The New York herald., 1863-02-11

The Schemes ofCoagress for . Temporary
DiOtatorshiPAAaytha 10 save tho
Union.
There il, or was, ferocious old fire-eater in
! Mississippi of the name Of Barksdale, tho same
who, in the long struggle for Speaker some four
years ago, was knocked down and los. bis wig
in trough and tumble" affair on the floor of
Congress. This Barksdale is our man for the
present occasion. In speech. not long since
delivered to Mississippi audience, he said in
effect-"This is not the time to complain Of
usurpations of power. say let State rights, let
individual rights, let the constitution itself, be
suspended, and give US dictator. If necessary.
will submit to anything to save the life of this
cOnfederacy" So say we in regard to the
measures and projects before Congress contem-
plating the experiment Of temporary dictator
in the person Of President Lincoln Rather
than let the country fall to pieces let the
experiment be tried-let us support tive are
prepared to submit to anything for year or
two in order to save the Union.
A financial measure has passed the House Of
Representatives. and is now before the Senate,
which contemplates the displacement of the
paper money circulation Of our State banks by
the "greenbacks" and postage currency of the
United States. So be 1t. Pass the bill. Scat
ter the ''greenbaeksn broadcast over the land.
In the issues Of Treasury notes we are still
considerably behind the issues of the Confede-
rate scrip of the rebels, while their means,
materials and facilities for making paper
money are utterly contemplate compared
with ours. Our federal paper, too, rests upon
the solid basis Of an established government
substantial wealth and taxation, while the scrip
of a moonshine government and stands about
as much chance for redemption as the repu-
dated State bonds of Mississippi or the ex-
ploded coupons Of the South Sea bubble Give
US, then, the "greenbacks," and let not Secre-
tsry Chase be afraid of Wall street. Has he
not the security against all contingencies Of
two or three, or four or five, or half dozen
mountains of solid gold quartz in Color ado
Territory, which Colorado Jewett has patri-
otically presented TO the government? Pass the
bill.
Secondly, Mr.. Wilson has introduced a bill
into the Senate giving to the President abso-
lutte power over the militia of the several
States and over every able-bodied white man
thereof, Quakers and all. And why not? Are
not the ranks of our brave volunteer regiments
undergoing constant depletion?-and will not
the terms Of service Of q good many thousands
of them expire by the 1st Of May? How,
then, are their places to be supplied,
when volunteering has ceased to be at
tractive, even if covered by bounties, and when
this Governor, that Governor, and the other
it is said, will resist the draft. To be sure Mr.
Thaddeus Stevens, against these threatened OBJ
structions, has worked through the House his
negro enlistment bill; but, as we have to catch
tAe negroes before we can enlist them, wo can.
not rely upon our African allies to save us.
We must at last fall back upon the militia bill
Of Senator Wilson. Had he not stopped en-
listments some twelve months ago. under
the delusion that We had then soldiers enough
to put down the rebellion, there would proba-
bly, have been no necessity for this militie bill;
but we must take things as we find them. Pass
the bill.
But this is not all. It is suspected that this
Congress will yet confer upon The President ab-
solutc power over the writ Of habeas corpus.
But again we say, cannot the people submit
even to this In order to save the life of the ma
tion? Look at the despotism to which the
rebels submit in order to secure their m0onshine
Southern confederacy. Look at the sweeping
oonscriptions, prvations, extortions and fearful
cruelties to which they consent in behalf Of
their beggarly Confederate government Shall
our patriotism fall short Of the willing sacrifices
of their silly fanaticism? But then we are told
that our Northern democratic Governors and
Legislatures will resist any such sweeping
measures of absolute power on the part of
Abraham Lincoln. Are we to be told, then,
that anarchy and civil war among ourselves are
10 be preferred to one-msn power at Washing
ton for year or two? Are we to be told that
the government must stand back under menaees
of mob law? That every State can do just
what it pleases and that every individual has
the same liberty,'to support the administration
at Washington or to resist it, in its efforts to put
down the rebellion!
No. We must frst save the government of
| the United States if we would save the liberties
of the people and the local rights and powers
of the several States. The hungry copper
heads " will have time enough to plot and gam
Bile against the abolition fanatics for the spoils
and pundcr of the succession after we shall
have saved the life Of the nation. Let
| us at all events get somewhere near the
mark as to the number Of States likely to par
ticipa.e in our next Prssidsntial election before
| the politicians begin to count their chickens
and divide the spoils. Let President Lincoln
have full sway for two years to come, if de-
manded to save the Union. He is not an ambi-
tious man, but modest, honest, patriotic man,
and may be trusted. Give him, then, if required
for the vigorous prosecution of this war, the
| powers accorded to JEFF Davis; and, should we
| fail 10 realize our inst cancellations the nennle.