The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-03-04
The InauS arei OF Mr.. Lincoln.

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The Inaug arai OF Mr.. Linoeln.
This day Ia the 4th of March, day which
has been looked forward to with intense ankle
ty by the country. 1t is the day of inaugu-
ration, when the President elect becomes Pre-
sident de .facto The ceremony will take place
at twelve O'Clock, and Mr.. Lincoln, like Mr..
Buchanan, will deliver his inaugural before
taking the oath of Office. Never since the for
nation of the government was an Inauguration
day invested with SO much Of gloom. There is
no longer any apprehension of disturb ance at
the capital; but the little cloud "the size of
mans hand" which appeared in the Southern
horizon on the morning after the 9Th Of November
has grown and spread and become darker and
darker, till now the whole Southern heavens
are overcast, and tempest seems almost inevitar
BILE. The clouds at the North, too, have been
ever since gathering and growing blacker, and
moving forward in dense masses charged with
electricity. 1t only needs q word and blow
from one man to produce collision and make
the theory of the irrepressible conflict fearful
practical reality. A word alone may be sufa-
Gent to preoipitate the antagonistic elements
upon eech other, but, followed up by blow,
the result is certain.
been inaugursted under such circumstances
before. 1t Is new era in the history Of the
c0untry-an unprecedented result of Presi-
Dental election. 1t is the first time that q
party organized on an issue involving con-
troverted question of morals and religion
party organized moreover on purely sectional
issue, in opposition to the institutions of
fifteen States, divided by geograph ,sSal line
from the other States-was enabled to lect its
candidate to rule over the whole Ulion, in
GLIDING those fifteen Southern States, not one
of which gave him q vote. Upon this danger
GUS issue, therefore, Mr.. Lincoln has been
borne into power by party whose princi-
pies are antagonistic to the principles of the
pcople-whose combined opposition stands
recorded in the ratio of three and half to one.
The popular vote for Mr.. Lincoln was l, 1861, $40.
The whole vote was 4,739,982. Tho official
vote against him was thus 2,S74,l42. If from
those who voted for him we deduct the wings
and conservatives who merely desired
change, and did not intend to endorse the
Chicago platform, and who if they had to vote
now would throw their SURFACES in very
different direction, the strictly republican
vote was about one million, against upwards OF
100000 opposed to tho Chicago platform.
Yet 1t has been claimed, ever since the election,
that the small republican minority have right
to enforce their policy over the large majority,
to the overthrow Of the constitution, to the dis
ruption Of the confederacy, and even to civil
war.
The result was that State after State seeded
at the South, till OF length new confederation
was formed and new government is estab
lished at Montgomery. But it was earnestly
hoped by every patriotic heart that the leaders
Of the republican party would be induced, from
the necessity Of the case, to consent to such
guarantees and securities to the Southern
States ~ were calculated to bring tho seceders
back and prevent the rest from following their
example Instead Of this, however, they have
become more and more violent every day, re-
jocting every concession and even the moderate
compromises proposed in the border States
l. eace Convention.
In consequence Of the soothing tone of
the speeches of Mr. Seward who, it was
Known, was to be Premier In Mr.. Lin
coins Cabinet, expectations Of modera-
ton we're formed which arc now dashed to
earth by Mr.. Stewards recent votes. And Mr..
Lincoln himself, who had remained silent at
Springfield when the people demanded his voice
10 &c hou Lott In,
words not calculated to reassure the country
or dispense the clouds Of war sweeping over
head. According to our best information, he
persists in the revolutionary doctrines Of the
Chicago platform as the practical policy of his
administration, and will neither make nor ad-
wise concessions The radical wing of the re-
publican party appears to have prevailed over
the moderated, as the Jacobins in the French
Revolution prevailed over the Girondists Of the
party and from the inaugural therefore, to-day,
nothing conciliatory is to be expected
Now, If the tone of this official manifesto
should turn out to be OF the nature indicated
by all our intelligence from Washington
ing out the sword and not the olive branch
and if that be the real expression of the new
Presidents sentiments and the veritablc pro-
gramme of his policy, and not merely bait to
gain some point from tho ultrss Of his own
party, which would be playing an extremely
foolish part, the ceremony to-day will be not
only the Inauguration of President, but the In
auguraton of civil war, and it will give birth
to new conservative party at the North which
win utterly rout and destroy the republican
party, horse, foot and artillery. Mr.. Lincoln
had glorious game in his hands, but we fear
he has lost it forever. lie might have saved
the country and become second only to WASH
ington in the hearts Of the people; few hours
will tell whether he is the man for the occa-
sion.
FAILURE or THE COMPROMISES. is the