The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-02-08

important European governments are calcu-
lating upon the probability of opening d.
rect trade with the South upon the basis of
free trade, which would enable the manufac.
turing countries of Europe to repay them.
selves by an enlarged outlet at the South
for diminished importation at the North, in
the event of permanent separation OF the
two sections of our still great country.
1t is very difficult to arrive at any
correct conclusion as to the policy which
Mr.. LINCOLN will pursue. One day he is
reported as being in favor: Of compromise,
and the next of "preferring to sacrifice his
life to the abatement Of a jot of the princi>
piles upon which he was elected" The
Springfield State Journal of the 22d, which
is generally regarded as semi. official organ
of the President elect, contains lengthy
leader under the heading "The Right of
Coercion and Making War on State"
which not only bears external evidence of
being carefully prepared under the eyes of
the President elect, but has been universally
received by Republican politicians at
Springfield as an authoritative exposition of
Mr.. LINCoLNS views. The article begins
with refutation of some of the points
made in President BucHANAN's last annual
message and Attorney General BLACKS
judicial opinion on the right to secede.
The following propositions are then made:
l. No State has the right to secede.
z. 1t is the duty of the President of the
United States to enforce the laws thereof.
3. the first Republican President will dis
charge that duty fearlessly and faithfully.
4. 10 its discharge he will cOnfine himself to
enforcing the laws in which the country at
large is interested, viz: the collection of the
revenue and the protection of the federal
property. He will not invade State to secure
the repeal OF unconstitutional enactments of it's
Legislature, but merely resist aggressive en-
crOachments upon the federal authority.
The article is not very luminous. The
animus, however, is clear. 1t breathes the
determination of the incoming administra-
ton to oppose the resumption by the South
ern States of the sovereign powers delegated
to the federal government at all hazard =, and
assert its authority with ali means at its
command.
Fort PickeDs, Pensacola harbor, is
now in possession of 225 United States
troops, under the command of First Lieuten-
ant A. j. SLEMMER, of the First regi.
ment of Artillery, invested by two thou.
sand troops from Georgia, Alabama, Louis
lana and Mississippi, under the command of
Major General W. Fl. CHASE, formerly
Major in the United States Corps OF Eng-
neers. Fort Pickens is commanded by
Fort Barrancas and Fort McRae, both of
which works, with a new battery recently
erected, are ready to open fire on Fort
Pickens, at moments warning. Lieut..
SLEMMER is native of Pennsylvania. He
entered the Academy at West Point in
September, 1876, and graduated in 1850,
when he Was commissioned in the army.
He was appointed first lieutenant in April,
1854. and ordered on special duty as acting
Assistant Professor of Ethics and Mathe-
matics at the West Point Academy, in
1885. 1t is generally credited that the
Macedonian and Brooklyn, with considera-
BILE achievements have been ordered to
Pensacola, and will unite with Lieutenant
SLEMMER in defending the post.
The little state of Rhode Island has
taken the initiative in the repeal of the OBJ
noxious personal liberty bills which 90 many
of the free states have enacted in nuliGca-
ton of the constitutional fugitive slave law.
The lower house of the Legislature con-
Cured with the previous action of the
Senate by repeating that act on the 25th
oy the decisive vote of forty-nine against
eighteen. We hope now that her example
will be followed by the other States whose
statute books are disgraced by the presence
of Personal Liberty Bills. Let New York,
Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, Michigan
and Wisconsin 60 and do likewise 1t will
be one object removed from the path to-
wards pacifcation.
Previous to the secession of Georgia,
Bishop ELLIOTT, of that diocese, addressed
circular to the Episcopal clergymen, to
the following effect:
In the event of the secession of the State of
Georgia from the Union, the clergy will sus.
pend the use Of the prayer entitled "a Prayer
tor Congress" and in the prayer entitled IA
Prayer for the President of the United States.
and all in Civil Authority" will omit the words
thy servant, the President of the United
States" and substitute in their places the
words, "thy servant, the Governor Of the State
of Georgia"
In the event of the secession of the State of
Georgia from the Union, the clergy will. upon
the reassembling of the Legislature of the
State, resume the prayer entitled "A Prayer
| for Congress" altering it so as to read. Most
Gracious God, we humbly beseech Thee, as for
the people Of this State in general, so especially
for their Senate and Representatives in Legis-
lature assembled"
-CAssIUs NJ. CLAY made conser vative
speech at Washington on the 2lst. He
asked that all the territory south of thirty