The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-03-12

reduce the revenues Of the government, TO
destroy the foreign trade of the Atlantic cities,
and to create an endless system Of smuggling
on the border line between the North and
South. The advantageous results of all this
to the Southern eonfederacy are unnecessary
to dwell upon.
The Probable Future Policy OF the Bor-
der states.
Mr.. Lincoln did not err greatly, in his inau-
gural when he stated that nothing could be
lost by delay, in the present national crisis.
The errors or inadvertencies of q moment,
might precipitate events beyond the possibility
of remedy. Yet day by day has passed by,
within the last three months, and the country
has gazed with stupefacton at the apathy, in
activity and ignorance of those who have been
entrusted with its most sacred interests. II
the Crittenden amendments to the constitution
had been adopted by Congress, few weeks
ago. an instant stop would have been put to
the progress of the disunion contagion in the
cotton States. That chance was allowed to
pass away. The Bigler resolutions met with
the same fate. The republican strength in the
Senate raised an insurmountable barrier be-
tween the government and the people, which
could not be passed. The border Peace Con-
ference was then convened, but its members
failed in energy. They were selected from
the antiquated fossils Of the land-men behind
the time, and unequal to its require
ments. Their resolutions were treated
with contempt, and, even if they had
been adopted, they could have accom-
shiitless imbecility, incapacity, stupidity and
gross venality Of the late Senate and House of
Representatives, they literally filled every cor
ner Of the republic with amazement. The de-
mocratic minority was paralyzed, and the re-
publican majority, seeing as they did the coun-
try drifting towards precipice, could imagine
no higher aim than to squabble for place and
apportion spoils. Under such circumstances,
all eyes have been turned to the eight members
Of the confederacy that have not yetseceded, and
the anxious inquiry Of all parties has been, will
they withdraw from the Union or will they re-
main in it? The balance of power is in their
hands, and it yet remains to be seen how they
will use it.
Inextinguishable as is the attachment of nine
tenths Of the voters in the Northern States for
their country; prepared as moderate, sober
minded intelligent citizens of Virginia, Mary
land, Kentucky, and North Carolina are to &C
cede to any minimum or amendment to the
constitution which might secure their rights,
it is none the less painfully true that an
unnatural, Fictitious pressure of revolutionists,
of the Massachusetts school, is compelling
those whom they have entrusted with power to
bury out Of sight their preclivities for peace.
Abolition fanatics surround the portals of the
temple OF Janus, and they are resolved that its
gates shall not be closed. Every caucus, every
Cabinet council that has been recently held at
Washington has been scene Of strife. The
most desperate efforts have been made by re-
publican radicals to force the administration
into the adoption Of coercive policy. The
late bound and rebound OF the political Their
memeter, from hour to hour, have defed pre-
vious calculation, and set at naught past hopes
and fears Mr. Lincoln's speech at Indianapo-
lis, in which he maintained that it would not
be coercion for government to "retake its own
forts and properties, and collect duties on
foreign importations," and that it would be no
invasion to "march an army into South Caro-
lina;" the menacing phrases Of his inaugural;
the bitter representations of Secretary
OF the Treasury Chase; the appeal of,
Seward to 'battle;'' the transfer of
power to General Scott, in the War and
Navy Departments; the late recall of our land
and sea forces from the Gulf Of Mexico, the
Mediterranean and the Pacific; together with
thousand inexplicable causes of distrust, have
created, altogether, degree Of agitation in the
public mind which might easily have been al
laycd, had there been disposition to do so on
the part of the authorities invested with power
on the It'll of March last. The probable fact is
that the present administration, with every dis.
position TO be coercive and vicious, does not
dare, in the face of public opinion, to display
the venom 1t is possessed with. 1t desires war,
but il will pursue peace. 1t would willingly
reinforce Forts Pickens and Sumter, but it will
withdraw the troops that are already there. II
yearns to fight with the cotton States; but it
shrinks with terror from the prospect Of being
uifSn ous VI sno DSuiVV VI Soiuhpia oy tue
militia of Maryland and Virginia
automatically poverty stricken as the adj
ministrasion is nothing is lost 10 the nation by
its exanimate state. There Is abundant time
for the people of the border slaveholding
States TO express their views, without the least
fear Of their being aggressively interfered with.
The Virginia Convention has passed resolu.
ton calling for Border Siavebolding State
Convention. Resolutions TO the same effect
have been introduced In the Convention of
Missouri. Let IL be held. Let the delegates
thereto deliberately resolve what the minimum
may be of compromise, or Of amendments to
the constitution, that they viii accept at the
hands of the North. Meanwhile the masses of
inanIIinont ciiiunran u L. ~ = L.