Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-03-20

hcdn Clerk of the last House of Representatives
whose son Mr.. LINCOLN has lately appointed to a
Lieuenancy in the marine corps, comes up mar
fully to the defense of the step:
If the news be true that Mr. Lincoln has de-
cided to evacuate Sumter. then will he present
the world with Il gratifying evidence of some
capacity to gripple with the important questions
upon which hang the peace and perpetuity of this
great country. There is every reason why he
should withdraw the troops from Sumter and
indeed from all place; similarly situated, and no
reason why they should be kept there or why it
should be attempted to re- nfore them.
BY withdrawing them he will give assurance,
however reluctantly, of q pence policy 10 the
country and he will have taken a steP--a meas
ure so much needel-tO conciliate the border
States He will have forged the first link in the
chain of adjustment and have removed much of
the distrust with which he is regarded by the
whole South. When the news of the evacuation
of Sumter shall be confirmed, then, ut that in
slant great and oppressive weight will be re-
moved from the public mind, North and South.
There will be an all-pervading and delightful
sense of relief The money market, so sensitive
to political changes in critical times, will become
lively and buoyant. Stocks willrise and business
receive new impulse
Should he decide not to withdraw the troops
but on the contrary to make the rash ex
pertinent of reinforcing Fort Sumter, then will
he sound the tocsin of a bloody civil war and the
knell of the Union. Not only will he place an
impossible gulf between us and the cotton States,
but he will drive the border States forever away
from us. He viii ruin commerce. crush every
industrial interest, and fill the y orth with want,
distress and beggary.
Oh, what a happy time We will havel Singular
the Press did not find this out before when it was
laundering its anathemas against Old Buck for
not reinforcing the fortl
The Muncie, (Ind.,) Free Press holds forth
thus:
1t is now certain that Fort Sumter will be evac
uated. The announcement creates great sur
prise. The reason given for this unexpected
movement is the desire the part of the Admin
istration to prevent the conflict that would enSue
in attempting to reinforce Major Anderson, as
well as to rob the secessiOnists of their only
point to rally the people OF the Southern States
around the standard Of secession. While we con-
denim the policy of surrendering to traitors under
any circumstances, we feel disposed to await the
result before we enter our protest against the
movement. 1t nav be all for the best, and we
hope that it may terminate in happy consequences
To reinforce the forts would require force of
ten thousand men, and blow struck at this
time would precipitate the country into civil
war; The possession OF the fort by the Federal
Government is considered of but little Importance
in a strategic point of view, and, as the seces-
sionists seem to pride themselves upon the pos
session of forts, it may be polite TO let them have
it. If the evacuation of the fort will satisfy
them and they do not follow up its possession
by other and more arrogant demands, it may all
be well. 1t is claimed that the evacuation of the
fort will convince the Southern people of the
peaceful disposition OF the Administration, and
that it will greatly aid the Union men OF the
South in their efforts defeat the ssionists.
An immediate collision with the Federal Gov
eminent is now considered as, the only hope of
the disunionists TO rally the people TO their sup
port. The effect of it upon the border States
will be to give them confidence in the Admins
tration, ami the movement may. entirely defeat
the secession scheme. There are, undoubtedly,
other motives for the movement than those of
which the public is now informed. 1t is under
stood to have been recommended by Gen. Scott,
and with his knowledge and experience, he would
not have advised it without the end to be attained
would Justify it. and that it would lead to great
and important good to the country While such
men as Seward, Chase Blair and Scott, lead in
such movement, we neei not fear to follow.
We have such confidence in their wisdom and in
tesrtv that we can not believe that they are in
fuenced by other than motives looking to the
bloodless and peaceable adjustment of our
National difficulties.
If our Republican friends, like Rachel, refuse
still to be comforted, after inwardly digesting
these extracts, we can only commend to them the
following dose from the New York Herald:
There is a world of difference between talking
and acting. 1t was easy matter Tor our Re
publican organs and indignant patriots to de-
nounce Mr.. Buchanan as Il coward, traitor,
timid old dotard, an old granny afraid of his own
shadow, and 10 say that Extraordinarily he might
.,,Nr
Fort Sumter; that he ought to have done it at all
hazards and regardless of costs and that he ought
to have arrested those South Carolina treaty com
mssioners as traitors, and Honest Abe Lincoln"
woald soon make those traitors and rebels I'M
derstand that we have Government; but "Old
Abe when invested with the responsibility,
seems to come to pretty much the same way of
thinking as "Old Buck" to wit. that "circum-
stances" must be considered. Hence Mr.. Lin
coin begins to suspect that this legacy Of Fort
Sumter is not worth holding; and that when a
piece of Federal property has ceased to be of any
earthly value to the Government, 1t is inexpedi-
ent to plunge into a civil war to retain it.
The Illinois State Journal, Mr. LINcoLN's own
home organ, it appears. has not vet got the cue,
and OH the hypothesis that old ABE in Springfield
is the same old ABE that now occupies the White
House and that the programme and policy he
marked out in the former, is to be strictly carried
icy of suTendering Sumter:
1t will be seen that the question of the evac-
vation of Forts Sumter and Pickens have been
before Mr. Lincoln's Cabinet Traitors North
and South are elated with the idea that they will
be surrendered, We do not believe they will be,
unless Democratic treason has rendered il ut
terly imossible 20 reinforce them. We will
know to-day what has been determined upon.
In the meantime we will say that Democracy
ho..,
Stripes may yet be lowered to the Rattlesnake
and Pelican flags The bare contemplation OF
such thing fills us with sadness, and makes Us
sick at heart. Can il be that the fas that the
patriot Washington carried triumphantly through
the of the Revolution, is TO be lowered at the
bidding of the traitor Jefferson Davis? We shall
see. 70
The Wayne county (Ind.) True Republican
(JuLIAN's organ holds forth thus
We learn the promotion of Major Anderson
has been under consideration in Mr.. Lincoln 5
Cabinet The American people would heartily
applaud the act, and no fears of offending ''our
Southern brethren should prevent It's being done
nothing else will. Still more imperative is
tie duty devolving upon the Administration to
promptly re- enforce Fort Sumter. The latest adj
vices are that the garrison suffering for want
of provisions. Werepeat, re endorsements should
at once be sent-sent, too, openly and above
board. And no ship bearing the national flag
should again be permitted to be frel into with
impunity by Southern traitors be the consequences
what they may. Anything rather than national
dishonor and base submission to it.
DAwsoS's Fort Wayne [lnd) Times (Rep-)
says: -. -
To reinforce the fort by land would require an
army of from 10000 to 20 900 men, which the
Executive has power TO raise. Ii would in
volye US in immediate civil war without any pre-
partitions upon our side having been made to meet
such EFFICIENCY. The consequence would be
inevitable defeat. The only course lett is that
OF evacuation. Ii may be humiliating, but it is a
matter of stern necessity, and the only mode of
avoiding greater humiliations. The world will
look ugon it in its true light, and from such a
pointit will reflect no dishonor upon us.
The Richmond (Ind.) Palladium, edited by
the Hon. d. p. HOLLOWAY, who. the papers say,
| has been appointed Commissioner of Patents at
Washington, howls most piteousy over the mat
ter DAVE had better look out that this article
4 ~ i Z.