The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-03-14

The Commissioners OF the ssutAern Con-
federacy ut Wsshinston-Imbeeil ~
Lincoln and HIS Cabinet.
With every disposition to pursue fanatical
and vicious policy, and q great deal of shilly-
shallying in the effort to do so, Mr.. hincoln and
his advisers have at length been compelled to
order the evacuation of Fort Sumter, from
sheer want of courage. Not even pretence
has been made of desiring to conciliate the
seeding States; nor have the wishes of the
border slaveholding members of the confedera-
ton, been taken into consideration. The soli-
tary excuse given for the recall of Major An
derson and his troops, is that government is
physically unable to give him any assistance
1t is an acknowledgment of defeat, with the de-
termination to avenge the supposed loss in
some other way. In fact, the dispatches from
Washington which announce the qualification
of the President in the matter Of the Southern
fortresses, convey, also, the Intelligence, that
he has vented his spite upon the gentlemen
commissioned by the Southern confederacy to
negotiate with him, and has refused to admit
them into his presence. Mr.. Seward had as
sured them, the day before, that they would not
only be enabled to confer with himself and Mr..
Lincoln, but that both would rejoice in the OPP
portunity of listening to their views. His
subtler craft appreciated the advantages that
might accrue from free Interchange of senti-
ment. The abolitionist ultraism which pre-
walls in the Cabinet proved, however, too
much for him and hostile policy has prevail
ed. The very best opportunity has thus been
Indignantly and stupidity thrown away, of Sc
curing diplomatic basis, upon which future
reconstruction Of the Union might have been
built. The action of the administration, in
neglecting to avail itself of SO favorable an oc-
casion of restoring peace, affords the saddest
indication of weakness, folly and Inconsistency,
and cannot be too severely condemned.
Since November last, there has been hut one
prominent subject of discussion before the
country, namely, how the disasters which me-
mace it, from the disturbed condition d our
interstate relations could be averted, The
factious opposition of the republican majority
in Congress prevented any sufficient remedy
from being applied there. The Crittenden
amendments were rejected; and even the bill
Of Mr.. Bigler, which simply asked that an OPP
portunity might be given to the people Of ex-
pressing their views, was thrown overheard.
The propositions of the Peace Conference, in
sufficient as they in many respects were,
might If adopted, have been looked upon by
our Southern brethren as an olive branch and
as an suspicious omen of further concessions.
These, also, were treated with scorn by the
House of Representatives, and were crushed
by Mr.. Seward in the Senate. Meanwhile all
eyes were turned to the future Secretary of
State, and to the President. The promises of
the former, that "eyery needful sacrifice should
be made to preserve the Union;" his asser-
ton that "the Union would not be worth
saving at the expense Of civil war;" the
prophecy that future generations would won
der at the magnanimity to be displayed by the
incoming administration" finally the as
surance that parties and platforms" should
be permitted to perish, rather than the re-
public suffer detriment, allayed, only tempo.
rarily, the fever of anxiety in the public mind
The twaddling puerilities of Mr.. Lincoln,
during the journey from Springfield to Har-
risburg, soon after, spread gloom and
foreboding over the land, while the duplicity of
his inaugural, and the victory of the incendia-
rist section Of republicans, in the formation of
the Cabinet, convinced every thinking citizen
that no good could be expected from a source
rotten, and that the worst fears they
20 hair
later realized.
Thus the us inertie of successful republican
ism, previously to the adoption of any active
measures by the administration, has managed
to foil every effort Of conservative statesmen to
heal the disease under which the country is
The leaders of the victorious party
know that their tenure of power, is owing to
mere fortuitous causes and that four-ffths of
the voters Of the Union are opposed to them.
They have therefore gagged down the popular
voice, in the North, in order that period of
some months may elapse, before 1t can be
effectively heard; and now that the de fdcto
government at Montgomery has asked for
respectful hearing, the Lincoln government has
peremptorily declined to admit its representa-
tives. Granted that the Southern confederacy
is revolutionary, it is, nevertheless SO far, the
successful revolt Of population of five mil
lions, whose numbers may be increased, within
a few weeks, to twelve millions, If the utmost
care is not taken to concilate. Messrs. Craw-
ford and Forsyth are respectable delegates
from constituency SO immense, that an insult
is offered to the principle Of popular represen-
tation itself in treating them with neglect.
Or, If Mr.. Lincoln is bent upon being
consistent with himself, and with the
fanaticism that inspires the majority Of
his advisers, why does he not boldly arrest
them as traitors and let the issue between the
North and the South take its place before a
federal COURT There is no middle course that
can be defended. If they are the culprts he
believes, it is his constitutional duty to secure
and punish fhann IL thew arc tho 1auitim ato