The national Republican., 1861-03-11
THE NEW ADMINISTRATION.
COMMENTS OF THE PRESS.


The Philadelphia Press, of the 9th inst, has
the following article:
"If James Buchanan, when inaugurated
President on the 4th of March, 1867, had ap.
preciated and cultivated the disposition of the
American people to give his Administration q
fair trial, he would have been one of the most
successful Chief Magistrates in our history.
He came in at period of large expectations,
that might have been easily fulfilled, and yet,
within few months, he disappointed every
honest citizen, by rushing to the extreme Of
sectionalism, and by becoming the merest slave
of the enemies of the country.
" Abraham Lincoln mounts to the Presiden-
cy under circumstances widely different, and
surrounded by difficulties peculiarly embarrass-
ing. And yet, the existing necessity imposed
upon all true friends of the Union to give his
Administration fair trial, establishes some
thing like similarity between his future and
that Of his immediate predecessor. In fact, ii
ioiU depend upon Mr.. Lincoln tDhethcr zoe are
to hare a Government or not. The only ground,
therefore, ,ohich the true friends of the Union
can occupy, is to strengthen Mr.. Lincoln in all
honorable endeauors TO promote the general ,oel
fare, TO preserve the pubic peace, and tathf fully
TO execute the laps passed in accordance sDith
the Federal Constitution. We have full conf
dence that, unlike James Buchanan, he real.
ICES his destiny in this respect and will not hes.
itate to anticipate it by pursuing wise and
| statesmanlike course. His inaugural address
has naturally given birth to different construc-
| tions inasmuch as it was difficult at once to
meet all the wants and to dispose of all the the
cries of the day. In such State paper, action
upon coming events can be but dimly foreshadow.
ed. Embarrassments alike extraordinary and
novel require uncommon skill and profound
thought on the part of those by whom the Gov
ernment is to be administered.
"Great pains have been taken to mscon.
strue Mr.. Lincoln's Inaugural, and the South
ern conspirators, with characteristic and des.
perate assiduity, have been telegraphing to
Washington and elsewhere that it is universal.
| ly accepted as a declaration of war on the part
of the Southern people. Never was there a
baser and more wholesale fabrication. The
object being to poison and paralyze public
opinion in the free States, this fabrication can
not long 60 uncontradicted. We are not sur.
prised, therefore, that when we 60 to the source
Of Southern sentiment, particularly in the bor-
der slave States, we find that Mr.. Lincoln's In
augural has been received rather with pleasant
surprise than with indignation. 1t cannot be
denied that most Of the Congrs ssional leaders
of the conservative Southern sentiment openly
much more moderate than they expected. 1t
is certain that the Inaugural has not disheart.
ened such men as Andrew johnson of Ten.
nessee, John j. Crttenden of Kentucky, and
Governor Hicks of Maryland, for the first is
preparing to start for his home and unfurl the
| banner of the Union, and the second has been,
or will be- nominated by President Lincoln for
the vacancy on the Supreme Bench of the Uni.
ted States, while the third is understood to
maintain his position as firm friend of the
Union. Only on Thursday last, q very lead.
ing member Of the Virginia Convention, Mr..
Carlisle, declared that Mr.. Lincoln had been
much more moderate than he expected.
"The great issues which have divided par.
ties are measurably out Ct the way. The rev.
enue question has been adjusted upon the the.
ory approved by Mr.. Buchanan himself-that
Of specific duties. Three new Territories have
been admitted, virtually upon the doctrine OF
popular sovereignty and non-intervention, and
the bills organizing them were supported by
the entire Republican party, in both branches
of Congress. The Pacific railroad cannot be
a cause of difference hereafter, nasmuch as it
united men of all opinions in the last Congress,
and only failed on account of the impossibility
of agreeing upon the routes. There can be NO
controversy about the public lands, the Home
stead bill having become law, to the salts
faction of all its friends and most of its oppo
nents. The right of search, so long claimed
by Great Britain, has been permanently dis
posed of, and all other questions between for
eign countries and the United States have been
postponed by common consent or substantially
arranged. The only remaining issue, there
fore, is whether the Federal Government shall