The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-08-02
(From the London Telegraph. y.,x 10,

From the London Telegraph July TO-
bcsdes the startling measures by the Pres
dent Of the United States for the Of tho war
his Message to Congress opening this extraordinary
session comprises historical glance the origin OF TIE
civil war an explanation, argument in favor OF hs
own policy, and an announcement for tho future n
historical retrospect chiefly remarkable for the broad
admissions which are involved, though they N
tended. The express object is 10 show that the Satoa
which profess to have seeded have "rcbeed" II any
art s used in the composition it is entirely employed
the endeavor to diminish the show of numbers,
power resolution, and manmity amongst the
having "iaea the ooDiaSeraoy virginia u sSo<s.
Of az If she wore still balancing between secession
and Union, consentng to make herself "a nest for in
vaders from tho seccdng States. Mon who have been n
the federal government legislature or in the federal
army, and have joined the confederawon are implicitly
described knot OF conspiraors aiming to carry On
muskets belonging to the central government and TO put
pressure upon their individual States in order v
subotn public opinion In short the aim OF tho message
IL 10 represent tho confederation limited to small ter
ritory minority OF macontents within that territory
ana clique assembled round President Jefferson Davis II
hchmona, the said Richmond being mentioned a. If Il
were still within tho United States This is Ivy far ths
best part OF message which reminds Us, uniucky, Of
~, VIZ. VIZ S SG"S's@"s M@ Aas emanatd Jrs~
pant Of the Presidential chair had restored some
thing of the correctness and elevation at one time
marked the messages sent in to Congress-. Some fow
presdonts before Mr. Buchanan accoded Office had oct
been happy i'll but must confess that
the least ectous Of them borderod upon very
unsatisfactory character of the document before a.
The second portion is volunteered explanation 0f the
why tho federal government defended Fort sum
ter. We do not remember that Mr.. Lincoln and his
friends have ever been asa'led by the charge against
which they are now anxousy defending themselves,
aud their pleading IL az curious as their thus sponta
neoisy standing in the dock II they had not defended
tho fort they say the act might haze been construed
at home il would g discourage tho friends Oh
the Union emboIdon its adversarics and far
to tho latter recognition abroadthat in fact. it would
be our national destruction consumnate II is diloult
to imagine any more exaggerated or impoc admission
than the one we have herohat if ANY portion Of tho
Union could be recognised as an independent State.
oar national destruction would be cons,nmstcd" &c.
the strength Of that fear President Lincoln did venture
The third aud longest section Of the message is the
pleading against the right OF secession, conducted
fashion which would not obtain much credit in any dis-
trict attorneys Office there in the Old Bailey here.
The secession Of the States commonly called the slave
States is again mentioned AZ an offence which is beg
gDg the whole question at issue and the time
confessng how incapable the federal government has
shown itself Of retaining any hold upon the Southern
well aware, the Southern States have been only tos
anxious to keep path for friendly communications
with the North while is the federal government which
has broken OIL communications and has rendered the ~
ccsson so thoroughgoing and complete as it is One
gument upon which Mr.. Lincoln and his friends appear
strongly to rely is that the States existed indie
pcndeny and that therefore they lawfully and
peacefully withdraw from the Union without the
Of tho Union or OF any other States This Is an assertoo
directly the teeth Of the constitution which provides
tor any amendment even OF the constitution itself
vote taken by the Legislatures Of tho States, BY Q
Convention to throughout tho States that is 10 sak
any amendment Of the constitution would become law
il were affirmed by specified majority either OF the Stats
makes the astounding assertion that State with
draw from the Union if the withdrawal be vetoed by any
State Perhaps he does not mean what his words
press for must always make allowances on the score
of his manifest uexpcrcnce and inapttudc in WELDING
the pen.
The argument, however, against the independence q
tho States any period of their political, growth
rcd to the pitch Of the sublime and the proverba triee
beyond II Mr.. Lincoln had read the history Of Virginia
for himself he would know better than TO put record
this ludicrous essay for tho ridcue Of postority.
The personal idiosycracy of the Executive" az the
President calls himself out iuy in the concluding
and shortest section Of the message where he
what is to be the OF the government
after its victory in the present civil war If there V e
perceive that there rs 70 be any such thing in any
just sense of these forms
It indeed impossible to follow the Presidential bus
Cling through all its ntrcaces, FOR, while Mr.. LincoaA
Is uterng for each State this broad and unqualified
right OF dota,on he allows that the people themselves,
and no. their servants, can safely reverse their
own deliberate dccsion;" which is precisely
what tho seeding States proclaim. If it is Mr..
Lincon's purpose to mitigate the mistrust ana
hostility which his administration has raised "
the Southern States by explaining what course he should
pursue after the conclusion Of peace, he has most
udcrosly failed carry out his purpose On The
contrary he has just alluded to the subject sunciently
to show consciousness that satisfaction ought to b
given the public both sides Of the Potomac white
irritating at least the Southern States by withholding IL
information which he promises. TO-, ! b.
We can imagine one reason FOE this reserve From
latent that is ~ dscord with the majority In th0
Northern vol the Southern States, Mr.. LincctnS
party has done it's best TO suppress the friendly 0vertareG
OF the Confederate government and - eadeauin0
conceal from the leading the South the 9r0ng dGo
ton The Northern States reopen the question 9peaowlWs
goatios Hence undoubtedly the astoundngy vague and
prevaricstng language whchhe employs at the very time
that he processes to alleviate the uneasness In the mind
Of candid by intmatng what is 70 be the course Of
the government towards the Southern States after tAo
conclusion OF the But he promises that the
shall be done cheaply he will contract to get it finished
ohand at "only'' four hundred millions Of dollars
comfy twothirds Of the expense incurred by the whos
War Of Independence And he thinks that his 'cute suA
jects wilt duly believe their Onace and antocrat tAa
Executive unquestonaby making up their minds tnAt
the hill offered TO them before the beginning Of the wa
will precisely tally with the bill to be presented ct thf
end The Yankees may be very obedient people, b0
doubt II they yet quito 80 much enSaveS q "
Seward aud his President seem to think
France.