Delaware State journal and statesman., 1861-03-15

LlNcoLN's lNArGURAL.-Sn far rs coercion is
concerned Mr.. Iinco occupies the very ground
occupied by Mr.. Buchanan. We have compared
the Inaugural in this respect with Mr. BuCh-
anRn's message, and the fact is so. We cannot.
as an honest man, den,unce in Mr. Lincoln what
we approved in MIR. Buchanan, The man had |
just taken an oath to support the Constitution
and to enforce the laws What was he to do ? /
Was he to say to the seven cotton States, you 1
are ont OF the Union? Who gave him Tint au
thority Has Congress suid il! No. Have
the American people said its No. The mails
are still furnished to these States. and Mr.. Lin
coin says he will continue to furnish them unless
they are repealed, But he says he must execute
the laws, and in the next breath be virtually
Omits the cotton States Mr.. buchanan omitted
South Carolina, for tie simple reason tint be-
has no officers in those States and cannot execute
them. lie says that in ''inierior l0aties'i where
competent resilient citizens will not or cannot
/ hold the offices, 'Ihere will be no attempt to
4 force obnoxious strangers on the people But
he says he will collect the revenue in the cotton
States How He must do it, if at alt, at the
Custom Houses, for he has no authority tn do so
on shipboOrd. The law provides only for the
collection Of the revenue At the Custom Houses.
Congress has made no other provision. What
then Why he can do nothing in this respect,
Mr. Buchanan could do nothing in this respect
in South Car DINA yet he sud, MS Mr.. Lincoln
If MIR. Lincoln were mad enough 10 attempt
to subiugate the Southern States, or even ii he
were disposed to do so-as his Inaugural shows
he is not-he has no army at his command He
i might spare thousand troops from the forts
and frouters, but what could these do against
the armies of the fifteen slaVeholding States
Then he hns no money. The Treasury is empty
= Then he has no authority for raising troops
y even if he had money to pay them with The
: 'sforce bil so-cale1, was defeated in the House
. of Represen tatiyes. What then He is power
less lie is not only powerless at present. bu
= the tone Of bis Inaugural shows that he is anrm
- ed in view of the calamties that impend. vii
e he be stronger in future! We do not believe hI
9 will. His party is already demoralizcd, and il
=. addition to this, the great body OF the Northern
II people will never consent TO AN aggressive Wal
i on the South. Ii the seven cotton States hal
q remained IN the Union, both branches Of CUnRres
q would have been against Mr.. Lincoln by large
maiorites, and the Senate could have dictatet
g all his appointments. But they abandoned tn
union-abandoned it selfshly and for no suili
cient cause, and left us at the merry, as Mcy sal
% of a dominant sectional party.
II, Mr.. Lincoln will have no more power to enforc
~ the laws in the "Confederate Statesn than tn
is late President had and we all know that MI
r. Buchanan enforced no law in South CAROLYN
"a after that State assumed 10 secedc, aud the on
nj, coercion he attempted was in the shape Of letter
: md newspapers which he shower d from h 5 ma
sc batteries all over that State.
lie Mr.. Lincoln is inclined to favor Conyeutio
st of MI the States We think the condition Of til
4 country aud the progress of events will compt
him to assemble Congress MT an early day
I'D he should do that, Convent on of all tho State
- could be called, and such a body, we make
K doubt will be allie TO reconstruct the Union @
an enduring basis Failing to do that howeye
it could at least provide for peaceable sepAr
la nN Nhn HUNE