The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-04-05
"what Shall be Done -


Under the above caption, the last number
of the New York Independent contains an
elaborate article, discussing the proper
course to be taken by the United States
with those which have seeded. 1t is marked
with great ability, and SO free from the
fanatical impracticabilities usually found in
the satanic religious press, that we make
extracts
The revolution in the Cotton States is a fact.
In all those States the Constitution OF the Uni
ted States and the Government established by
that Constitution ale de Jacto abolished. No
Federal courts exist in these States; no cOllec-
tors of customs by Federal officers no func-
ton of the Federal Government except the
slavish one of Carrying the public mails at the
expense OF loyal people for the accommoda-
ton OF rebelllous people cOnfessedy incapa-
BILE of providing the same accommodation for
themselves. Those revOlted states have formed
separate confederacy, and have establish
ed a federal government of their own. They
have their Congress, their President, their ma.
tional flag their mint, their arsenals and forts,
their army, and the beginning of navy. They
have their own tariff OF duties on imports. not
excepting imports from the United States.
New York and Boston, Baltimore and Norfolk,
are foreign ports to the collectors of customs
at Charleston, at Savannah at Galveston, and
at New Orleans. Any foreign power might
now recognize 9 the Confederate States Of
America as distinct and independent gov
eminent without asking leave of us,-just as
we recognized the independence of Greece
without asking leave OF Turkey, and the indie
pendence OF the Spanish American republics
without asking leave OF Spain, and the indie
pendence OF Texas without asking leave of
MEXICO. The revolution in those States is at
this moment as really fact as the French
revolution of February, l748, was fact three
months afterwards. The Government at Mont
g0mery Is now government de facto, as really
as the Government of Louis Napoleon Bona
parte was three months after the coup d'etat
Which laid the French Republic at his feet.
1t refuses to discuss the question, how
all this happened, and goes on to argue that
the return of the seeded States should not
be sought by yielding to their demands, OF
by war and conquest, and that their volun-
tary return is impossible-acknowledges
the mistake made by the Abolitionists in
believing that the Union could not be dis
solved, and, in answer to the question OF
"what is to be done," says:
Our answer to this question is already init
mated. The President of the United States
has been sworn to maintain the Constitution
and the laws as they are. Under the Constitu.
ton and the laws, this secession is, as yet,
nothing else than rebellion. 1t is not in the
Constitutional power of the President to re-
cognize any secession as an accomplished rev.
olution. The responsibility, therefore, of bring
ing this conflict to an end, does not rest upon
him. Whether his ''power, by and with the
advice of the Senate, to make treaties, pro.
vided two-thirds of the Senate concur" can be
regarded as authorizing him to negotiate q
treaty with traitors ''levying war against the
United States,"-- will not undertake to de.
termine. Whatever the power of the Presi.
dent and Senate may be in such case, GER
tainly it would be unwise to act without the
full concurrence of the House of Representa-
tives. If there is no adequate power in the
Federal Government, let Convention of the
States be called for the purpose of consum-
mating the exclusion of the seceders from the
Union. .t