The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1861-03-27

Past, the Present and the Future" the ma
tsrial portion of which-that relsting to the
future-wc publish below. 1t is attributed
in some quarters to a high official source,
and is said to foreshadow the policy Of the
Administration.
"Having thus referred to the recent his
tory end ex sting state of the country, as re.
cutting from a partial dismemberment Of the
Union, and from the spirit of disaffection
which still tubssts 10 portion Of the States
sdhering to their Federal allegiance, it re-
mains for US next to consider the policy
which, in cur Judgment, the Administration
should pursue in dealing with the excep-
tional questions forced upon our cousidera-
ton by the civil revolution that has taken
place.
Our readers do not need to be informed
that we are entirely opposed to anything
like "coercion." in order 10 retain the peo-
pie OF the seeding States within the orbit
Of the Union. We do not believe in any
right OF secession, but just as little do we
believe in the doctrine of "coercion" as o
remedy for the evils created by the exercise
of that Osrumed right. According TO the
theory o. our civil system, the several States,
if n 3t voluntarily true to their Federal obi
cations, may commit wrongs against the
Federal Government, even while nomiually
within the Union, against which that Gov
ernmeDt could not take up arms without
precipitaiing total change Of political re-
lalons. 1t cannot be denied that our Gov
ernment, In its very genius, is essentially a
Government of consent, depending for its
orderly and harmonious working on the sup
port it finds in the hearts OF the people
Local Instructions, or even general poPula'
insubordination extending throughout sin
gle State, as in the case Of the "D) rebel
lion" in Rhode Island, may be put down b!
the strong hand Of the civil power. But il
| the present instance the problem presented
for solution involves elements of difficult.
and danger which are much more wide
spread in their prevalence, and which ar
much more deeply seated in the body polite
In seven Stetes OF the Union the FEEDERS
authority has been entirely abolished. Th
civil machinery essential to the executio
of the laws has passed into the hands OF me
who no longer recognize that authority =
The States renouncing their Federal alleg
ance hsvs had erected over them Confec
crate Government which, in their name
assumes to exercise the functions formerl
devoived on the Government Of the Unite
Stotes.
Un Ics these circum starces it is obviou
that The theoretical obligation imposed o
the President Of the United States to ext
cute the laws equally in Georgia and Ne
York must in practice, be moduated al
cording to the altered circumstances of III
case presented by h, former. AS nobod
in the Government or out of it proposes
rstitr "coersive policy" for the "subjl
CATION" of the seeding States, it remnir
to say that the only points of possible COZ
tlct and hostility relate to the collection
the revenues and the occupation Of the put
lie property Of the United States whic
properly, situate with n the seeding State
and still in our possession, is now reducet
o. soon will be reduced, 10 the siagle fort
PickeEs, on the coast Of Florida.
With regard to the collection of the reve
nues by the Uaited States on all goods i'm
pJrted into the seeding States, we have t
sly that, even if polite, i, is, by the meth
ods prescribed in the existing laws of tn
land rendered impracticable. As has bee
we'll said, the President, who is sworn t
enforce the law, must himself obey the law
and he can collect the revenue only at til
places and in the manner prescribed By ex
isting acts OF Congress. The ports o: en,r
are established by Congress; the Presiden
has no power to abolish them, or to transfe
the place of collecting the duties. Tn
only alternative open to adoption, unde
present circumstances, would seem to be t
establish the custo house on board CIV
eminent vessel but it does not appear ths
the Executive has power TO do this withou
special authorization by Congress. Ia 1885,
when the COLI ction OF the Federal revenu
was likely to be resisted in South Carolny
President Jackson advised that an act shout
be passed authorizing the President to alte
or abolish such OF the districts and ports O
entry as should be necessary, and estabIis
the Custom.house at some secure p!ac
within port or h1rbor, with various othe
notifications Of the then existing Jaws. A.
act was passed in compliance with this re
CONNIE ndation, but its operation was linite
to the close of the next session of Congress
Mr.. Lincoln his no more power now thai
President Jackson had previous to the pas
sage OF "the Force act !" and if the Execu
tive needed to be clothed with 0dditiona
authority then, it would seem to be evel
more necessary under existing circumst stan
ces. Considered, therefore, purely as
question OF power, we do not perceive tina
President Lincoln has any authority to col
lect the revenues in the seeding St6t,s
otherwise than in the way provided by the
| ordinary laws, which, as is known, are Who'll
ly inadequate for the purpose, since in those
States the Federal Government is wholly
without agents to administer or enforce tn,
laws. Ii is plain, then, that without adj
tioral legislation the revenues cannot b,
collected at Charleston, Mobile or New Or
leans. And, considering the question q
one of policy, we are frank to avow our op
position to any attempt, on the part of th
Federal Government, TO supply this de'ec
by further legislation at the hands of Con
gress, which, we have seen it intimatcd il
some Of our cotemporarIes, may poss bly, b.
summoned by the President for this .purpos
in extraordinary session. To collect tn
revenues on vessels.of-war, stationed off al
the ports of the seeding States. even
practicable, would, to use homely phrase
be found "to cost more than it came to-" an
would not fail TO bring about hostlities be
tween the two Governments, the end {
which no man can foresee.
We all know that there are peculiar RET
sons for State 2oliry which make the pr
, servation of the public peace more incun
bent on our Government than on that Of I'll
eecedng Stutes-more incumbent, we mea