New-York daily tribune., 1861-08-28

supposed they viii bear they have borne all that
preceded il. t#
1t is equally absurd to say that Mr.. Lincoln egan
the ciyil war; While ho busy at his professional
desk at Springfield, in Illinois, the Southeroers were
embezzng the arms and stores and money Of the ma
ton at Washington, and securing possession Of the Ma
tona forts and ships in preparation for the war. They
hred the first gun made the first demonstrations IN
every way and all ready to fight, while the new
President was struggling under wants and en-
barrassments of every kind, destitoto of troops
moley. and public servants whom he could trust
TO do anything. The audacity of pretending now
that oil was well on the 4th Of March, and that
Mr. Lincoln drove the peaceful and innocent
South arms il so absurd that it would uot deserye
notice but for the risk Of the statement obtaining
credit somewhere for want Of being eontradiced. ii
is TO be remembered that Hitherto the cOmplpn OF Mr.
Lincoln hae been that he was slow, irresolutc, and
spirtlesS in regard to the South aad ii6 menaes. lie
has proved that he rot co. but that he had to pre-
vide for the support of his declarations before he made
any, and now he is assaed from the opposite quarter,
and accused Of being actually the author OF the war
into which lac was hurried under Disadvantages which
none but brave man-and good patriot could have
borne.
II any unconstitutional acts hereafter called up
for review in Congress it will be for Congress TO de-
eide whether blame IL mputable TO anybody, and eo
to whom. i. il avowed on all hands that the Consti
tuition mas not provided for such crisis az is now to
be dealt WITH The Slave States did not adopt the
consttu, nsy provided for expressing their dis
contents aud obtaining any changee they desired, and
they left the loyal part OF the nation no choice but 10
defend the Reyabc by the best methods which offered
undcr due noti,e that tho proceedings would be re-
viewed Hereafter and provision made for future occa,
liona Congress hGs lost time 10 giving provisional
sanction to the acts of the Executive; and for any
body else TO set up demand for pedanlie adherence
to constitutional Instructions whlo the Contederstes
were mar hing to seizo Washington u animpertlnenee
which the strctest members OF political socicty can
only laugh at. II il great evil, Of course, that there
sholld be any departure whatever from any eonsttu
tiona provision; but the blame restsnot on the ma
tiona trustee TO whom the safety OF the Republic Is
confdcd-but on the secederG who ignored every pro-
vision of National Convent N and Supreme Court
and fred OH the national forts and marched on the
national Capital before the new President had any
means nj bis disposal for encounteing them.
II il not true that tho President has talked OF
the "irrepre.sibe conflict" which The Times follows
Mr. Yallandigham IN putting into his mouth, as well
a, Sir. Stewards. The two words are 1r. Seward'e,
bat the rest OF the phrase is not hs-nor anybody
Mr. Seward did not say that there was, or is or vi
be- an irrcpre ,sible conflict between the North and
the South, but between the principles OF government
in slavehoding nation and in which the laborers
are citizens. The difference is all.important; aud,
whatever may be the discomfort with Mr.. Seward on
all hands, he must hot be subject TO ne Injustice OF
Icing made answeable for words which he never Ut
tered. The coupling Mr. Lincoln with hlm II mere
artiice, as nobody knows better than Mr. Nallan-
diglam.
such are the devices by which the first serions ns-
fortune sustained BY the champongUi law AId freedom
sadc OF to dscredit their apd 70
damage their cause In an assemblsgo Ike the Ameri-
cau Cop9Iers there must be an Obstructive member
here and there who il above recourfe 20 such aTt
but we ought 20 be our guard eSent them, as iar
ss due attention 10 the history OF the case can make
us 20. We must carefully keep IN view how II was
that the conortion aIose who Inflicted the first uju
rice and under what circumstances MIR. Lincoln was
called upon TO rePel them