done soon 10 save the country from the
humiliation of another Fort Sumter sur
render,
DROPPING THE MASK.
In the debate in the Senate on Friday
last Mr. Douglas declared the true antnaus
which has actuated him since the delivery
OF the Presidents Inaugural, " expect
to give them some tronble this session.