Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1861-04-12

1t signs and portents are to be believed, w,
are now standing on the very brink of civil
war. Without any forewarning, the Admi
nistratiOn has suddenly exerted all its ener
gies, has collected together a powerful fleet
freighted it with all the disposable troops
with arms, munitions provisions, and every
species of materim that is necessary in com.
mencirg a campaign against hostile foe
including batteries Of flying artillery for serv.
ice on shore, vessels of light draueht. and
launches and boats for use in shallow waters
All our surmises with respect to this imposing
naval and military demonstration, point TO
the conclusion that the purposes of the Ad-
ministration are two-fold--its first object be-
ing to provision and reinforce Fort Pickens--
its second, to disembark strong body Of
troops in Texas, ostcnsibly to guard the from
tier against Indian and Mexican incursions.
but really 10 break down the power of the Sc
ressionists in that State, by cooperating with
The tnionists to re-establsh Governor Hous-
roy in authority. Those who best know the
temper Of the Southern nina, can wen an
preciate the spirit in which this dcinonstra-
ton will be met. The FIRST gun fred. thefrst
blow struck, the first blood shed, puts an end
at once aud forever, to all hope OF reconstruct
ing the Union. To the border slave States
the crisis now impending is most momentous
They have steadfasily protested their devo-
ton 10 the Union as ii was founded by the
patriots of the Revolutionary era. They
have earnestly entreated the dominant party
TO emhody in Constitutional form such as
surances and guarantees as would quiet the
aPprchcnsIons of the Southern people and
bring about a restoration Of peace and bar
mony between the sections How have these
well-mcant, honestly intended, and ardently
advocated suggestions been met? If not with
scorn and contumely, yet with shifts aud eva
sions. The CnlTTENDEN Compromise, even
when shorn of its most obnoxious feature.
was voted down. The CoRwN propositions.
mild and temperate as they were, shared a
similar fate. The Peace Congress resolutions
were regarded as scarcel. worthy Of notice
In short, every effort that was made, with
view to reconcile existing differences, was
coolly and deliberately thwarted
Hundreds of petitions, respectfully appeal
ing 10 Congress to satisfy the wishes Of the
conservative Union men Of the free States by
adopting measures of Cancellation, were for
lnally received and Immediately thrust aside,
never to be heard Of afterwards What was
finally done? A resolution was passed de-
ciaring that Congress should never interfere
with slavery in the States where it existed -
1t was altogether work Of supererogaton,
for the Constitution already provided against
any such interference, and it may also be
safely asserted that even the resolution would
have failed to pass the Senate but for the fact
that the Republicans well knew that it would
never be acted upon by three-fourths Of the
States. We are now told that Mr. Lincoln
has visited patiently g see whcthe, the sece-
ded states would retora 20 tigjr allegiance
and HTi taaI they 1--WE 20 yidcnct what
eyr Of haying repeated DE tcp hica they
have taken, he has Concluded to assert the
jurisdiction of the Federal Government, cost
what il may. lie has told US that he does not
gard it as an act Of coercion to ret Ike the
Southern forS and arscnals or to collect tn
revenue within the limits Of the Southern
Confedcracy. II he and his constitutional adj
yisers have determined TO act upon this theo-
RS, war is indeed imminent. If, on the other
hand, the sending Of fleet to the Gulf is
merely intended as a parade Of power, with
view to overawe the supporters Of the new
Government, it is a solemn piece Of buifoon-
cry. We do not, however, imagine that al
this warlke display is to end simply in a
holiday cruise. The ultra Republican jour
mails are urging upon Mr.. LIycoLS to prove
that we have strong Governments; and it
is more than probable that these extremists
have at lcngth carried their point. II the at
tempt to reinforce Fort Piekcns, or TO land
troops in Texas, in either case collision is
inevitable; and the very instant that the
status 9no is thus rudely violated the border
States will be called upon to decide whethe.
they will cast their lot with the South or sab
init, with sullen reluctance to the domination
of the North What their decision viii be
cannot long remain matter ofdoubt. Every
one Of them has solemnly declared, by the
almost unanimous voice of its people, that no
act which bears even the semblauee Of coer-
cion shall be permitted. It is upon these bor-
der slave States, as occupying middle
ground between the opposing sections, that
all hopes of a final reconciliation must rest
If they are forced, by the acts Of the Admin
istration, to break loose from the USIos, aud
10 join the Southern Confcderacy, where thea
shall be found the mediating power?
A PAINFUL AccmESr.-0n Wednesday even
ing last, several young men who had been
amusing themselves, shooting at target with
q pistol, returned TO the house Of Mr.. THoM4s
u. RABBIT, near this place, when one Of them