The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-02-13

MIA avenue is turned into Champ de Mars;
Generals like Wool, Sanford, Scott and
Weightman are sharpening their swords for
bloodshed; members of the Cabinet issue in
structions to "shoot on the spot" active Sc
ceders, and every preparation is being made
for the Inauguration Of sectional hostiitles
after the 4th of March next 1t is declared that
the Southern seeding States must prepare for
blockade of their ports; to surrender the
fortresses they have seized upon, and to fall
back into the passive submission which repub-
lican aggression has demanded for over thirty
years. In the present deplorable condi-
ton of the country, is this the right
policy! Is it expedient? The Southern
Congress at Montgomery offer the hand
of friendship to the North, on such terms
as they believe to be consistent with its
dignity. They have provided in the sixth arti-
Gle Of the constitution Of the Southern republic,
that its government 'shall take immediate steps
for the settlement Of all matters between the
States forming it and their late confederates Of
the United States in relation to the public pro:
perty and public debt at the time of their with
drawal from them, these States hereby dcclar-
ing it to be their wish and earnest desire to ad-
just everything pertaining to the common pro-
perry, common liabilities and common obliga-
tons Of that Union upon principles of right
Justice, equity and good faith" TO all this
the republican party answer, "Submit to the
distractions of the Chicago platform, or there
shall be no alternative but war-a bloody, in
tcrnecine, destructive conflict, which shall bury
in ruins the prosperity of the country"
Sober minded, patriotic citizens at the North,
have no time to lose, if they would avert ire
parable disaster. Meetings should at once be
held in every city, town and village of the
Union, proclaiminy, first of all, as an indispen-
sable, irrcvocable preliminary, the resolve Of
the people TO maintain peace and, next their
desire to aid in the work Of reconstruction,
which the exigencies Of the time imperatively
demand. The declarations Of Mr.. Lincoln, of
bis Premier, and of the republican Senators
and members in Congress, have rendered
clearer than MONDAY the suicidal inten-
tons Of the incoming government They are
founded upon the gigantic scheme Of General
Scott for the subjugation of the South,
which was exposed by the Congressional repre-
sentatives Of Louisiana, in their address Of the
18th ultino, to the Convention at Baton Rouge
and which Includes the garrisoning OF Southern
forts and arsenals, the marching Of forces into
the seeding States, with view of employ ing
them for domestic intimidation.
The republican party is only awaiting, in
fact, the close Of the present administration to
clothc itself with the panoply Of war, and to
initiate acts of aggression which il fills the
mind with horror to contemplate. Imagination
cannot conceive the disasters that will over
cannon and the bayonet to solve the interstate
problem which the Developments Of the last
few months have created. The only remedy is
with the people. Unless they rise in their might,
and put an end to the agitations by which the
republic is convulsed, the calainitics foresha-
dowed in Mr.. Lincoln's speech at Indianapolis
will, before the close Of one month begin to be
felt from one end Of tho Union to the other.
TIE EVILS OF INDIGESTION IN TIMES OF PoIrTI-
CAL DANaER.-The correspondence between
Secretary Holt and Col. Hayne, in reference to
the surrender Of Fort Sumter adds another to
the many historical evidences Of the fatal in
iuence which men of mediocre talents or feeble
minds are destined to exercise in times Of great
political emergency. In the views and argu-
ments urged in it We recognise nothing which
raises il above the level of the efforts Of small
pettifogging politicians 1t is weak. it is
fippant, and takes no comprehensive or
statesmanlikc grasp Of the difficulties in which
the country is involved.
There were but two courses for the general
government to pursue under the circumstances
in which the action Of South Carolina placed
it. The one was when that State sent commits
sioners TO dictate terms to il to adopt the bold
and decisive course Of having them arrested
for treason. This would have brought mat
tiers to crisis, and might have secured an i'm
mediate adjustment, by proving to the re-
pubiicans the extent 10 which the move
ment was sympathized in and sustained
by the other Southern States. At all
events we should not have had the lat
ter SO coon committed TO position from which,
WHdtcNeT may DC tic CONCESSIONS MADE 10
them, il will be difficult for them TO rcccde.
The other and more statesmanlikc course
was at once to acknowledge The true character
Of the movement, and to deal with it accord
ingly. From the extent to which the Southern
mind was agitated and public sentiment at the
North divided on the great question involved
in the last Presidential contest, no man of or
binary sagacity could have mistaken the fact
that the secession OF South Carolina was not an
solstcd act Of rebellion, but the commence
ment Of great revolution like that OF 1776. If
the administration had been composed Of
statesmen, instead Of small politicians. IL would
have entertained the grievances of South Caro-
lina-not as those Of single State, but of the
whole south-iny estigatcd their justice. and
enforced them in so earnest manner before
Congress and the country as TO insure speedy
arrangement OF them. These opportunities