New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-02-26

evsrv remoustrance against the mad course
which they were traitorously bent on pursuing
Hence our present condition. hence, too, Jeii.
Dayi.'s discredtable counterpart to felons
speech from the gallows which We publish TO-
day.
Mr.. Davis tells bis dupes that " a long course
" of class legislation, directed to the agsran'
" dizement of the Northern section OF the
Union" is among the grievances which have
led to Secession. Now it is but two or three
wears since Gov. Hammond of South Carolina,
in q speech of remarkable shrewdness anu
force, admitted the truth Of the Ant-SlaVery
complaint that the South had generally gov
erned the Union, and keenly retorted-" Have
"we not governed it usH'" Certainly, every
feature Of the policy which Mr. Davis intends
to stiRmatize % "class legislation " is either
of Southern origin or received its most eiiiclent
support from Southern statesmen. Henry
Clay. John C. Calhoun, and other such, were
the founders of the "American System Of
Protection to Home Industry and the National
improvement of Rivers, Harbors, DC. Every
tariff framed since lS42 had been supported by
a large majority of the Southern votes up 70
the hour of Mr.. Davis's Secession.
Mr. Davis complains that the people Of
"the States now confederatcd became con-
:. WINGED that tho Government Of the United
Estates had fallen into the hands of sectional
majodty"-by the election OF President LIN
coin. A sufficient answer to this slur Is con-
tanned in the fact that Mr.. DooiS and his fac
ton intrigued and roted 10 secure that rery
triumph rhich hey nor a6ect 10 dtpiooe The
Democratic split at Charleston was notoriously
intended to secure the very result il did pro
duce And now they make that result an eX-
cuse for trying to dissolve the Union.
We have nothing to say of Jeh.s arragn-
ment of the " malignity and barbarity OF the
Northern States IN the prosecution OF the
"existing war;" Fal.ehOOd has been the chief
weapon of tho traitors from the outset, and
We must not expect them to forego it in this
their dire extremity.
JEFF. complains that the Government of the
|
missioners sent to negotiate q peaceful dissoI'i-
ton. Why, tho man has just before been COM
planning of the usurpatloDs OF that Government
its " disregard for all the tme-honored bull
wsrks of civil and religions liberty
now he finds fault that it did not usurp the
power of dissoving the Union 1t had no
more authority to 10 that than to establish a
deepotsm and proclaim JEFF. Dictator Presl-
dent Liacoln did hrs utmost ia suggesting a
Consenton of the States with view to the
revision of the Federal Constitution. That
Convention might have lawfully considered
plea for Disuniou the Administration could DO
nothing Of the kind. Its power was limited By
to Constiiution and could not be stretched to
cover Dsunion. The Rebels had Convention
proAesed thea they chose its alternative.
Civil War. Ii their choice was an unhappy
one, they cnn justly blame none but themselves.
The tyranny OF an unbrlded majority,
JEFF. thinks very odous. If so, how much
better il that OF u lean minority! faction,
strong neither in character, in talent, nor in
numbers. using the politiccl power OF slavery
~ their fulcrum have virtually ruled this
nation for years. Having ceased to rule, they
have resolved TO divide and ruin it, The tone
of Mr.. Daviss inaugural argues that their pros
pect Of succe. 10 not fatterng, even when
viewed with partial eyes. When they succeed
and Mr.. Daviss last hope seems to be that
the Union will run out Of funds before il can
complete the subjugaton OF his dupes--we viii
thank him 70 Jet us know.