The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-05-01

The Concentration or the Government
Forces In and Around Washfngson--
What Next should BE Done.
Within the next ten days there will be con.
centrated in Washington, and within ra-
dius Of forty miles from it, an army of full fifty
thousand men, drawn together from all parties
all sects, and all naionalities Of the loyal
States, for the defence and maintenance of our
Capitol and our government against rebellion
and anarchy.
From this overwhelming manifestation of
Northern patriotism our federal authorities will
be encouraged and instructed to adopt plan Of
military operations not limited to the local de-
fence Of Washington, but extending to the re-
covery of all "the forts, places and property
which have been seized from the Union" in all
the revolted States beginning with the quasi
secessionists Of Virginia, In the meantime we
| are free to conjecture that General Scott will
have reduced the mob of Baltimore to law
and order; that some portions of the forces UNI
| der his command, as a base of operations, will
occupy that city; that they will control all the
now disputed highways of Maryland, and that
the loyal and substantial people of that State,
rising from the terrors of mob law, will restore
her to the safe anchorage of the Union. Thus
we expect that the immediate field of hostile
operations, within ten days, will be transferred
from Maryland to the south side of the Potomac
river. And what then?
We are not, and do not ask to be, informed
! of the military programme of the government
| in advance of its Development. We are con-
| tent to follow the movements of Gen. Scott
Ills military experience, sagacity and resources
have proved him to be equal to all emer-
| gencies. His movements, however, are subject
to the President and his Cabinet, and they
should be careful to be guided BY an over
whelming public opinion. Taking this public
sentiment as our guide, although we cannot
say what will rext be done after Maryland has
been persuaded to fall back under the shelter
of the Union, we can say what should be done.
The twenty days grace of the Presidents pro-
clamation of the 18th of April will expire on
the 5th instant; and having expired, the gov
eminent should detail a competent body Of
troops to repossess the arsenal, Or the site
| .A.-~of. =. u~-ror's Forty the ron>AinS Oh T4v
Norfolk Navy Yard, and the federN PROF.
| at Alexandria and Richmond seized and held
in the name Of the State of Virginia.
We consider it Of the highest Importance,
too, that all this should be done within the
interval to the Esd of May. On that day, in a
State election, the people of Virginia are to
determine upon the ratification or rejection of
the ordinance and other secession arrange
ments lately entered into by their State Con-
vention. Under the continued reign of that
secession terrorism which coerced the Conven-
ton into the service Of the revolutionists, the
loyal Union sentiment of the State will be
suffocated; but with the secessonists humbled
in their strongholds, their prestige and their
power over the people will be broken, and the
Richmond ordinance of a bloody and disas-
trous rebellion to Virginia will be rejected,
and the State will be saved. 1t is of the
utmost importance, therefore, to silence the
secessionists of Virginia before the 23d of Nav:
for thus, and only thus, we believe, will the
Union sentiment of the State be encouraged to
rise and Indignantly reject the spurious and
ruinous despotism of the Confederate reyolted
States.
The public mind of Virginia is extensively
infamed with the pernicious notion that the
only safety Of the State against The abolition
designs Of the aRi-slavery administration
at Washington y y fly into the arms
Of the pro-slavay government at Mont
gomery. Thus the secessionists have been
carrying everything before them by de-
nouncing the government at Washington
as an abolition usurpation Of power, and by
denouncing and pursuing all its supporters az
abolitionists and traitors to the South. II IL
the duty of the government to undeceiye the
people of the South in this matter. State by
State, beginning with Virginia In his seasona.
BILE speech delivered at the war meeting of the
ladies of this city, at the Cooper Institute. on
Monday last, Mr.. Vice President Hamln said
I've have differed in opinions upon the passing
questions Of the hour; but they are passed and
are sealed book. Let the dead bury the dead.
We are to day forgetfnl OF the past. Welt with
the stirring present around u.s." "These are stir
ring times, and now we must test the question
whether we have a government or not;r and
there is no other course TO pursue now but
the vindication Of the integrity of the govern
ment under which we live.p
In these few passages from the speech Of the
Vice President the policy of the President of
the United States is disclosed II is TO main
tain" the integrity OF the government" The
Chicago platform-the republican party-with
all the electioneering and slavery clap-trap Of
the last Presidential campaign, are abolished
cast out and buried from our sight in this crisis
The issue now is between government and an
archy; and the only way whereby Virginia, for
example, can be saved from the bottomless pit
Of anarchy is to restore her and her institution
Of slavery to the protection of the government.
she may be saved by the moral suasion of a
powerful Union army within her borders, In
season to humiliate the secession rabh,e ~