The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-01-09


with, and has avoided everything calculated
to provoke collision from, the local authori-
ties of South Carolina. He has made every
possible concession for the sake Of peace. He
has fallen back 10 the end of his tether. He
can retreat no further without express authori-
ty from Congress- He must collect the reve-
nues from foreign imports arriving in Charles
ton harbor; but it is now apparent that the at
tempt to execute this law there will precpitate
a collision with the armed forces of the State.
He cannot now with safety abandon Fort Sum-
ter, except by authority from Congress; and yet
he cannot keep the United States flag flying
over it without provoking hostile assault
What, then, is the course Of wisdom in this
matters Peace being the first necessity, and
the first warlike collision between federal and
State troops being the immediate and only for
midable danger TO be feared, the first duty de-
volving upon Congress is to come to the assist
ance Of the President in the maintenance of
peace. But how can Congress relieve the Presi-
dent Of his responsibilities touching the execu
ton OF the lawss That is the question. and we will
endeavor 70 answer it Congress, for example,
may authorize the evacuation of the federal
forts id South Carolina; Congress may repeal
the several laws establishing ports Of entry in
that State, and may suspend within her borders
the operations Of the Post Office Department
We submit, too, that between these extremities
and the alternative of a civil war the course of
wisdom is clearly indicated. Let the powers
Of the federal government, its property, its
Offices and its benefits, be suspended within the
limits Of South Carolina and Of every other
seeding State for a limited time, and the fires
Of secession, for lack Of combustibles, will
soon go out.
The deliberate Southern contederacy leaders
in these secession movements desire, above all
things, war with the federal government;
because they feel assured that the beginning
of such war will be the end of the Union, and
the establishment of Southern confederacy.
The first necessity, then, to the Union is peace.
Let peace be maintained few weeks longer,
and we shall have reconciliation. a compro-
MISE and the restoration of the Union. The
New York Tribune, the leading republican
organ of coercion, is seriously alarmed that
COSiCiou 10 giving NaJ W SOhpAVhhoC ~ sHO
republican camp at Washington. That journal
of yesterday, in conspicuous editorial pro-
nuncidmie,,tO, says: Concession and compro-
mise are again at work, and with more vigor
than before, to induce the republicans in Con-
gress to support some policy that shall humble
the North and make shipwreck of our party
and its creed;' and SO this memorable man of
war, Horace Greeley. calls upon his party to
speak through their local journals, and by let
ters and other means Of communication, so
that their Senators and representatives may
have clear knowledge of the tone Of public
sentiment at home"
From this alarm Of Greeley we derive en-
enlargement. II is an alarm which shows that
reason and common sense are beginning to
operate among the republican party in Con-
grcss We do not, therefore, despair of saving
the Union; but there is no time to be lost If
war be avoided in the meantime, before the
end Of Mr.. Buchanan's administration we may
still secure the Union, and on the basis of
permanent peace. To accomplish this, how
ever, the people Of the North must act upon
their representatives. The conservative ele-
ment Of the nation must arouse itself The
President elect and his Premier, Mr.. Seward,
must take their stand for compromise and the
country.