New-York daily tribune., 1861-05-03
BOTTs ON THE CRISIS.

We know-at least, we kmu--Johu NJ. Bolts
az q di.ciple Of Henry Clay aud devoted chrm.
pion of the Uoion. When Mr. Clay was asked
by Southern Democrat 10 1850 what he would
DO 10 case Kentucky seeded. and he promptly
answered that be owed paramount allegiance t.
the UuiOa and subordinate oGe 10 his State,
aud should adhere to the former even though
thus brought into direct collision with the latter,
We are sure be expressed tie moat cherished
sentiments of John NJ. Bolts DOWN TO the mid.
die of last mouth. Nov Mr. b. plapts imsl II
On pew crouud-ntw to him and to Wings of the
Henry Clay schoo-tbough familiar enough to
these who through lilo have hated, scornod and
defeated him. Mr. DnttS moy seem to have gone
but halfway over 20 the Seceesionsts or Null.
fors, but be has adopted their premics, and
canrot logically stop short of thfir conclusions.
Mr.. Bolts prOuOunceS tho Presidents Prnc,a-
nation Of tne 18th u!t. (deBouncing the Southern
rebellion, and calling out Militia to put it down)
- the most unfortunate document that ever
80 issued from tho Government" What would
Mr.. Bot!s have had A quarter OF the Union
WA in aagrsut rebellion sgaDst the Federal au.
ihcrty and bad seized forts, arsenus. armOrits.
mints, su6-treasures, arms AID munitions. and
converted thom TO the uses OF their treason.
They had iocbly stopped the collection Of rev.
enuc on more than balf our coast, and diverted
the receipts Of customs TO the rebel treasury.
An this bad been borne with iuconceivable
patience. until the rebels, eioboldened by mpuni-
ty, opened fire upon Fort Sumter, and roasted
It's defenders into an evacuation. Now the Pres-
dent thought the JOKE had been carried quite
too far, aud called out portion of the Militia
Of the lo)al ales h. reahe the forts and other
places that tho rebels had forcibly seized or
treacherou'ly acquired. Everybody else is per-
| picked to discover Why tho Government waited
So hong before acting decisivey; yet John NJ.
| Bouts thinks il "m0st unfortunate that il 80
acted at all We confess that we do not recog-
nize our old friend in his new character.
lie tell. us that, in Virginia, by the Presi.
dents proclamation, "thc Union party and the
- union feeling have been swept out Of exist
ence." lie will find this one of tho great
mistakes OF his hfe--that be has mistaken the
tdewaer region for the whole State-aud that
the Un'on " still lives" in the hearts Of many
thousands of loyal yirgnian., and will be upheld
by their strong arms 1t is Mr. Bolts who has
turued bis back on himself; the rost Of the Union
men are steidlast ia the cid faith.
Nr. Bolts asse,ts that reason hos lost its influ
enes over tboso around him--that they are all
intent on war with the North, &c. We deeply
regret this--i, presnges bnodshed-but those who
retain their senses and hold ast TO their loyalty
VIII be guiltcss Of causing it. Mr. Bolts says
we must have n National Convention. Whose
fault is il that none has been called Kentucky
propnsed one last Winter; Nj. Lincoln earnestly
favored it, go did We; had Virgna a coucurred,
Convention would have been called. She
would do no such thing; 80 the project Tell
through; ond, if esl result from the failure,
Virginia has much to answer for,
Mr.. Dots assumes thnt ,uch Convention would
give the secodiug States leave to withdraw from
the Union. That might have been, had ttey
sought that end with a decent regard for the
rights and seusitili'es Of others. Had the deaf
fccied States reirained from violence and outrage
We should have felt bonnd, by our devotion to
the principle Of SelcGogerhment, 10 have
favored the Convention first, and then the legal
and peaceful dismissal from the Union Of those
States that desired il, upon due proof that the
sense Of their people had been fairly taken, and
that they had voted to ask such dismissal We
tIust and believe it might thus bave been carried,
though not without effort But to allow the
Union to be dissolved by tratorous violence and
outrage, such as characterized the betrayal of
our army in Texas aud the seizure of Baton
Rouge, ths Barroncas, Hssper's Ferry, Norfolk,
&C., is utterly inconsistent with National dignity
or selfrespect. Anything is better than tame
submission to such crimes aud insul.s.
Mr. Bots asks if peaceful separation would
not DO preferable TO bloody one. He should
have asked the rebels tbat question. They have
chosen to compel the loyal Americans to decide
between maintaining the Union by force and
tamely submitting to such outrages as great
and strong Nation never TIL now was asked
meekly to endure.
Mr. Botss wants tho Administration to pro.
pose a truce and call National Convention. Ii
is no time for truce when one party has carried
most Of its points by treachery and violence, and
the other has just aroused itself 10 tho conflict;
and, If it were, let those who want tue truce
propose it: the loyalists want none. Tho Pres.
dent has no power TO call National ConyeB.
tion and has already clearly indicated his wish
thu, there should be one. Ho can do no more,
until some indication is given from the other
side Of disposition to meet him half way.
We erieye to part thus with Mr. Bolts. He
is no longer young, and has no right thus to
ms rock nf Ha