Gazette and sentinel., 1861-04-13
The Result Of Diplomacy.

The duties imposed upon our COMMISSION
ers TO Washington, were Of the simplest kind,
and such as admitted Of a speedy perform
ance. They had only to seek the Black Re-
publican President, inform him that they had
been accredited to his government from the
Confederate States, and compel him to divulge
his policy towards the seced ne States. They
should have said to him, III you are deter.
mined to have war, say so; if peace, then
withdraw your forces from the fortifca,ions
within our limits immediately"-and on his
refusal to comply with their demands, they
should have abruptly left and reported to the
Administration at Montgomery. The urgency
Of their demands would have forced Mr.. Lin
cola 70 neglect his hungry Office seekers for a
moment and we might have known within
forty-eight hours after the arrival Of our
Commissioners, what the Government at
Washington Intended to do. But no sooner
had the Commissioner arrived. than they
were cajo,ed by the Black Republican leaders
Into a rrocrastina.ing policy, by fair but dc
ceitful promises, which might have proved
fatal TO us if we had had as much con-
fidence as they in the faith Of Abraham
Lincoln and his Cabinet ministers. At one
time it was sad that the Commissioners
would certainly tie received, and they reques-
ted that the President Of the Confederate
States would take no further steps until after
that event. At another time it was confident
w asserted that the Lincoln Administration
Intended to preserve the peace Of the country.
Then again it was communicated to head
quarters, that the Forts would be evacuated,
and that the orders for the evacuation of Fort
Snmpter had already been given. But now,
after more than a month, Mr.. Seward gives
the Commissioners the answer which he was
prepared to give on the first day Of their ar
rival an answer which everybody expected
him to give, VIZ: that he cannot receive them
or recognize the government which they rep |
resent. In the meantime, the government at
Washington hes. been as busy as possible in
completing its preparations to subjugate the
Southern States, and has fitted out a formida-
BILE armed force which is hourly expected to
land upon our shores. We do not blame our
Commissioner for anything except too much
credulity. They have doubtless been assured,
over ard over again, by every prominent man
connected with the Adminiat-ation at Wash
ington, that peace was intended. These as
sUrances, it turns out, were false, and were
given only to keep the South quiet until the
North should be ready to open an attack upon
her. 1t was the doctrine Of Machiavelli, that
faith should not be kept with nations unless
it enured to one, advantage, a doctrine which
has caused the name Of its author to be incor-
porated into the photography of nations as a
synonyme for all that is f~aithless, disgraceful,
and infamous. In his conduct towards the
Southern Commissioners, Mr.. Lincoln has
been guilty Of an act of national perfdy,
which would have caused even the Italian
d~iplomatist to blush for shame.
II is well for us that the people ofthe South
have paid no attention TO the deceitful PROM
Uses of the Black Republican President. They
have labored as assiduously and industriously
to perfect their d~efenses, as if they had re-
ceived an emphatic declaration of war from
the United States. Soldiers have been enlist
ing with astonishing rapidity; orders have
been issued for 10000 more volunteers; forts
have been reinforced; arms and ammunition
purchased, and the work on the breast-works
in front Of the beseiged forts, have been car.
ried on with undated vigor. Even on the
very day which it was said would witness
the evacuation Of Fort Sumpter, the brave
and accomplished Beauregard despatched t.
President Davis-'let them come; we are
prepared to receive them" And now thai
the signs point unmistakably to immediate
hostilities, we hope that no time viii be los
in the defense of every point where there il
any danger of an attack. The call for volun
teers will doubtless he responded to will
alacrity by the patriotic mel Of the South
/ and, in a short time, w shall have in the felt
; such an army Of brave and loyal men, as vii