The national Republican., 1861-02-19
COLLECTING THE REVENUE.

Those who suppose that the border States
will interpose any objection to the collection OF
the customs revenue in the seeded States, |
misunderstand the views Of that unconditional
and uucompromising Union party, the ascend.
ency Of which in the South, quite down to the
cotton line, is now firmly established fact.
The question of collecting the revenne in the
Gulf States, is simply the question, whether the
country will be unwise enough to turn over to
the dynasty of Cobb, Davis, and Yancey, re.
source, the possession Of which will fix them
firmly in power, and the loss Of which will
drive them into exile, and thus liberate six Of
our sister States, from q low, brutal, plundering
and bloody tyranny. 1t is no question of
coercing States, but question Of sauing States
from the rapacity Of miscreants.
The evidence is indubitable, that the revolu-
ton is the work Of minorities, and means moth.
ing more than that ascendency Of the violent
over the peaceful, which is temporarily possible
everywhere. In no one Of the seeded States,
has the secession been submitted to vote Of
the people. The revolutionists expressly re.
fused such submission, and the reason is ap-
parent enough in the vote Of the States, where
q vote has been permitted.
To leave the customs revenue to pass into
the hands Of Cobb, Davis, and Yancey, is to
enable those desperadoes to continue that
odious coercion Of sovereign States, by which
they have vaulted into the saddle, and to en-.
able them still to ride rough.shod over the lib
critics of their countrymen.
The border States understand this question
Alright. They wish the Gulf States to be brought
back into the Union. They believe that the
people Of those States wish to come back. But
they see, that they will not be able to come
back, if Cobb, Davis, and Yancey, are allowed
to get the means Of sustaining an armed force
to keep down all free expression Of opinion and
all free action. Seeing things in this light, and
reasoning upon them in this way, the border
States will cordially sustain the incoming Ad.
minisnstion in enforcing the revenue laws on
every mile of our coast. Whatever hasty opin-
ions Of contrary character may have been ex-
pressed, it is to these conclusions and no other,
that all sound minds will come. Coercion will
cease to be bugbear when it is deliberately
looked ct.
Let US now consider it, in another aspect
The question 10 not whether duties on i'm.
ports at Charleston and New Orleans shall be
collected. but by whom they shall be collected.
Nor is it any question hoU they shall be col
lected, for they must be collected by coercion,
or not at all. There never was . tax collected
in any age, or country, or under any political
regime, except by coercion, either displayed,
or known to be held in reserve, if resistance is
offered. Nobody pays money to Governments,
except upon the principle Of yielding to supe'
rior power. Thus, then, as duties are certainly
to be collected at New Orleans and Charleston,
and are certainly to he collected by coercion,
and in no other way, there remains no question
except this, whether this coercion shall be ap
piled by the officials of President Lincoln, Oh
by the officials of President Davis.
Now, does anybody suppose that the Unior
men of the border States will resist the collec
ton of taxes by Mr.. Lincoln's officers, with nj
other possible result than to make way for th'
collection of taxes by JEFF. Davii's of6cers3
Mr.. Lincoln is the constitutional Presiden
elect of all the States, including those whicl
have been revolutionized, while JEFF. Davi
holds his commission from Q cabal, sitting mos
ofhe time svith closed doors, and which had n
more right to elect President, than they ha'
to elect King.
Those who will oppose Mr.. Lincoln in col
lecting revenue in the seeded ports, can onl
be those who secretly desire to give to the dy
nasty Of JEFF. Davis, the means of continuing
it's odious tyranny over the lives, liberties, an
fortunes, Of those who are our own countrymer
and to whom we have solemnly guaranteed tn
maintenance Of republican forms Of Govern
| ment.
A RARE OPPORTUNITY FOR CAPIrALIsTs.-
The Legislature of Florida, which has just ad
journed, passed, in addition to law postpou
ing the collection of private debts, an act au
thorizing an issue of treasury notes to tn
amount of half million of dollars. We TAX
pleasure in commencing them to the attention
Of capitalists, bankers, and persons holding
trust, money which they wish to invest.
The late Secretary of the Interior, who wa
said to be good manager, took hold largel
of Florida bonds, as the official custodia
and invester of funds held for Indian tribes
His purchases from Riggs L Co., and othsr'
mark his great confidence in the eligibility {
the security.
Florida, we suppose, pledges for these bondl
the public lands which we bought of the Kin
Of Spain, and all the forts and navy yards "
have been spending so much money upon, fc
the last forty years. The security ought to b
good.
H6- We have been requested to say, tht