The Shasta courier., 1861-02-02
SHASTA COURIER.
SATURDAY MORNING, FEB. 2, 1861.
Coercion.

threats Of the South with derision. A thousand
times have they declared that the South sscould
not be kicked out of the Union" Now, however,
seeing that they are in error, and that o few
Southern States at least have attempted to go out
of the Union, they change their jeering into
warlike enunciations, and declare that the Sc
eeders must be whipped into obedience by the
strong arm of the Federal Government. The
man who does not know that the shedding of
Southern blood by Federal troops at this
particular time would destroy all hopes of a
peaceful solution of our unhappy imbroglio, is
as destitute of common sense as the road from
Cairo to Suez is of shade trees. If South Caro-
iina alone were concerned, there would be some
sense 10 this talk Of coercion by Federal troops.
But when It Is we'll known that the whole South
will unite to rcpel war waged by the Federal
Government against any Southern State, the
question assumes another and entirely different
aspect. South 4 ella might DO whiprea .-sA
obedience; but the Federal Government, backa
ed by old Engiand's tremendous power, could
never subdue united South. A million men,
fighting around their fresides, can never be
conquered.
Let men, then, not talk of coercion by force of
arms. Ex-Gov. Wickliffs points out the only
feasible way to deal with seeding States, with
out enlisting in her behalf their sympathies and
support of the entire South. Here is his plan:
That remedy will be found in the repeal of
the law establishing their ports of entry and
IL
laws of the United States, by the means already
in existence, to permit no vessel, foreign or dor
mestic, to enter or depart with merchandise
from their waters.
Congress has power to establish judicial trib-
unals in the States or collection districts, and
if South Carolina opposes this power and her
citizens refuse to fill the offices of Judge and
Marshal abolish the district by la " and attach.the
territory to some neighboring district. If South
Carolina desires no postal facilities, abolish the
post offices and withdraw the service.
If she will send no Senators or Representa-
tives to Congress, let her alone; the Govern
ment can get along without their services in
Congress. Apply these Same remedies to each
seeding State upon it's citizens; it does not
necessarily involve the shedding of human
blood.
lfmeasures of this kind be adopted by Con-
gress, it will give time for reflection and better
counsels, North ard South, and all grievances
in due time, may be healed, and fraternal feel
ing restored.
Don't let us be misunderstood We believe
that it is the duty of the Federal Government
to protect its property at all hazards. If any
force, foreign or domestic, attempts to take pos
session of its property, to arrest its agents in
the performance of legitimate duties, then we
deem it ;mperatively incumbent upon the Fed
eral Government to vindicate its outraged rights
and honor. In doing thus much it will not be
waging war upon any State. 1t will simply be
assuming the position and exercising the rights
of self f-defense. When a man defends himself
with arms against high Kayman, does he make
war upon the robber? By no means. He SIM
ply maintains possession, ri ct armis, of that
which is his own, and which the robber would
take from him by violence. In the endeayor TO
keep his own, if he chances to kill the robber
he is acquitted of all blame in the eyes of the
law of God and man. So, when the enemies of
the Federal Government fired into the Star of
the Vest from Fort Moultrie, and prevented her
landing Government troops at Fort Sumter, the
same rule would have justified Major Anderson
if he had opened his batteries upon Fort Moul-
trie. The Federal Government would then have
simply been defending her own property from
injury attempted to be perpetrated, not by the
State of South Carolina, but by certain of her
rebellious citizens. True, such assault and de-
fense may be properly called war-but it is not
a war between the Federal Government and
State, but war between the Federal Govern
ment and a number of rebel.ious citizens-not
n war waged by her upon the rebels, but war
commenced and waged by the rebels upon her.
While, then, the right of the Federal Govern
mcnt to assume the position claimed for her in
question arises is it policy Eat this time to ex-
ercise those rights to their fullest extent? As
we said before, if South Carolina were alone
concerned the question would be of easy solu-
ton. But other States have followed in her
footsteps, and others still are preparing to fol-
Tow. True, this does not change the right or
wrong of the question in issue, but who will
venture to assert that it does not call for diff
ferent mode of treatment? When our army was
in Mexico, Gen. Scott could afford to hang forty
deserters. But suppose that half his army had
deserted, would he, if possible, have dealt with
them as he did with the forty? Thus, if South
Carolina alone were concerned, the question
could be settled in few days by the force of
arms. But if the Southern States determine to
withdraw and set up for Observation-Disclosures
TO revolutionize-then wisdom will dictate that
the Federal Government shall permit that rev.
olution to be peaceable-shall permit the seced-
ing States TO go. For if they are fully deter
mined to withdraw from the Union, the Federal
Government can not prevent it by any force
which she can muster. And q war to prevent
their withdrawal could therefore result in no
possible good, while it would increase a thou
sand fold the calamities which must necessarily
result even from peaceable dissolution of the
present Union Of Northern and Southern States
which may God forbid.
SENAroRAL,-Up to yesterday afternoon, so
the telegraph informs US, the Legislature had
taken no steps looking to he election of Sena-
tor.
RAcING.-Remember race comes of next