Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1861-04-12
THE ISSUE.-TUE POLICY.

| The supply Of men and money. whereas Oh 'NS
contrary, the Con federate States viii present one
matted and unbroken 'front.' with no division, bat
all ready to defend their homes and their affairs
! In such an issue there can be no doubt IS to tue
| final result"
The n. Y. TINS remarks on the above as
| follows
"The Courier is mistaken in supposing
that there is any considerable division OF
Northern sentiment upon this subject. vi
course there snot unanimity upon 1t. There
never has been upon any great question
which touched the basis of Government. In
the Revolution very large and powerful
minority in almost every State resisted the
movement of Independence and retarded ITS
consummatiOn. But we assure our South
ern cotomporarY that no question has arisen
for quarter of a century upon which the
reople of the North were SO nearly unani-
nous as they are upon this Of secession. 1t
is very great mistake to suppose that the
Government ''must rely solely upon the Ke-
publican party for men and money to carry
on the war. into which the mad and blind
ambition of the Southern States may plunge
the country.
The Courier must bear in mind the fact,
which is thoroughly understood and appre-
ciated by every Northern man, that II we
are to have war II ,CiH be by the act OF the
South alone The people of the United States
will never acknowledge the right OF seces-
sion. nor will they ever consent to destruc-
ton of the Union. until every possible
means shall have been tried in vain tor ITS
preservation. There is not one-tourth part
of the people Of the North and West who
would vote for u recognition of the Southern
Confederacy, even to avert the horrors OF
civil war And this is not because they
have any love for war, or any passion to
crafty by waging it but because they
know that to recogniz5 the Southern RepI6-
lie would be to give the death blow to all
goyernment,-wouldbe be to render impossible
the maintenance of any authority in any
part of the American Union.
If the South are resolved to repudiate the
obligations of the Federal laws and to persist
in resisting the authority Of the Government
of the United States they must prepare tor
war. Sooner or later, war will follow their
reckless act and they will find themselves
face to face, not with political party, but
with the great body of the American people
throughout the length and breadth OF the
loyal States.
The remarks Of the Times are very much
to the rurpose much more so, than was its
perverse fault finding few days ago, be-
cause the President had not made public,
(anv farther than his inaugural address did
it) what line Of policy he was going to pursue,
to bring the insurrectionary or revolutionary
inhabitants Of the South back to their duty.
On that outcry of the Times the NcwYork
Erening Post sensibly remarks
ct" We cannot be sure that tie President
and his Cabinet have not decided on the
course of policy which they are to pursue. Ii
Fort Sumter is to be reinforced. should we
give the rebels previous notice? l! it is to be
abandoned. is any thing to be gained by
talking of the abandonment i week before it
harpens? The Tunes asks why aII has not
been rendered to Cen Houston, III ease he
should attempt to rally the friends Of Mon
in Texas. What DO we know Of The commu-
nications between our Government and Cen.
Houston? CIn any maL say that the Ad-
ministrAtion did not, at the earliest moment,
convey to the Uniouists in Texas, with lIous-
ton at their head assurances OF ample and
efficient support, in resisting the usurIatlon
which delivered over that State 10 the a. tSpJ-
tsm Of those who claim to rule the Southern
Coniedcracv? Ii such communication has
been made, was it a matter 10 cJntide to the
reporters for the newspapers hdteYer
else may be said Of the present AamnlStrt-
ton, it cannot be denied that It possesses the
power to keep its own counsel III those cases
in which it is prudent to do SO.
There are vet other considerations which
NAV occasion delay in the movements OF the
Administration. We have seen officers in
the navy and army traitorously delivering up
vessels and forts to the rebels. In the navy
a very large proportion of officers are from
the southern states. 1t is natural to sup
pose that many Of them Will be inclined to
lake part with their kindred. II the Pre-
sident resolves upon an energetic course. there
must be the utmost certainty that Its execu-
ton is entrusted to the hands Of men who
cannot in asy contingency prove unialthtul
to their duty. To send out an expedition
which should 90 over to the rebels as soon as
it came in sight of them, would be deplorably
unfortunate, not only for the cause OF Union
but for the respectable standing OF the Ad-
mnistration. After the experience which
we have had Of the treasonable conduct OF
men high in the United States service, 1t Is
clear that only after very careful inquiry can
we be absolutely certain who are those that
may be depended On as loyal in any possible
event. \ little delay and no publicity are
the offences alleged against the AdminIstra-
tion. We have seen that there may be reas-
ons for the delay. and nobody in his senses
Will dispute the wisdom ofayoiding publicity.