The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-01-20

recognition of Southern confederacy, or to
the calamities of general civil war. The re-
publican party in Congress hold the power in
their hands Let them be put to the test, and
let us see whether they are ready or afraid to
''take the sense of the people"
Are the Forts in New York Harbor Safe.
The Rev dictionary Element i'm the
Country.
The depredations upon the government pro-
pcrty by some Of the Southern States which
have not yet declared themselves out of the
Union is an example which, if we are correctly
informed, finds imitators in certain parties in
the Northern States. Prone as is our errng
human nature to initiate, the imitation of vices
is quite as predominant a trait as the limitations
of rioters. 1t is idle to talk Of the folics of
the South, urged as it is by what it deems the
strongest provocation to the committal of acts
which we, who have suffered no such provoca-
ton, condemn, when we stand ready to com
NIT acts of folly quite as egregious, without a
similar show of excuse or justification.
1t would appear that the information de-
rived by us FROM correspondent at Washing
ton some two weeks ago, to the effect that an
organization was forming in this city to take
forcible possession of the government dcfences
and Notifications in the bay and harbor Of New
York on the occurrence of certain contingent
cies, was not wholly destitute of foundation.
There is in every city large floating mass
of society, holding on to its skirts by
the slightest ties, that is ever ready to
take advantage of any sudden change in the
| affairs of government, to excite the elements
already distracted. and under the ever ready
| plea of patriotism, to secure results beneficial
| to itself only when they are detrimental to the
| established order of things In this great TO-
Gus of enterprise, misdirccted or well directed,
of restlcssness that may be turned to the ac-
complshment of good or evil ends, as chance
may determine, we have thousands Of beings
of this class, foreign adventures and home
made explorers Of short roads to fortune, who
stand ready to engage in any enterprise, how
ever desperate that promises large and quick
returns. The flibustering expeditions which,
during recent years, have been put on foot by
Walker and others for purposes wholly illegal.
and in violation of the good faith of the coun-
try, furnish ample evidence of the fact to which
we call attention. In some instances these ex-
petitions have been organized and have left
the country in spite of the vigilance of the
government at Washington and of the police
of the localities where they were fitted out, and
we have been stgmatizcd among foreign ma
tons as ''weak government such has
been the language Of foreign diplomats-una.
BILE to restrain the unruly portion of our people
from the violation of treaty engagements and
stipulations.
1t is now well known that at one time Walker
had over thousand men engaged in this city
and surrounding districts for an invasion Of
Nicaragua. After the explosion of the plan
its extent and character became somewhat
known to the public; but the breaking up Of
the plot did not proceed from the want Of men
ready to engage it. No stronger proof need be
given of the fact that revolutionary material is
always on hand among us, which, under skilful
organization. may be productive of the most
disastrous consequences than was furnished by
the history of this organization. The fact is
forced upon us that, in despite of the vigilance
of government or of the city authorities, trea-
son TO the government and defiance to its laws
can go undetected and unpublished when under
the management of skilful leaders.
Incredulous as we were at first to the truth
of the rumor from Washington, there are many
in this city who are convinced that an organi-
zation Of the most formidable character exists
among US, threatening to the peace of the
country, and which may lead to consequences
most fatal in their results. The plan, as under
stood, is the seizure Of our forts and harbor de-
fences the instant that collision ensues between
| the general government and the Southern States.
| by this means calling the military power of the
State into requisition for the protection of our
| peace, thus preventing the government from
avaling itself of its assistance in the course IL
| may be called to pursue towards the South
| That such an understanding exists between the
| leading consTrators in this city and prominent
| disunionists in the South has been openly de-
clarcd. Should this plan prove successful, SO
| far as this city Is concerned, how shall we set
bounds to it, movements, or how far shall we
! be compelled to confne ourselves to the laws
| of selfprotection in orr immediate homes?
| Nearly the whole of the harbor gsrrisons of
this city are without sufficient force to protect
| themselves in the event Of formidable attack
under circumstances such as we have described.
| II has been asserted, and the assertion has
| come from those who. from their an.
tecedents are persons not unwilling to engage
| in enterprises Of the nature we have
described, that thousand men, once securing
the occupation Of our several harbor forts,
will be able successfully to resist any force
that could be spared from other services to be
brought against them. 1t is added that the
object Of securing the forts aad garrisoas ence