The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1861-05-16
asS aEsd See.


administration been so hardly circum-
st:.,l,.ed rs that of Pres. Lincoln Certainly
never since the Revolutionary Congress,
has our Government been SO hindered,
hampered and almost helpless, as on the
4th of March, 1861. On first coming in
to power, or rather into weakness, it found
IA heavy debt, plunaered treasury, a
dropping credit, and in every hole Of every
department treason broodirg over corup-
ton, and Matching the ruin OF the nation.
Not only must ali pernicious matter be ex-
PEELED from the administrative body OF
perhaps hundred thousand limbs-not
only was order to be drawn from ''chaos
worse confounded' d'-but the Government
had to make a new creation-a something
out of almost nothing-a living world ironl
the dormant element of things. Men,
money, munitions, ships, stores, equip
ments, means of transportation, routes,
strategic points, we've all to be extempo-
rized. In brief; and almost literally, the
men, means anu ueleHcco VI d N'1'0 a All
in complete array were TO spring at once
and full-grown from the ground.
Not only so. The policy best to be
pursued was doubtful with the wisest, and
daily shifted with the change of circum-
stances, and the progress OF events. At
the North many were ayerse to hasty or
ultra action, while most were eager TO
strike sudden ndiscr;minate, crushing
blow; and while it was difficult to tell at
once how much sympathy the north might
have with the SOUTH or how strongly 1t
drifted to the infiction of just aud general
punishment, it was impossible to guess
how weak or strong was loyalty at the
South and how much or how little of her
soil could be retained in the Union. 1t
seemed not well to crush the innocent with
the guilty-not we'll to exasperate the 10y
al into traitors not we'll to drive all to
combined, consolidated rebellion. Mean
while the Government knew not what
power it could command, and had it not
in readiness if known. DC was also unin-
formed on the all-important point as to
what would be the feelings and course OF
England and France towards the Union
and the new Confederacy, they being like
Iy to shape themselves by the aspect and
nature of the struggle, and by the princi-
pies avowed and the action taken by the
contending parties. Thus, beside the law
of necessity, there were many good reasons
for delay, deliberation and diplomatic man
agement.
Meantime, corruption and treason were
mostly weeded from the Executive depart
ments, confusion was marshaled into sys-
TEN, credit restored, the treasury replen-
ished, and many vigorous preparations
made, while the governmental dategn8
were carefully exploring the hearts of our
own people and also the pulse of foreign
nations
Since the "masterly inactivity" at Fort
Sumter allured the traitors to overt guilt,
clear even to the blindest, all know how
much has been done, in how short time,
and with means how unready, scattered
and remote. All know how at the call OF
the President, northern money flowed like
water, and northern men surged 10 the
war In masses, with the tide still rising
and roaring behind them. On the whole,
then, we judge that the seeming delays,
temporizings, soft words and quasi nego-
tiations Of the Cabinet, were mostly to
gain time for gathering in from all sides
the force for a simultaneous blow BY sea
and land-a two-edged, general, over
whelming blow. When, under the sleep
less, and. in a military sense, all-seeing
eye of Winfield Scott, his lines shall have
all met in their appointed centres, his
plan viii be found by its issue to have
been harmonious and infallible, like that
OF Il faultless watch or steam engine.
NOZZLE STAND or GEN HARNEY.-Gen en-.
Harvey has addressed letter to Col o.
FaIlon, of St. Louis, declaring he viii
never serve under any other banner than
the one he has followed for forty years
that he viii continue in the service of the
government which has bestowed It's hoHors
upon him, and so long AS he has breath be
will be its faithful and loyal soldier. lie
says that secession viii lead to anarchy,
and that the sccessionists design to estab-
lish a military dictatorship, and have made
war upon the government and dishonored
its flag, and that secession will be after
ruin to the disunionists. He implores
his fellow citizens Of Missouri not to be
seduced aud become the instruments of