The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-01-01
The Crisis and the Remedy.

The Crisis and the Remedy.
The causes of the present revolutionary
crisis which threatens the utter destruction of
| the confederacy, and even now is drifting us
rapidly into civil war; are multifarous. But
| there is one cause prominent above all, and it
is Of thirty years growth, and has been gather
ing strength all these years. until now it has as
| sumed gigantic proportions, with which neither
the foresight of the astutest politician nor the
wisdom of the sagest counsellor can effectually
! cope. This cause we find to exist in the fact
| that the social institution of slavery has been
made moral and religious question, and in
that shape has entered deeply into the politics
of the country. As moral and religious ques-
ton it never can be settled except by mutual
Cancellation and mutual compromise.
The religious element in mans nature, when
aggregated in nations or governments, we know
by experience, instead Of being productive of
peace and good will, is the fiercest and most re-
lentless incentive to war and cruelty. For
three centuries the whole civilized world was
involved in wars and butcheries upon reli-
gious question. One sect of Christians were al
ways burning hanging and shooting down the
members of other Christian sects, because they
would not consent to 60 to heaven by their
way. And after three hundred years of this
bloody experimental this burning, hanging
and shooting Of each other-they discovered
that they had adopted the worst possible plan
to effect their purpose, and that the only way
to settle the question was by mutual federation
and allowing equal rights to the religious opin-
ions of all sects in every Christian country.
With this example in history before lis, how
should we deal with this aggravating religious
agitation about slavery, which has brought the
country to its present perilous condition?
Apart from the religious sentiment with which
the question of slavery has been wrapped
around by abolition preachers and quasi reli-
gious journals and half crazed fanatics, there
is no dangerous vitality in it. As q political
issue merely, or dealing with it as social in
stitution, the agitation Of tho slavery question
could work but little harm to the prosperity
or permanency of the Union; but when the in
sttution of African slavery becomes-as it has
become within the last quarter of century
to be regarded as great moral wrong-an ini-
guilty crying TO Heaven for vengeance-the
question assumes at once the form and features
Of religious agitation alike in its mode of ac-
ton and its results, exemplifyng the same ar
rogant dictation and animated by the same per-
scouting spirit as the religious warfare which
desolated Europe for three centuries. 1t must,
therefore, be dealt with in the same way.
Revolution is advancing on all sides of US.
At present it has but assumed practical issue
between South Carolina and the federal GO
vernment; but every day. as intelligence of this
fact and that is sent through the country, the
mania is spreading all over the South, and mat
tiers are becoming worse reign Of terror
exists in South Carolina, and the extreme
Southern States are fast advancing to the edge
of the same precipice. The events transporting
in Charleston are exasperating them, and the
inactivity Of the Executive and of Congress
emboldens them. Before long the mania will
have spread so far that measures Of prevention
will come too late. Already the border slave
States Of Maryland and Virginia are preparing
| to march body of armed men to the federal
capital to prevent the Inauguration OF the new
President and to break up the government.
Everything proves that the ultra men at the
South are hourly getting more and more despe-
| rate; and there will be no lack of volunteers
| from the other slave States-from North Caro-
| lima and South Carolina--to aid Mary
land and Virginia in this business There
| is nothing TO prevent them from assembling in
| Washington, and, when the Inauguration day ar
| rives, taking possession of the departments, and
thus covering up the frauds in which so many
are involved. This object is broadly limited at
| by some Of the Virginia papers. Two full
months yet remain in which TO organize this
revolutionary conspiracy, and the inactivity o
| Congress and the Executive Is Fastening II on
so that before the 4th OF March arrives there is
great danger that we may see the Capitol
the country seized, Mr.. Lincoln driven out and
the government entirely broken up.
In the midst of all the prosperity and wealth
in which he country stands to-day, what ter
rible faulty II seems that things should come TO
this, while there Is remedy at hand Now,
what is the remedy?
IL is the combined action Of coercion and
Cancellation. Congress should, without an
hours hesitation, pass an act empowering the
President to order ten thousand Of the militia
from each OF the six border States-slave and
frec-from Maryland, Virginia and Kentucky;
from Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York--to