The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-04-30

in spite Of Governor Hicks, and his
irresponsible satellites; and Harper's Fer
ry and the Navy Yard, at Norfois,
viii be retasen. with the other "places and
properties" that belong to the United States.
If an army of three or five hundred thousand
men, and all the treasure of the loyal States,
were necessary to punish the perfdy which
has been practised, and to restore the Union
to its pristine integrity, they will be expended
framed, for the benefit of the whole Union, by
the Washipgtons, Madisons and Jeffersons of
an earlier age, viii not be sacrificed at the
beck of reckless demagogues and rebels. 1t
was intended for the protection OF the rights
Of all, both North and South 1t was designed
to curb aggression, on the part Of the head
strong of either section. 1t has been the CD
ject of the hostile attacks, Of abolitionists in
the free, and of fre-eatrg secessionists, in the
slave States; and it will outlive the storms
which both have raised against it, Every ma
ton has gone through its periods of convul-
zion and of trial Rome, Greece, England,
France have survived theirs, and come out of
emerge from the clouds that surround it, to
prove to the world that free people, with
free institutions, are as capable OF suppressins
internal as OF vanquishing external foes.
Conspiracy OF JtRerson Davis and His
Associates to Destroy the Uaioa.
The Developments of the last three
weeks, and the gradual unmasking of
the designs of Southern politicians, render
it evident that a deep seated, dangerous
conspiracy has existed for no incon-
siderable period, to destroy the Union, and
to substitute military government, hav-
ing its central point ut Washington, in the
place Of the constitution. A secession organi
cation, Of which prominent members of Con-
gross constituted the nucleus, was formed, at
the national capital, nearly three years ago;
but it was supposed to be mere safety valve
for superabuncant fre-eating effervescence, and
that it would exhaust itself in empty threats,
it would never dare to carry into execution.
1t ia clear, now, however, that not only such
men, from the cotton States, as ex-Senators Da-
Wis, Slidell, Toombs, Mallory, Yulee and Ben
jamin, with their two score of satellites in the
House of Representatives, and several treason
able associates in Mr.. Buchanau's Cabinet; but,
also, q large number of gentlemen from the
border States, and even in the States of New
York and Pennsylvania, have been long labor
ing to destroy the republic, and that their
primitive intention, which has been disap-
pointed by the activity Of General Scott, was
to take possession of Washington; replace
representative rule by military despotism;
and reconstruct the confederacy upon a basis
to suit themselves.
If the acts and speeches, within the last eigh-
teen months, of such men as Senators Breckin-
ridge, Green, Bay ard, Mason, Hunter, Clingman,
Governor Wise, Roger A. Pryor, and others
in the border States, arc carefully reconsidered,
with the light which has been cast upon them
by recent occurrences, 1t becomes too manifest,
that they have been privy to the treason Of
their fellow conspirators in the Cult States, and
that the secession Of the latter and their own
temporizing policy have formed part of one
gigantic plan, which would have overwhelmed
the country in ruin, If 1t had not been defeated
by the sudden bombardment of Fort Sumter and
the consequent uprising Of the North from its
protracted apathy. Virginia was driven by the
Executive proclamation of the 18th inst, to Sc
cede earlier than had been intended; otherwise
none of the border States would have gone out
of the Union, until the plans of Jefferson Davis
and Governor Wise were fully matured, to
seize the fifteen thousand stand Of arms at Har-
per's Ferry, and, from that point, fully
equipped, to invade the District of Columbia, by
the way of the railroad to Baltimore and Wash
ington, with an irresistible force. Such q
scheme has, probably, been in existence for
many months. It's perfidy is unparalleled, and
the outburst of Indignation with which 1t has
been greeted by the North, is the foretaste Of
the retribution which will overtake its authors
The coup dftat which was to make of Mr.
Jefferson Davis the Napoleon Of the Western
continent, has failed. 1t has more than failed
1t has aroused q patriotic sentiment throughout
the land, which will compel every citizen to
declare himself, either in behalf Of the Union
or as iavoring rebellion. States will not be
allowed, as some of them desire, to remain
neutral. It will be idle for Tennessee
and Kentucky to attempt to escape from the
issue, and to remain at peace, while the re-
mainder of the country is at war. Gle that is
not for me is against me-" will be adopted by
the Western and Northwestern States as a
maxim, and the Mississippi and Ohio will soon
swarm with steamers, heavily freiehted with
the thousands and tens Of thousands Of troops,
from Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota,
Michigan, and Iowa, who only wait the word of
command to emulate the example of their
brethren, in New York, Pennsylvania, and Mas
sachusetts. Neutrality will be considered OPP
position, and the result Of a general frontier
war win be that slavery, as a domestic institu-
ton OF The United States, will be utterly ami.
hilated.
1t Is more than probable, that, with the
discovery and Illustration of their dcsjoua Inc