The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-07-09

Mr.. Llnooln's Message and ITS Proper Po-
lltioel interpretation.
Mr.. Lincolns late Message to Congress-
simple, frank, honest and easy of oomprehen-
sion as 1t Is to "plain people"-is an inexpli.
cable riddle to our old party hucksters and
Juggling politicians. Turning 1t and twisting
1t in every direction, they still signally fall
short Of common sense Interpretation. The
Tribune, Times, Albany Euening Journal and
other republican organs, reading this Message
through their party spectaoles, evidently think
that "Honest Old Abe" Will bear watching;
while such hidebound and incurable hacks of
the rotten modern democracy as our Journal Of
Commerce and Daily Ne,os can discover In him
nothing but the most remorseless, bloody
minded and INSCRIPTIONS black republican
abolition despot and usurper. But, casting all
party impediments aside, Mr. Lincoln's exposl-
ton Of the state of the country, the necessities
of the government, and the policy of his ad-
ministratiop, may be solved as readily as the
puzzle Of Columbus of setting an egg upon
either end.
"H0nest Old Abe's" election to the Presl-
denoy marked new epoch In the history of
this country, sweeping away In the even
ing all the political organizations, issues
and principles which were In full force
on the morning of the 9Th of Novem-
Der, including the Chicago platform and
the sectional party supporting it. Mr.
Lincoln himself, for several months, was evil
IDENTIFY ignorant Of this astounding revolution;
but after running the gauntlet of the secession
oonspirators Of Baltimore, in that memorable
moonlight journey, andin his historical Scotch
cap and long military cloak" and after getting
safely into the White House, he very soon COM
pretended the crisis, his position and bis po-
Icy. Opening retired closet which had es-
capped the notice Of Mr.. Buchanan "Honest Old
Abe" hung up therein his Scotch cap and mill
tary domino, aud, fishing out Old Hickory's
Presidential jack boots, put them on, and in.
stantly he heard the instructing voice of the old
lion of the old democracy-"B BY the Eternal, the
Union must and shall be preserved"
From that moment the path of our new Pre-
sident was plainly revealed before him. Yet
we are told that In the terrible uprising of the
loyal States In response to his first call for
volunteers to sustain the Union, he was as
tonished, If not ashamed, to find that he was i'm
measurably behind the WILL the spirit and the
patriotism Of the people. When, week or two
later, 1t was ascertained and reported
that two hundred and fifty thousand men, fresh
from the ranks of the people, had volunteered
to sacrifice their lives, if necessary, for the
maintenance of their government, one of the
most observing and intelligent Of the diplo-
matte corps at Washington remarked that "no
other patriotic exhibition on the part of the
people, of such frightful grandeur as this, could
be found in the history of any nation on the
face Of the globe" Thus supported by the
masses of the loyal States, Mr.. Lincoln, of
course, could not fail to understand that his
paramount. all-absorbing and absolute trust,
was the maintenance Of the Union, utterly re-
CARELESS of party platforms, party antecedsnts.
party organs and distinctions, and all other
distractions; that, In brief, q great revo-
luton was upon us, In which all DID things
we're swallowed up and ell things had be.
come new.
On the grander scale of an infinitely larger
this secession experiment Of
Is but the repetition of the South Ca.
rolina notification experiment of 1928.
Had General Jackson at that day tempered and
dallied, and still delayed to grapple with null
LITIGATION for fear Of giving offence to Mr.. GAL
houn and his followers, notification would
perhaps have been transmitted to Martin Van
Buren, In the crystalized form of Southern
confederacy, armed and ripe for war. But, to
change the figure, Old Hickory crushed the
monster Of disunion while still in its shell, as
Mr. Buchanan might have done had be been
equal to the crisis. But he lacked the moral
courage to grapple with the danger, and he was
cajoled, cheated, bound hand and foot, betray-
cd and disgraced by the smooth faced traitors
Of his Csbinet and their fascinating agents and
Of revolution. Like fQolhh old
nan drugged by some delicious RQIsod he be-
came utterly credulous, happy and helpless in
heir hands. Thus this sehalsi6n canablracy
which might have been nipped In the bud ct
was permitted to grow, to widen
md strengthen, until It became addptfu1 ques-
don whether AbFaham Lincoln ii Jefferson
Davis would be Mr.. Buchanah's Immediate sue
cessor.
Through a, succession oflpcly discoveries,
precautions and accidents, Mr. Lincoln was In
vested with his cNpstitutional rigaato the Prei.
Dental office. he saw that the parties, tlet-
forms, principles and political is{Qes q 1890
had ceased exist; that he was sill In da1ger
of expulsion from the White House by a revo-
lutionary coaP dstat; that the government itsslf
was in such peril that only the immediate
presence Of apowerful army could save it. BE
called for this support; and as if created by the
will Of a powerful magician, o quarter Of
million of armed men sprang up from the
earth at his cal.
Now comes the question concerning these
Union armies thus evoked, and at this day ex-
ceeding in numbers three hundred thousand
men Of what political materials are they COM
posed? A large majority of these Union volun-
teers, thus rallied at the call of Abraham Lin
coin, are men Of the old Jackson democratic