The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1861-05-03
What the Northern Press would
Have DoneP


The Pittsburg Daily Commercial, of the
18th inst, says:
No STEP BAcKwARD.-Thcp policy of the
Administration must now be onward, on
ward. The overwhelming demand of the
country is for a vigorous policy. Daily
dallying and bread-pills will no longer
answer. The time for these is passed. -
The sentiment of nationality almost ex-
tinct under the old treatment, has now
been fully aroused Two hundred thou
sand troops, and one hundred millions of
money will be at the command of the
Government by the lst of May This will
intimidatc the border slave States. They
will p.obably attempt the armed neutral
ity position and forbid the passage of
troops from either side across their bor-
ders. If the National Government sees
proper TO tolerate such policy, then the
war will be confined to the Atlantic coast
and the Mississippi river. Tho cotton
States have neither navy nor money; their
commerce will be entirely cut off, and
they can be starved out in q few months.
The troops from the East and the navy
will encounter the force of the cotton
States at and around Fort Pickens. The
army of the West will very soon reduce
Vicksburg, Natchez and New Orleans.
We have right to forbid Tennessee and
North Carolina from furnishing provis-
ions to the traitor States. This would be
the least bloody and most humane cam
paign that could be organized. Perhaps
as matter of policy if the border States
undertake to play the armed neutral let
them do it for the time being. The Gen
eral Governmental has the undoubted right,
il desired, to march across them. They
dare not allow the cotton States to come
North without openly joining them.
The Philadelphia North american of the
l7th says:
Now it is more than anything else i'm
portant to put this hood-tide of patriot
energy to use. The question of the day
should be settled as promptly as this pub
lie feeling has been evoked, if possible. If
the hundreds of thousands who declare
themselves ready to act can be led immdi-
ately to the work they have to do the
struggle may be short and almost blood
less. Thirty thousand men should be
placed at a point on the Mississippi as
low down as possible perhaps it can be
done at Memphis. Washington should
have twenty thousand, and another TWEEN
" thousand should occupy Charleston =
The fleet and its forces should operate on
the Gulf, with strength enough to take pos
session Of any point it may be selected
first to occupy. In this distribution there
is force enough, if the number called out
is but $1,000 men. To these the regular
army would add 1900, and greater States
of the North will more than make up fol
the contingents the border States may de.
cline to furnish. Concentrate and move
| this force without delay. We call upon
the government to act AS the spontaneous
judgments of all men have instinctively
acted as the news of the attack on Fort
| Sumter Was received. Weld this tremen
dous physical force as the moral powei
OF the country is now being welded and
! the days Of secession will be very few. We
beg the government again to act prompt
| ~ in the necessary demonstration OF force
! to the end that the struggle may be short
and the disasters it may cause few.