The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-03-07
The Question OF Peace or War brought
to the Test.

The Question Of Peace or War brought
TO the Test.
The painful suspense in which the country
has been 90 long held on the question Of civil
war, or peaceful solution Of the secession of
the cotton States, is about to be removed.
The inaugural address of Mr.. Lincoln has not
only failed to clear away the obscurity but has
added smoke to the fog. But we shall soon
have Light now.
BY telegraphic despatch, which we publish
in another column, our readers will perceive
that Mr. Martin Crawford Of Georgia, and Mr..
John Forsyth, of Alabama Commissioners from
the Southern confederation-h arrived at
Washington for the purpose of demanding
from Mr.. Lincoln tho withdrawal Of all
the United States troops, and all the fede-
raj authority m every shape and form,
from the Confederate States. AS this
demand is to be made Immediately, we shall
know in the course, perhaps, Of twenty four
hours, whether we have government" which
the republican journals soy is the issue Of the
day, and which the SECOND Jackson will
quickly put to the test We will then have
practical analysis OF the arnalgam Of the inau-
gural, composed of the Chicago platform, MIR.
Buchanan's messages, Mr.. seward's poetry and
other heterogeneous materials We shall have
Q reliable Interpretation Of those oracular re-
sponses which have bewildered and mystifed
SO many simple persons both North and South.
A plain and direct answer must be given TO q
plain question, which only requires either
eyes" or "no." Neither evasion nor technical
hsir-splitting will suit now. Mr.. Lincoln must
take the Southern bull by the horns, or be i'm
paled on the horn Of an ugly dilemma. There
is no escape from the alternative. The crisis
must be met at once, ard receive its solution
by peace or instant hoetilities. Mr.. Lincoln
says:-"In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow
countrymen, and not in nine is the momentous
issue Of civil war" But he cannot thus shift
the grave and solemn responsibility from his
own shoulders. On his reply to the Comnis-
sioners from Montgomery, or even his refusal
10 reply, or TO "treat with rebels" hangs peace
or war, and the fate Of tho country for
veal or woe The issue IL, therefore,
in Mr.. Lincoln's own hands, and the
people viii hold him responsible. He has the
constitutional power to remove every soldier
from every Southern fort, though not to sell
or give away the forts and other property of
the federal government III he accedes 10 the
demand Of she Confederate States there will
be peace; If be refuses to accede 10 it, or re
fuses to reply, the refusal in either case viii
be regarded as declaration OF war, and war
itself will probably commence within week.
Ii will not do for tho President to say he
cannot treat with the Commissioners because
they are "rebels;" he must treat with them; and,
according 10 the declarations of the leaders Of
the republican party and the republican press,
and Mr.. Lincoln's own declarations, there is
only one way in which he can treat with them,
and that ia by ordering their arrest for high
treason. In his inaugural the President says
mo State, upon It's own mere motion, can
lawfully get out Of the Union; resolves
and ordinances 10 that effect are legally void,
and acts OF violence within any State or States,
against the authority Of the United States, are
;nsmTectionary OF Revolutionary, according to
circumstances 1 therefore consider that in
view Of the constitution and the laws, the
Union Is unbrokcn; and to the extent Of my
ability I shall take care, as the constitution
itself expressly enjcins upon me, that the laws
Of the Union be faithfully executed in all the
States" According TO Mis- doctrine Messrs.
Crawford and Forsyth are the cmisaries OF
rebels and insurgents, and, therefore, ought TO
be arrested 40 traitors to the United States
government and brought Immediately TO trial.
The evidence against them Ia clear. II is fur.
nished by themselves, and they glory In IL
Moreover, republican Senators and reproson-
tatvee in Congress, and all the republican
journals in mll chorus, from the New
York Tribune down to the meanest
little country sheet, raised hue and cry loud
and long, against Mr.. Buchanan because he
did not arrest the Commissioners from South
Carolina when they came TO demand the sur
render of Fort Sumter. They, one aud all, de-
nounced the President a. "a traitor because
he held intercourse with rebels treating for
other rebels, and did not seize and hand them
over to justice.
Now, Commissioners representing not only
tho rebel State Of South Carolina but six other
rebel and confederate States, have arrived at
Washington 10 demand from Mr.. Lincoln the
surrender Of that fort and every other fort
within the boundaries Of the entire Southern
confederation. II Colonel Hayne and bis col.
league were rebels and traitors, how much
more 40 are Crawford and Forsyth and If Mr..
Buchanan ives "perjured traitor" for parley-
ing with the South Carolina Commissioners,
" wha. eE tibet shall VIC designate Mr.. Lincoln