Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1861-04-03
Our Country.

Our Country.
The history Of our Country during the last
FIVE months, is the record of series of events
which for novelty aud importance, have not
a parallel in the history of any other period
of the present century. The election of Lin
coin was followed by the secession movement
in the Cotton States. which the Republican
Party at first affected to laugh at as mere
bombast and bravado. But they soon found
it was no laughing matter. Those States all
adopted secession ordinances with aston
ishing unanimity, aud proceeded to take pos
session of the U. S. Forts, Arsenals, Custom
houses. Mints, &c, within their limits 4
Congress was called, provisional government
erected, a President and Vice President elec-
ted, and Cabinet formed every step on the
part of the Seceders indicating that they were
as determined, and as much in earnest, as
were our fathers, when they declared their
Independence of Great Britain. The Black
Republicans, the men who elected Lincoln
now ceased their laughing, and began to talk
serious. They openly proclaimed themselves
in favor of coercion, in other words, of COM
peliing the seeding States to remain in the
Union by military force. Mr.. Buchanan
was denounced as coward and hoary headed
traitor, for not Immediately raising an army,
and inaugurating civil war in the land, by
invading the Territory of South Carolina with
fire aud sword. He, however, believed that
| this Union, which is league of love, could
not be preserved at the point of the bayonet
and refused to listen to the advice of his CO.
! ercion counselloSs.
[ On the 4th Of March Abraham Lincoln was
iuaugurated. He was pledged to work won
ers for the Country. Well what has he
done Do We hear any talk about coercion
| from him No but on the contrary, We learn
| that Fort Sumpter is TO be evacuated, that
the Commissioners from the Southern Confed-
cracy are kindly received, and that the ad-
minstratiou seri ously entertains the idea OF
! acknowledging the independence Of the States
composing that Confederacy. At all events
| the idea Of coerclng them has been abandoned
as impclitic ard inexpedient. The only hope
now is, that Virginia and the other border
States can be persuaded to remain in the I'm
/ ion.
Are we not right then, in saying. that the
events which have transpired in our Country,
during the last FIVE months, are the most re-
markable of the present century. Seven
States, equal, if not surprising in territory
and pop plation. the 13 States during the Rev
olutiouary war, have quietly withdrawn from
the Union, without the shedding Of drop gj
| Uood, and without even harsh word being
uttered save by excited PARTISAN newspaper:
and orators, and fears are entertained that
eight more viii follow. They have formed ;
new Union, aud established an apparently
strong government, at the head of which are
statesmen, Of acknowledged ability. Thi:
revolution is remarkable because it has beer
boodless. Where can we fnG parallel fol
it in the history of the world 1t is an ca
So matter to accomplish revolution with th,
assistance of the sword and bayonet but it i
another matter, to accomplish it without th,
loss of human life. Something mort
than mere human agency seems TO have beer
at work 10 the matter, and new proof furn
: ished that
There's a DiviRity that shapes our ends.
Rough hew them as we may"
Mr. Lincoln's ''peace policy" does no
please the ultra members of his party, but W
presume they will have to grin and bea