The New York herald., 1864-02-21

Northern Insurrection. /
There are ominous mutterings from dark
holes and corners Of danger to the peace Of
this community. The odor is abroad in the
air of the smouldering combustibles of . pro-
jected Northern insurrection.
The extraordinary alterations into which the
turbulent leaders Of the democratic peace fac
tion have fallen. and to which they still ad
here in the face of the popular judgments of the
last years State elections are incompatible
with any other purposes than those Of premedi-
tated violence and political anarchy. Scheming
politicians of the antecedents, associations and
sympathies of the Hon. Fernando and the Hon.
Ben Wood cannot be disposed of as public
benefactors in publishing q newspaper in sup
port Of their peculiar notions Of peace at the.
expense of continual drain from their pock-
cts. Nor are they Of that class Of men whs, Ia
order to gain even an epheneral notoriety, will
throw their money away. They SOW theiesee
with the expectation of reaping harvest. The
conclusion, then, is irresistibly forced upon Us
that, as their political heresies can result only
in defeat through peaceable means, they are
parties to fearful conspiracy which looks to
success through scenes Of revolutionary disor.
ders, bloodshed and confusion,
They profess painful solicitade concerning
the dangers Of the States from federal usrrpa-
tions; but, under the fimsy disguise of State
sovereignty, they are leading their credu!ous
followers on the high road TO secession and re-
bellion. Assuming the mantle of Jefferson
these peace men Of the Eeics preach to us the
dogmas of the Hartford Convention, and oil
Theodore Dwight, its secretary and defensive
historian. The State rights and federal aggres
sions which were the burden and the song o
| that convention, in the midst of the war Of
1912, and after the national capital had been
seized and despoiled by the enemy, are now,
in the midst of this terrible war, echoed by
these peace democrats of the Ne,os, with all the
modern improvements derived from South
Carolina. They plead the State right Of peace
able secession against the constitution itself
and are thus holding up the peaceful example
of JEFF. Davis and his confederates as worthy o.
imitation by the New York peace democracy
They 1ippantly ask u.s. what were North Caro-
lima and Rhode Island before they ratified the
federal constitution If they were not indepen
dent States? They might as well argue the
sovereignty to-day Of each Of the States Of the
Saxon Heptarchy.
These brawlers Of constitutional rights, when
brought to the test Of that supreme law, shrink
from 1t aud take shelter under q pre-existing
state Of things. The constitution does not
agree with them. II authorizes arms against
rebels; and these peace men can find nothing
to approve in this war Of the loyal States to
maintain the Union, and nothing to condemn
in the war Of JEFF. Davis to destroy It, They
would have us believe that they are advocating
the policy BY which great party Is about to
enter into the contest for the Presidential sue
cession in the usual peaceable way, when the
| utter impossibility Of the remotest chance OF
success on their part In this direction inevitably
suggests that they are governed by darker de-
signs. The reign Of terror in this city Of last
July was not more truly forssbadowed BY the
thrsaAsning democratic peace meetings around
Cooper Institute and elsewhere than d . oon.
templated repetition Of thsss fearful scenes, On
alarger scale, BY the present ssditious course
Of the Woods aaA their Daily Ns,ss. Lot the
tree be judged BY is fruits.
The people of this metropolis csn % loagsr
triae with these public disorCanisers with any
assurance Of sAis:y. Indulge fool In his folly.
} and hs ny StAgAs " leSs ans morning VIII