The national Republican., 1861-10-14
Monday, October IL, 1861.
ss- Heading Matter on every pagc.-E,
BETTER LATE THAN NEvER.-THH
NATIONAL INTELLlG ENCER.

BETTER LATE THAN NEvER.-THE
NATIONAL INTELLlG ENCER.
The Intenigencer Of last Friday, at the end of
eleven months from the commencement OF the
present rebellion, announces the discoveries
that the men concerned in II were deluded into
the idea that a separation from the Union might
be peaceably effected that this delusion has
been a leading cause of their conduct; and that,
ia fact they would never have undertaken
their present enterprise il they had foreseen
that it would have been followed by the civil
war which is now actually raging.
The mteligencer says
Secession having been proclaimed to be a
,crved right Of the States, and having In the
'imation Of many, been proved to be expe-
ucnt.' IL next remained only TO demonstrate
that he experiment would be safe for it was
,arly oreseen that the imaginary boons des-
cried by political enthusiasts in the sundering
u the bonds that made US one people, might
hs purchased at too dear q cost If the attempt
20 dismember the Federal Government should
laod to devastating civil war.
Accordingly, the efforts Of the dsunion
asitators in the South during the last few years
rave been largely directed to demonstration
Of the proposition that disunon was destined TO
I've a. bloodless in its execution as 1t was de-
fensible in theory and advantageous In pros
nect.'
The InteLigencer then proceeds to quote va
rious secession predictions that no co ercion ol
the South would be attempted, and particularly
prediction Of that sort with the reason
,herefor) made by Major Wm, II. Chase, ant
adds:
The reader needs only to compare this con
fleut prediction with the actual result to real
,ze tho amazing credulity of which the advo
nates of secession were the subjects, or th'
Nh more amazing creduiity of the people wh'
have been made the victims Of such egregiou
m!scalculations. And yet this error Of tn
moon long found its votaries among other
wise intelligent men at the South
Our neighbors are very slow, if they al
very sure. If they had seen. eleven montl
ago, or even seven months ago, that the wa
TO encourage rebellion was to oppose coercio
hey would not be responsible as they actua
iy are. for having eXerted themselves. to tl
almost extent OF their influence, (although Il
wtyiugly.) to plunge the country into its pre-
eut condition. They would not have resiste
ns they did all last winter, he idea OF suppor
1g the Government by force Of arms. The
euuid not have published their well.
oercd four-column article Of last April, in fl
vor of tht evacuation Of Fort Pickens/ The
would not have recorded their protest, as the
did in the very last OF last May, against Il
ilyu.iou ol Virginia, accompanied by the Sc
cum declaration, that from their knowledge
southern character, that method Of attemptir
- restore the Union would end in its final al
!''Ug,ess destruction.
For ourselves, we always saw that the on
hing which the rebel leaders feared, as it W
he only thing which would repress their treaso
was military coercion that If it was possib
10 avert war, it could only be done by causil
those leaders thoroughly to understand that
peaccable dissolution of the Union would n
hc permitted and that no class Of persons we
dolng such enorm Gus mischief, as the men wi
we're resisting military coercion, In the dscr
,ioas OF last winter and last spring. Sons
'hese men were well-meaning enough, al
sincere friends of the Union, but we belie'
with Henry Winter Davis, that they are &C
spcuously responsible for the calamities viii
now affiict the country. In this category,
include the late Judge Douglas and the e
iors Of the National Iutelligencer. 1t was tn
and men like them, who assisted in propag
log this "error of the moon, that the peol
OF this country would permit their national
20 be destroyed, without fight to maintain
This point of coercion has been the VII
z1d turning point of this controversy from I
beginning. So thoroughly did we realize
nat not satisfied with the daily opportunity
writing upon the subject in the columns of t
paper we prepa, ed and published an elabor
.ldress on the 18th of last December, eudeav
ing to show. that whatever appearances mit
then exist 10 the contrary, the whole loyal p
tiou Of The country would settle down at |
ii favor Of maintaining the Government at
rust of no matter how long and bloody a W
and that this final unanimiiy would inclu
me city OF New York and the manufacture
I'D commercial interests, then hesitating, be
" and iucliniUg TO pacific counsel9. 1t v
lain 70 Us then, as it is now, that nothi
-Jlld preserve peace, but letting the rel
oalers know that war was inevitable If tt
Peroevered in the career upon which they b
then entered. Aud we believe now, that wb
the responsibility for the war. as question
guilt. rests upon those leaders, the responsil
lty for it, as question of conduct and poll
rests nowhere el le than upon those msjudgi
friends OF the Union, who have, by preachi
peace and advising peace, deuded the cons
rators into this " error OF the moon" that tt
could succeed in their projects OF persona al a
biton without the risks and suferings Of W
Es- Unfouuded statements Of charac
I.nhlic intarl.sLg kru.I.ar