The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-04-09
Toe posfcy OF thc Administration DE-
veioPeo-H.Pidly Drifting tnso cfsh

Toe rosfcy OF the Administration De-
veiopeo-R-pidly Drifting into ctsi
Msr.
1t il becoming too evident that, SO fsr as
vicious, mbecile, demoislized administration
uogsesses power the hideous horrors OF civil
war are sbom, IT, be forced upon the couatry
The deliberations OF Mr.. Lincoln and his al
v,sers have been sbronded 10 mystery; hat the
very concealmeut they have affected, has bs-
trayed their 'o,quitons purposes. Amid the
contradictory ruuo,s that have latal; prevailed.
unmistakeahle facts have compelled tardy
and reluctant .cqu'esceDce ID The conv'eton'
that aggressive measures are contemplated
against the seeding States, and that hostile de-
monsuatons, upon IN extended scale, haze
for many weeks, formed part of the design OF
the government Ominous and painful uncer-
tainty, has at length, given place to the feariui
prospect of an interDecine strife between the
North and the South, which is inevitable, un
less the troops that being sent Southsard,
more patriotic than their leaders. shall emulate
the example Of French soldiers, wnen ordered
to fire upon the people, and refuse 10 imbrue
their hands in the blood OF their fellow citizens
The untirlng, iactions pressure upon the Presi-
dent, in favor OF the adoption OF definite,
cosrcive policy, has been crowned with sue
cess. The doors OF the temple of Janus have
been thrown open, and If, which is doubtful,
proclivities tor peace ever existed, they have
been buried out of sight. Mr.. Lincoln has
fallen back upon the war doctrines of his in
augnral, or his still less ambiguous utterauces,
during the memorable journey from Springfield
10 Harrisburg.
Mr. Lincoln maintained, in his speech at In
dianapolis, that il would not be coercion tor
government TO retake its own forts and pro-
pert,es, and collect duties Onforeign Impocta-
ions," and that it would be no invasion to
march an army into South Carolina without
the consent OF her people" He asserted, on
the other hand that 1t would be an assumption
OF the fright to play the tyrant" for "a State
10 break up the nation" and that secession
would be coercion of the remaining States.
He thus began, before his arrival in Washing
ton to call peace war, and war peace, in order
to shift the burden of responsibility from the
incoming government upon those it in
tended to Cypress. AT Pittsburg, he openly
abused the South and declared that the crisis
was " artificial, gotten up by turbulent men,
aided by designing politicians" He used SINH
lar language at Cleveland, and at Steuben.
vile, and, in this city, comparing the Union to
a ship, limited at the possible necessity of
Throwing passengers and cargo overheard"
to accomplish the end be had in view. AT
hn cota ho CHI 10
bis foot down firmly, and having put the foot
down, to stand firmly upon it." Then came
the insugural-"false and fair"-a smooth We
neeriDg OF honeyed phrases over ground
work of menace and venom, the fruits of which
are now developing. Deprecating bloodshed,
unless forced upOn the national authority"
exclaimiDg to the South, The government, my
dissatisfied fellow citizens will not assail YOU"
he adds" The power corfided to me will be
used to hold, occupy, and possess the pro-
perry belonging to the government, and col
lect the duties and imposts." The HERALD,
in its issue containing the inaugural inter-
preted these contradictions as meaning snat
"if the Southern States make no resistance,
when the administration shall be ready to
vor to repulse the federal government will,
however be regarded as beginning of
hos t,liries'
1t is Of small account, at what point the
blow aimed at the Southern copfederacy is
about to be struck The immediate destination
Of the dozen or more armed vessels now leav-
log Northern ports. and, of the munitions of
war, and twenty five hundred men they contain,
may or may not be Fort Pickens 1t is not in
probable that the troops will, be landed, in the
first instance, partly in Texas, aud partly at
the Tortugas, and Key West A plausible sur
mise prevails in military and naval circles, tina.
either Cat OF Sbip island, on the Mississippi
coast. both Of which have excellent harbors
and anchorage, and from which, at short no.
tice, Pensacola may be assailcd, or Fort
Pickens reinforced has been selected Is
place Of rendezvous. However this may be, it
Is abundantly manifest that the administration
s bent upon carrying out scheme, which, If
attended with any degree of success, must lead
to bloodshed. The invasion of Texas itself,
low that 1t has withdrawn from the Union, will
be justly regarded, by the authorities, at Mont
gomery. as declaration of war; nor does
Governor Houstons pretended requisition for
AID against Mexicans ard Indians alter the
;act that Texas is one of The Confederate States.
The reinforcement Of Fort Pickens may cause
the first collision to take place in the
bay OF Pensacola; If 80, from the ex-
tcrsive warlike preparations that have
been made on both sides, it is TO be
fear' that ii will be a terrible one. If the
troops sent to the aid OF Lieut.. Slemmer are
repulsed the last constitutional resource of
the Washington administration, against the
South, will have been exhausted. II can
neither blockade harbors. line of coast, nor
toe mouths Of rivers; nor can it send an army