Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-02-19
Y.eyvs Of The PROSE OF Mr. Lincoln's
sn.nrr,n..-N inYbOdY Gurl -

Y:eyvs Of The prozz OF Nr. Lincoln's
Speccl,e.--":s Anybody Hurl!'
Mr.. Lincon's speeches elicit considerable
comments from the press. and various are the
opiuions EXPRESSED. The Republican journals,
as general thing, (says the Baltimore SUM-
affect to admire them Some Of them, however,
find it necessary TO enter INTO "eXpanatonS.
Thus the New York Commercial, as if opprcss-
cd with the conviction that something Should
be SAID 70 expiain away Mr.. l.lnco!n's singular
declaration, nobody is suffering anything,
tells us now that the President elect was not
speaking OF local or commercial affairs, but IN
broad, general political sense, simply saying
what we all feel, that the verbal secession OF
certain States has produced no crash or wreck
Of the Republic"
"ycrball'' secession, does our contemporary
say: II the federal government is powerless
TO execute single law in any Of the seeding
States to-day, the secession, 1t seems to U.s. Is
something more than verbal.
Nothing going wrons-noLhlny that really
hurts anybody" says Mr.. Lincoln; bat The Acw
York News asks
Does not tic sweeping bankruptcy Of our
merchants, the stuppasc oil our manufactures
,Le universal staglgtiun OF trade, and tue tens
Of thousands of poor labor!ng people thrown
out oi employment by the unrest OF the times,
hurt somebody"
The Philadelphia inquirer also shows that
somebody has been 'hurl" in that city:
ain this city full thirty per cent. OF the
working population are idle 10 realize the
truth oil this, let every man note the dulness
in his own peculiar trade nr busincSs--lct him
call TO mind the large number Of his friends,
perhhors and fcllow-tradeSlue1 who walk the
streets day after day with nothing to do. His
cyoericncr in this respect will DC the type Of
all Let him 90 into the large manufacturing
establishments which, at this time, should be
filled with busy hands, and observe the thinncd
ranks of the workmcn and workwomcn. From
This cause Chestnut Street wears every day the
appearance Of holiday, riany idle people
are OH that thorOughiare. Our hotels and n,rr-
camille warehouses; which by this time should
be vocal with the hum AMI activity of The
Spring trade are dull and almost l!ielcsS. The
building permits, which in February year
ago numbered hundreds, how scarcely reach
dozen 1t is s,agnation everywhere. The man
who does not see il is blind, and the public
man who ignores it in the Legislature OF III
Congress commits crime.
lhc UOuElat t!lc.l l'o!IlLa ou- ttie Pi"i' wa ~
Republicans to Issue government paper money,
in SUMS Of $50 and 500, and says;
Here, then, independently Of political Is
sues, We have =! the threshold Of the new az
ministratiriI, the proposed revival oi all the
financial errors which the country has hitherto
most solrlGIly condemned Il war Oh commerce
e protective rariif-and u government paper
CURRENCY. Ii the Republican party LASTS long
enough TO come tairly before the country on
either of these issues, We ars not afraid Of the
result"
The Washington correspondent u the New
York Express writes:
The tore of levity and frivol,ty, which char
actcrizes the speeches Of Mr. Lincoln, causes
the hearts of uHr citizens 10 sink within them.
They perceive already that he is not the man
for the crisis, and begin to dcspord Of any eS-
trcaton from: impending difficulties.
The Philadelphia Argus, commenting Oh
Mr. Lnculns speeches, remarks:
When the people ask for bread lie gives them
a stone He dispatches the most serious sub
ccts with joke, and asserts, with smile,
that the present crisis is purely artificial. =
The tariff ard other kindred subjects, which
should be familiar 10 every one aspiring 10
craftsmanship. he acknowledges hr does not
understand. No definite plan Of action seems
to have been natured for his administration,
but everything is to I've Left 20 chance. The
Illuminating spectacle is thus presented Of the
President elect Of this great con(ederacy III
dulging III the nerSst clr.trap Of the InlIti
clan, thanIting the people Tor voting for him,
tiatterimg their ioc:i pride, and appealing 10
their sectional animostles. \ universal rep
rotation comes to us through the press Of the
thrilling aud fppan. remarks INDUCED in by
the President elect.
The Philadelphia Ledger also says
We confess we are somewhat disappointed
in the speeches which Mr.. Lincoln is making
while on his way 20 the seat of Government,
where he is TO be invested with the chief En-
ecutivc authority. To say nothing of the tone
of these speeches, which is rot always bccnin
ing in the serious situation Of Affairs in which
the Country is now placed, lie does not seem to
have fully apprehended the difficulties he has
10 encounter ut ihc :crr beginning Of his Ad-
ministration, md which the w!sest statesmen
in the land would approach with dread and
hesitation. There is degree OF Hlppancy III
his treatment Of our national difficulties, when
he does approach that subject, eren iii re-
mote manner, that shows he is not yet snt1-
GENTLY impressed with their real significance,
and has presented to his own mind no definite
| course Of action which is likely 10 lead us to
pence and safety. When Mr.. Lincoln attempts
70 ignore the crisis which now threatens the
existence of the Government and the peace OF
the country, and declares that There is nothing
wrong" or nothing which keeping cool on
both sides will not correct he shows very
shallow and superficial Appreciation Of our