Daily national Democrat., 1861-02-20
The News.

The Pony brings the news that it is rumor-
ed that Fort Sumter has been attacked by
the South Carolinians and that the United
States Mint and Custom House at New Or
leans have been siezed We are inclined to
discredit the rumor, and certainly we hope
it is not true. An attack upon Fort Sumter,
Notwithstanding the remonstrances of all the
border States against any further hostile acts,
| pending the efforts at Compromise in Congress
and in the Convention Of February 4th'
would be an insult to every lover of justice
and deccncy in the land, irrespective of any
right or wrong of secession. South Carolina
has been asked to stay her hand, not in def
erence to the Federal Government but in def
erence to her sister States of the South. who
prefer negotiation to war And it i'll be-
comes her TO disregard the wants and wishes
of the majority of her compeers and to un-
dertake to drag them headlong into armed
revolution, before they are ready for the
venture. She will do well to take heed that,
bv her rash course she does not produce a
reaction of the public mind of the South
against her, and find herself depending upon
her own resources when most she needs as
sistance.
As TO the seizure Of the United States Mint,
that would be dow nright robbery not of the
Government but of individuals, and the
State might as well send out garroters and
footpads as agents to plunder private citizens
upon the streets and highways. Those per-
sons who have their deposits at the Mint will
hardly recognize the right of any govern
ment de facto to rob them, however willing
they might be to see the Government of the
Unit ed States robbed
We repeat, however, that we strongly hope
TO hear the above noted rumors contradicted
by later intelligence.
SoMERsAuLrING- The DEMoCRAT in its is
sue Of the 10th, has an article on Sooner
saulting" in which it charges that we have
turned somersaults in recognizing Douglas as
IA Democrat sometimes, ana rcpudlating him,
as such, at other times; but it has no word
TO utter against our consistency, so far as
principle is concerned Men sometimes
change; but principles, never. Hence, it IS
by pursuing straightforward course; fol-
lowing steadfastly after Democratic princi-
pies, we have occasionally found ourself in
company with Douglas and, then, Douglas
would fly off the straight road into some by
| path and of course, were separated.
| Douglas, followed most obsequiou5ly by the
DEMOCRAT, has done the somcrsaulting, not
we.-Eipress
Here is clear Acknowledgement that the
Express has been for and against Douglas,
recognizing him as Democrat, at one time,
and repudiatng him, as such at another Not
withstanding, Douglas has never changed a
solitary principle. The Express assumes that
he has, and so tries TO disproSe it own som
ersaulting, by declaring that it has acknowl-
edged Douglas TO be light when he was
right and repudiated him when he was
wrong. This is very convenient But, we
deny that Douglas has ever changed his prin
ciples in the least. 1t is the Express that has
changed or, having agreed with him once ii
would agree with him now and would have
agreed with him always. It's an easy thing
to make out case upon paper, but every
sensible man knows the precise issue between
Douglas and Yancey ct ID o0tne genus, and
between us and the Express; and no refine
ments upon either side will change the gen
eral Judgment.
The Express has committed the inconsistent
ry of being first with Douglas and then
against him, back and forth, for very con-
siderable period of time-lauding him now
and afterwards denouncing, till the public
got perfectly sick of trying to keep pace with
is changes pro and con. The general udg-
nent was that this was inconsistent. But,
,he Express says, "no-it was Douglas that
was changing, not we. We kept strait on in
our course, but Douglas would shift% We
have heard of self-complacency, but never
saw it verified to perfection, till now. The
acknowledgment which the Express has
nade is sufficient, and we need not seek any
urther proof for our charge that that sheet
las repeatedly somersaulted
lNooNsIsTENT-The Express argues that