Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1861-03-30
Gen. SCOTS Letter.

written to the President and Secretary
of War in October last, will show that
had his suggestions been acted upon,
secession would have been next to i'm
possible. Of course it is now plain
why President Buchanan did not act
upon the Generals advice:
eff 1 might presume to address the
South, and particularly dear Virginia
being "nativc here and to the manor
born"-I would affectionately ask, will
not YOUR slaves be less secure and their
labor less profitable under the new
order of things than under the old ?
Could you employ probably two hum
dred slaves in all Nebraska, or five hum
bred in all New Mexico? The right,
then, to take them thither would be a
barren right. And is it not wise to
Rather bear the ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not off,"
The Declaration of Independence
proclaims and consccrates the same
maxim: "Prudence, indeed, will die
tate shat Governments long established
should not be changed for light and
transient causes" And Paley, too,
lays down as a fundamental maxim Of
craftsmanship, "ncver to pursue ma
tional honor as distinct from national
interest ;" but adds: "This rule &C
knowlcdgcs that it isoften necessary to
assert the honor of a nation for the
sake of its interests"
The excitement that threatens scces.
ion is caused by the near prospect of a
Republican, election to the Presidency.
From a sense of propriety, as a soldier,
l have taken nc part in the pending
canvass, and, as always heretofore,
mean to stay away from the polls. My
sympathics, however, are with the Bell
and Everett ticket. With Lincoln I
have had no communication whatever,
direct or indirect, and have no rccollec-
ton of even having seen his person ;
but cannot believe any unconstitutional
violence, or breach of law, is to be ap-
pretended from his administration Of
the Federal Government.
From a knowledge of our Southern
population, It is my solemn conviction
that there is some danger of an early
act of rashncss preliminary to secession,
viz: the seizure Of some or all Of the
following posts: Forts Jackson and
st. Phillip, in the Mississippi, below
New Orleans, both without garrison ;
Fort Morgan, below Mobile, without
garrison; Forts Pickcns and McRea,
Pensacola harbor, with an insufficient
garrison for one /; Fort Pulaski, below
Savannah, without garrison; Forts
Moultric and Sumter, Charleston har-
Dor, the former with an insufficient
garrison, and the latter without any;
and Fort Monroe, Hampton Roads,
without a sufficient garrison. In my
opinion all these works should be i'm.
mcdiately garrisoned as to make any
attempt to take any n of them, by
surprise or coup de main, ridiculous.
With the Army faithful to its allie
and the Navy probably equally
so, and with a Federal Executive for
the next twelve months, of firmness
and moderation, which the country has
a right to experimentation being an
element of power not less than frmness
is good reason to hope that the
danger of secession may he made to
pass away without n conflict of arms,
one execution, or one arrest for treason.
In the meantime it is suggested that
exports should remain as free as at
present; all duties, however, on im- !
ports, collected (outside of the cities,) ,
such receipts would be needed for
the national debt, invalid pensions, etc.,
and only articles contraband OF war be
admittance. But even this re-
fusal would be unnecessary, as the fore
views escllew the idea of invade
ing a seeded State" !
WHAT DOES IT I'VE have re- {
through the Post Office some
lines, written in a feminine hand, which .
publish for the benefit of "whom
it may concern" Of course they must ,
be sent by a beautiful young lady, altho' {
they contain q sentiment at variance
that usually entertained by those I
who have had but moderate experience
in life. They show profound ~investi-
cation of the subject:
GLOW delicious is the winning ,
Of a kiss, at Loves beginning, |,
When two hearts are fondly signing
For the knot there's no untying.
"Yet remember midst your wooing,
Love has bliss, and love has rueinR
Others smiles may make you tickle,
Tears for another's charms may trickle.
"Lovc he comes, and Love he ~tarries,