New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-01-14
ii ABAE IaxESUT4vEs

MIR, #CashopR's idea of n Dual Executive seems to
have been already adopted at Washington City,
Instead oil Que President we now have two. We
have Gen. Scott and the Old Public Functionary,
provided il be allowed to count the latter as one.
Nonliaally, the %. e. F. is the Chief Magistrate,
but the duties Of The Office appear to have all
devolved upon Sen. Scott. The former is the
shadow of ExeoStiye authority, while the latter Is
the substance.
The arrangement differs from that proposed by
Mr. Calhoun However, in this, that whereas he I'D
xised that ane Of the Presidents should be a
Northern ard the other Southern man, both of
our are from tie North. Both
in the interest OF the North. As long as the Exec
utiye power was vested III Buchanan alone, this
made no special difference there being so much
Yaeilfat.on and tipdity about him that he was in
capabie of either much good or mach evil. But
whensGe Sect, who is anquesticnably man of
action and o man Of holiness, was admitted into
the Presidential copartnershfp, by q private ar
rangement with the Old Public Functionary, we
Immediately detected q change in the policy of
/ the Administration. From the inactivity to which
the President was pledged by his Annual Message
we noted u marked transition to q policy of ac-
'tivity and vigor--to policy which comprehends
the employment of force to make the Republic of
| South Carolina once more dependency of the old
Federal Union. Buchanan, singly, was pledged
against coercion. The firm of Scott and Buchanan
appear to have opened a new set Of books, and to
transact business on altogether different principles.
Gen. Scott is the senior Army officer of the sold
United States, but he appears now to have entire
control Of the Army and Navy both. 1t must have
been at his suggestion that the Star of the West
was sent to Charleston with recrpts for Anderson
that the Harriet Lane was fitted out as q Custom
house-and that the Brooklyn" now hovers off
the coast Of Charleston, like piratica craft no
one knowing her business. We say this must be
General SCOTS work, since neither the Function
airy himself nor his Connecticut Navy Secretary,
whatever their wishes might be, could have posi-
bly, had the grit necessary to such decided and posi-
tive movements.
Thus aequtting sIr. Buchanan of all responsible.
ity for these extraordinary and indefensible pro-
ceedings, the onus of it must now rest upon Gen.
Scott. And it is with reluctance and pain we see
this old soldier and war-worn veteran causing to
fade the laurels he has plucked on so many a bat
te-feld, and closing life which has been dedi-
Gated to Audience of our people against foreign
foes, by now making war, or at least tflreatning
hostiiities, against sovereign State, which asks
simply to be let alone in the peaceahle enjoyment
OF her own independence. Everybody knows that
the enterprise will fail. Everybody knows that
the Federal Government cannot subdue South Car
olina, and that even if it could, "a Union of force
would be bat mockery-and yet we see Gen.
Scott now, apparently, as eager to push forward
this shameful business as if he were fighting, in the
vigor of his youth, The enemies Of the country from
a foreign shore. The old soldier, who had a pros
pectof going downt to his grave enshrined in the