, 1861-02-13

The Virginia election has thrown doubt
AMI distrust into the councils Of the seces-
.ionists; and until the action Of the Con-
yca.ion Of that State is known, Washing
ton is probably safe. II Virginia votes to
remain in the Union, the danger by which
the city lies been and is yet threatened,
will pass ever. But fshe secedes, the Cap
ita1 will become the scene Of struggle
that will make peace between the North
and South impossible. That the probablli-
ty of tit struggle is recognized in Virginia.
is clear from the subjoined paragraph from
the Richmond Enquircr-no mean author1-
ty in such matters:
"But we tell the people Of Washington, at
the same time, :taaf their lives and property
arc placed in manifest jeopardy by the ~
trlgues of Scott, Seward d Co. The CITY Of
Washingtoo, unoecupieo oy mnlt5 Pa. y non lul1tn,
would offer refuge Of safety. But 50 soon %
tue Site Of Virginia shall take active mcas-
mrs of resistance to Black Republican rule,
l.r authorities cannot and will not brook the
n7esepcc Of Federal army OF coercion al
Washington. If the army shall remain there,
II u,1t D. drpe,1 out and the city captu1ed, even
If an assaiIinr force of one hundred thousand
men ehall he required, and If successful assault
shall first require o caunonade which viii leFei
eyer7 roof with the l,avenents OF tne stteets.
Beneatl, all this talk Of military dem
onstration for the possession OF the archives
Of State, unquestionably turks scheme ior
the assassination Of LINCOLN and HAALIS,
for the purpose Of producing an tntorregnnm
in the government. The Constitution pro-
yidcs that, on the death Of the President,
the Vice President becomes his successor,
the Senate being then compelled to choose
"President Of the Senate" from among
;ts own members. If the Vice President
dica. the President Of the Senate succseds
him: if the President Of the Senate, Tor
INV reason Whatever, cannot act, the duties
and honors Of the Chief Executive descend
to the Speaker Of the House Of Represent.
atiyes; and with lin the Constitutional
Inc of succession comes to IN end Now,
suppose this condition Of things: LINCOLN
and HAM1H are, on the 4th Of March Oh
soon thereafter, sacrificed TO the fury OF {
mob in an attack on the Capital The Sen
ate not in session, has no President-sl1a
place belonging ez-cbieio to dead Mr. Ham
lin, Tie House Of Representatives Of tn
next Congress has no Speaker, none having
bcca vet elected, and Mr. Pennington
tenn Of office having expired. There woul
be no legal power TO convene the eenat
und House until next December; and dr
rirr the interim, and until President {
The Senate or Speaker Of the House coul
be chosen, the Republic would have n
Executiye-no President no Cabinet, \
Cou2mander-in-Chief Of the Army an
Navy. How long under such disabilitis
should we he able to resist the incomin
of anarchy That these things have bee
closely calculated by the conspirntors, the
is every reason to believe; and that Il
Fact, that an tnt<rrtgnum would be mo
favorable to the completion Of their d
aicns than any other thing win
ever, has been carefully weighe
the character and ability Of the plotte
leave no doubt, The government
cl,;cf obstacle TO their designs: Ev
Buchanan, poor old tool as he is, is hi
drance that they cannot overcome I
move the government, and their pa
would be clear. To do that, & two-barrell
shot gun would be sufficient .
Tic condition Of afIairs and the peculi
.ty of the constitutional order of success
TO which We have referred, offer pre-
nm 10 the men who are willing to st
their hands with blood to overturn the
,ubl;c; and our apprehension is TINT Il
may accept the chances and put into e
rnt;on the plots long aco matured. tt
is q way in which they can be defea1
~ c..,,+o h,a r2rne,,sf ev;etencs- ,