Year: 1861




game. The overt acts have been commit
ted in earnest, and if the President has I
spark of manliness in him, civil war ha'
actually begun. The act of the Soutt
-Carolinians in firing upon a U. S. steamer
on the 9th of January is net to be over
looked. Had Great Britain committed tn,
indignity on the American flag, she woult
be promptly called to an account,an woulC
be obliged to disavow the action of the of
ficer committing the act, make some suita
BILE apology and reparation, or war woult
result. Surely we are not going to allow
South Carolina to do that with impunity
we would not suffer from the mighties
power on the globe. There is a double
reason why South Carolina should be called
to answer for her misdeeds. She not only
levies war, but she commits treason, and
no government can command respect by
tolerating one or suffering the other. What
is government worth if it has not the
power to protect itself from foes without
and against foes withinf


The Steamer Star of the West had ten
shots fired at her by the traitors of South
Carolina, four of which took effect. She
went down to carry relief to the garrison
at Fort Sumpter. This is not the first act
of aggression on the part of the people of
South Carolina. The occupation of. Fort
Moullrie was such an act, but not so ag-
gravating a one as that of firing upon an
unarmed vessel where human life was az
stake.


Whatever excuses or apologies may have
been offered for the former doings of the
malcontents, there can be none satisfactory
invited bloodshed and bloodshed she should
have to her hearts content. Nothing short
of a taste of power superior to her own
will ever do for that nest of traitors. Rea-
son they will never listen to. Compromise
they never will, till proceeded against en-
ergetically, and not then, but as last re-
sort. The Secessionists are covetous of
honors. They have gone too far to ever be
allowed prominence in the American gov
ernment, and there is no way to reach the
summit of their ambition but to set up
separate government in which they will be
ruling spirits. No matter what sort of
government it is, how respectable or how
They had rather, like their
great prototype, rule in hell than serve in
heaven. They are hazarding all to obtain
the object of their ill-starred, diabolical
and they will find to their sorrow
that their efforts will avail them nought.
There is patriotism, men and means enough
at command in the loyal States to over
whelm and utterly crush out treason how
ever wide spread or formidable it may be.
The great State of New York is true to the
Union. With her annual income of three
millions from her canals she can alone cope
with the Secessionists and utterly extirpate
them. But she is not alone. The signs of
dlSaHecti0l are nowhere visible nortu Vi
the Potomac and Ohio. The great hive Of
the Union swarms with patriots "with arms
to strike and souls to dare and if we are
not greatly mistaken the vast body of the
Southern people are true to the Union STILL
We do not interpret the clamor of dema-
gogues and politicians as the solemn voices
of the people. Things in high places who
see their sccptre departing are not true in
dexes of men who feel a conscientious re-
sponsibility before God and man for their
acts The pulse of the South is little ex-
cited, but amid the febrile symptoms there
IS grounds for hope that the crisis will soon
be past, and health once more be ditfused
through the body polite. AT any rate, let
what will come, we have only the lights of
he Constitution and our duty to guide our
steps. The Union, now and forever.