Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1861-03-14
The Policy Of the Government.


but considering them errng sisters, entitled
to our synpathies and our aid in an emer.
gency, Virginia can never consent, and will
never consent for the Federal Government tc
employ coercive measures towards them.-
And tho stupendous folly Of such policy il
perfectly apparent. For, as we have said it
would lead to certain and inevitable war and
to the complete and eternal destruction oil
the Union. 1t would ultimately force all tho
Border States to make common cause with
the Gulf States, and what would the FEEDER
al Government gain by such an operation!
The thing is inadmissible--it is utterly ab-
surd and ridiculous and if Lincoln and hi.
sdviser, wish to avoid serious trouble, and
nvo the peace OF the country, they will a.
bandcn their coercion policy, and take their
stand on tho board platform OF common sense
and common justice. --Ricdmand Wing.
We have marked the course Of tho Rich
mond Wing during our troubles, with much
interest, and have been greatly pleased with
its conservative and union vicws-it has bat
tied nobly for the preservation of our liber-
ties and the perretuity OF our government,
and hence has commended itself to the kind
regards Of those who love our nationality and
wish for the preservation Of the government
founded by Washington, Adams. Hamilton
and Jefferson, The above extract. which we
take from an article headed "coer.ive policy
Of tho Inaugural" has attracted oar partcu-
lar attention and we wish to submit few
thoughts On the subject referred to.
We have noticed in all the Border Slave
States. at the public meetings held, and in
the journals that desire to maintain tho gov
eminent, strong dcnuncations of what is
termed coercion, accompanied with threat,
that If employed by the general government
to enforce the laws and carry on its lcgiti-
mate functions against the seeding States,
that tho Border States will make common
cause with the seccders and resist the govern
ment We confess that the position here as
sumed has porploxed and confused us, inas-
much as We have been at loss to understand
how President, sworn to support tho Con-
stitution and enforce the laws, can, wthou,
perjury, and subjscting himself to impsach-
ment, allow tho laws to be violated and the
Constitution trampled under foot. The duty
OF the President Is rs imperative whether
many or few arc engaged In tho rebellion
whether portion Of ono State, or q whole
State, or several States aro engaged in the
revolution. 1t Is true, that tho policy to be
adopted by the President in order to perform
his duty, must be modified by circumstances,
and hence the dictaton Of what policy he
shall pursue by those whose information is
not equal to his, seems to us to DO out oil place.
In our present difficulties, tho President has
10 contond with rebellion, which for mag
nitudo far surpasses any thing that has ever
existed in this country, and Of such charac-
ter as was never anticipated by tho founders
of tho government.
The forts, arsena!s, minis, tom-houses,
barracks and navy yards with munitions Of
war and revenue cutters have been seized by
the revolutionists and appropriated to their
own uses. A government has been formed
in our midst aud put into opsration-a tariff
Of duties has been imposed, postage regula-
tons have been adopted-bonds have been
issued by the new eonfsdcracy on which to
raise money in order to carry on the rebellion.
and an army Of fifty thousand men is about
10 DO raised, while officers have been com
misioned from the lowest to tho highest
grade, and the government Of the United
States has boon sot at defiance and war
threatened il 1t attempts to perform its lcgit-
innate functions, and all this occurs with an
unqualified admission. that the general gov
eminent has done nothing oppressive Of the
people, or justifying such revolution. The
history Of the world cannot furnish o pnral-
lel to this rebellion.
While the above state Of things Is in pro- !
gress, efforts are being made by conservative
citizens to adopt some plan to save the coun-
try from tho ruin in which it ia threatened to
be involved, but in their efforts. their is Siv-
en- such assurances to tho revoltcd States, AZ
emboldcns them in their disruption policy
The general government is warned by profess
cd friends to refrain from the adoption OF
any measure by which to maintain its dignity
or preserve its supremacy,-no means for
self-prcservation, much less for hostile action
is tolerated, no fort is to be put in condition
without being called upon to answer for such
procceding-tho army or navy cannot DO
moved in any direction without fearful out
cry Of coercion--the means necessary to en-
able TIE President to defend tho government
against tho so thousand troops Of tho new
Confederacy, should they attack the United
States, land who will daro say they will not,
after what has already occurred) is withheld
from the commander and chief Of the forces,
In fact, the whole of this out cry against CO.
srcion seems to us to be nothing short Of an
Indication Of predetermined purpose to
uphold the rebels at the expenco of the gen.
eral government. We are not of those if |
any such there DO, who favor the marching
Of IAN armed force to subdue the revolted
States, but we do think the government ought
70 collect her revenue,-forts Sumter and
Pickins should he held and provisioned when
necessary, at any and every hazard, and il
the people Of the United States are not will
ling to sustain the President in the perform
anee Of his duties. let them, as his masters,
as he says in his patriotic and most excellent
inaugural. so declare-relievc him from the
responsibility Of his oath, and acknowledge
the independence of the revolted States. But
let us hear no more Of opposition to coercion,
unless we have specified what is meant, or
let it DO proclaimed that it is the purpose Of
the government to recognize as an indepsnd-
ent nation the confederatsd States.