Year: 1861




The results of the recent elections. from


st. Louis to Boston, must be candidly ae-


cepted as verdict against the passive pol
/ icy Of the Administration. That policy,


though conceived in the most patriotic and
fraternal spirit, has. to all appearance, de-
veloped feeling of hostility, rather than
of devotion to the Constitution Instead
of that ardor of attachment to the Union,


which has hitherto distinguished the great


body d the people in the Border States,
we find the reconstruction theory on the
the bssis of the Montgomery Constitution
extending rapidly, though silently. The
vital principle of allegiance to established
order is, it must be confessed, all but over
turned; and revolution, which is prima
facic an evil, seems to be embraced for It's
own sake, as if it were good in itself
Passivity in the presence of defiant aggres-
sion, however much it may have to recon-
mend it, when regarded from a certain eth
ical point of view, is novel and untried
expedient in craftsmanship; and certainly
the existence of the Federal Union is too
much to stake on such an experiment.
Better, far. to rely on the means which
have so eften proved successful for the pres
ervation of order, and which every form Of
government has been obliged to employ
Public opinion protested against any fur
ther concession to bold and incessantly ag-
gressive rebellion. Either secession is
right, or the failure to assert the authori-
ty of the United States whenever the laws
demand that it shall be enforced, is wrong
morally as well as politically wrong
Strange as it may sound in these days, all
power is from God, and the ruler who re-
fuses to draw the sword when there is good
cause for drawing it, is as guilty as the ru-
Ter who draws it without good cause
Quakerism or quietism will not always suf-
fee to govern either empires or republics.
How little the coneiliatory policy of the
Administration has been regarded by the
rebels, is shown by the ornaments, float
ing batteries and earthcrn Notifications
which threaten Sumter and Pickens from
all points of the compass. While the
Federal Government has borne with all /
things, the rebels have never relaxed in
their preparations for war, and at the very
their Commissioners, as they are
called. are asking for the peaceable evacu-
alton of those posts, the besieging forces
are cutting of all supplies from the garri-
sons, and redoubling their warlike labors
Such being the palpable facts of the case,
the news Ais morning Indicating that the
Federal Government has abandoned its
passive policy, and resolved to meet the
anarchial hordes who have sworn to de- !
stroy it with their own weapons, will be {
hailed with joy by the loyal and cOnserva-
tive classes in every part of the country.
Among the immediate salutary effects of !
The new policy, will be an abatement at
east of the terrorism by which the rebels
nave, so far, carried out their plans in all
he seven States. StiAed loyalty viii find !
It's voice as soon as the hand of the assail- (
ant is taken from its throat Let US,
therefore, have a vigorous and firm policy
and whether it shall be fully
successful or not, 1--WE believe it wilD in
restoring the Union, it viii at least justify
The Government. and the people Of the
States which adhere to the Union, before
The world and posterity.