The south-western., 1861-04-10
"The Past The Present The Future.

condescended to handy cpithets with the low and WI
gar. Whatever side they took, they supported wit
ability and dignity. The Intelligenccr Of the 2ls
utmo, contains editorial Of six columns under tn
caption which heads this article We condcnsc fror
it the following, and recommend its perusal
Our readers do not need TO be informed that az
entirely opposed to anything Ike coercion in ordc
to retain the people of the seeding States within M
orbit Of the Union. We do not believe in any right 0
secession but just as little do believe in the doctrin
of coercion as remedy for the evils created ley t
exercise of that assumed right According to the tlcer
of our civil system the several States if not voluntarily
true to their federal obligations, may commit wrong
against the federal government, While nominal,
within the Union against which that government coult
not take up arms without prccipitang tota! change
of political relations 1t cannot be denied that gov
ernment i'll its very genius is essentially go yernmen
of consent depending for its orderly and harmoniou:
working the support it finds in the hearts of the peo
Pile Local insurccens or even general popular insub
ordination extending throughout single State, as in
the Of the "Do rcbcllelou" in Rhode Island, may
be put dewn by the strong hand of the civil power
But in the present instance the problem presented fol
solution involves elements Of difficulty and danger which
are much more widespread in their prevalence, and
which much deeply seated in the body polite.
In States of the Union the federal authority has
been entirely abolished. The civil machinery csScnal
to the execution of the laws has passed into the hands
Of men who no longer recognise that authority. The
States rcnouncing their federal allegiance have had
erected over them confederate government which in
their name assumes to exercise the functions formerly
devoved ON the government of the United States
Under such circumstances it is cbyioas that to theo-
retca obligation imposed hcpresidcnt of the United
States to execute laws equally in Georgia and New
York must in practice, be modulated according to the
altered circumstances Of the case presented by the
former. As nobody in the government or out of it
proposes to institute coorcive policy for the subiu
CATION" of the seeded States 1t remains to say that the
only points of possible contact and hostility relate to
the collection Of the and the occupation Of tile
public property of the United States which property
situated within the seeding States and still in our pos
session. now reduced will be reduced to the
single fort of Pickens, on the coast of Florida
With regard the collection of the revenues by the
United States all goods imported into the seeding
States, have to say that if polite it is by the
methods prescribed in the existing laws of the land,
rendered impcacticablc. As has been well said, the
president who is to enforce the law; and he can
collect the only the places and in the manner
prescribed by existing acts of congress The ports Of
entry established by congress- the president has no
power to abolish them transrthe place of collect
ing the duties. The only alternative open to adoption
under present circumstances would seem to be to esab
lish the customhouse on board government vessel;
but does not appear that the executive has power to
do this without special authorization by congress III
1888, when the collection Of the federal revenue was
likely to be resisted in South Carolina president Jack
advised that should be passeNuthorisiug the
president to alter abolish such of the districts and
ports of entry should be necessary and establish the
customhoase at some secure place within port or
harbor with various other notifications of the then
existing laws. An act passed in compliance with
this recommendation, but its operation was limited to
the close of the next session of congress.
Mr.. Luceln has no mere power now than president
jackson had previous to the passage Of thc force act
and if the executive needed to be clothed with add
tOnal authority them it would seem to be even more
under existing circumstances Considered
therefore, purely question of power we do not per
ceive that president Lincoln has any authority to collect
the revenues in the seeding States otherwise than in
the way provided by the ordinary laws, which, as is
Known are wholly inadequate for the purpose since in
those States the federal government is wholly without
agents to administer enforce the laws. 1t is plain
then, that without additional legislation the revenues
cannot be collected at Charleston, Mobile or New Or
leans And considering the question as one Of policy,
We are frank to avow opposition to any attempt on
the part Of the federal government supply this defect
by further legislation the hands of congress- which
we have seen it intinatcd in some of our cotempora
'es-nay possibly be summoned by the president for
he purpose in extraordinary session. To collect the
cvenucs on vessels of war stationed eff all the ports
If the seeded States, practicable would to use
hOmely phrase, be found 'to cost more than it came
o, and would not fail to bring about hosttcs between
he two governments, the end of which no man can
orcscc.
We all know that there peculiar reasons of State
policy which make the preservation Of the public peace
more incumbent government than on that of the
seeding Staes-more incumbent, we mean, in point of
moral duty, the obligation is equally binding on both
The seeding States see, fancy they see in the out
freak Of hosttes between them and the federal gov
rnment sure means of winning to their number the
border saychoidng States And it is the part of sound
'ohcy and OF wise strategy on the part Of the federal
government to avoid all possible occasion of offence as
ar as may be compatible with the national safety,
which, in the present attitude Of our civil relation can
'ettcr be subscrvcd by Cancellation and fobcarancc
han by the summary processes of executive rigor
And, in the of the public revenues so also in
he of the public propery seized by the seeded
ates, entirely disapprovc the policy of attempting
IS recapture and occupation by military force. The
ong committed by such seizure would not be crcmcded
y such proceeding, thcrcmcdy might prove worse
han the wrong
In regard TO the retention of the forts occupied bv
he United States, that is question which is-now
ropsht down the simple point of holding or aban
oning fort Rickens, for assume that fort Sumter
ill be evacuated at carly day, and forts Jefferson
Tortugas and Taylor, at Key West lying far ont at
ca, and being obviously of national Importance are
ot included in the number of the posts which the State
Florida is entitled to claim the ground of any ne
essity for her local defence Forts Jefferson and Tay
Or we're built with paramount rcrrcpcc to the com
lerce OF the United States, and should remain in the
ands of the government which built them in thcinter-