Year: 1861

Special Correspondents Of the Londcn Times.


WASHINGTON, April I.-From all have seen and
heard my belief is that the Southern States have
gone from the Union If not forever. at least for
such time as will secure for their Government an
absolute independence till it be terminated by war,
or if their opponents be right. by the certain pro-
cesses ofnternal decay arising from inherent vices
in their system, faulty organization, and want of
population, vigor and wealth That the causes
which have led to their secession now agitate the
Border States most powerfully with tendency TO
follow them is not TO be denied ny those who watch
the course of events and these powerful neutrals
oseill6te to and fro under the pressure Of con-
tending parties and passions, the Government at
Washington and the authorities OF the revolving
States regard every motion with anxety-the form
er fearful lest by word or deed they may repei them
forever; the latter more disposed by active denon>
strations to determine the ultimate decision in their
own favor and 10 attach them permanently to the
Slave States by resOlute declaration of principle
Whatever the results of the Morrill, Tariff may be.
it is probable they must be endured on both sides OF
the Atlantic, for there is power IN the Govern
ment or IN the President as understand, TO modify
its provisions, and there is strong feeling IN Mr..
Lincolns Cabinet against the extra session 90 loudly
demarded in New York. and 50 confidently expected
| in some parts of the Union. Nothing but some
| Overwhelming State necessity viii overcome that
opposition and as the magnitude of such an ocea-
sion will have TO be estimated BY those who are We
hemeBtly opposed 10 an extra Congress 1t Is not
| likely that anything occur which Will be con
sidered Of sufficient gravity by the Government at
| Washi gton to induce them TO encounter the diff
culties and dangers they anticipate in consequence
| Of an extraordinary assembiage OF both Houses.
Until next December. then, in all probability, the
President and his Cabinet will have such control of
affairs as is possible in the system of this Govern
meut or in the circumstances together with the far
more than CO ordinate responsibility attached TO
their position as Federal Government.


IL is scarcely possible for Engshman, far less
for the naive of any State possessing powerful
Executive TO comprehend the limits which are as
signed TO the powers Of the State IN this country
or the extent to which resistance TO It's authority
can be carried by the action Of the States supposed
t. be consenting parties to It's jurisdiction IaKe
for instance, what IS occurring within lew miles
of the seat of the central Government across the
Potomac At certain iron foundry gans have been
cast tor the United States Government which are
about to be removed to Fort Monroe in the State OF
Virginia one of the orresses for the defence OF the
United States. The Legislature Of Virginia sat all
night last Saturd day and authorized the Governor OF
that State 10 call out the public guard in order to
prevent by force if necessary, the removal of those
guns at the same time Offering to the contractor the
price which he was to have received Tor them from
| the Federal Government. Again. at Mobile. where
writ OF ha ceas corpus was sued cut on behalf OF
| the master of a vessel, who seized because he
I had a cargo of small stores which he intended to
sell 10 the United States men-of war in observation
of Pensacola the counsel for the State Of Florida
resists the application the ground that the prls-
oner was carr ing supplies to an enemy. and that
state of exists in consequence OF the acts OF
the Federal Government; and the court. without de-


Gliding the point discharges the prisoner, IN or


der that It may be freed from eSpOnsbIity. On the
other hand the Federal Government RENTS the pen
allies of forfeiture and fines the vessel seized by
| the Custom House at New York for want of proper
| clearances from Southern ports The stereotype
plates with the words "Evacuauon Of Fort Sumter"
have apparently been worn out. butt IS oeileYed on
| all sides that il will be abandoned by Major AndeT-
| derson tbi. week although heard member Of the
| Cabinet declare last week that no orders had been
issued to that officer to evacuate T. II the opinions


Of some of the Northern people prevailed the fort


would be retained until 1t was taken by assault The
Southern Confederation. secure of Fort Sumter, are
| now preparipg for active operations against Fort
Pickens which protects the entrance to the Quon-
| dam United States Navy Yard ct Pensacola and
certain organs CT the extreme party n the South
have already demanded that the forts at Iertu2as
| and Key West which are situated far ont at ses
| from the coast should be surrendered


| The Cabinet of hr. Lincoln Is understood TO con


tain the representatives of three different courses OF
| poiicy-that trinity Of action which generally pro
duces torpid and uncertain motion complete rest.
First there are those who would at any risk, vim
dcate the rights they claim for tie Federal Govern


melt and use force even thong IL could only IN ITS


most successful application, OVerrun the states OF
the South and compel temporary suonl nlSSIon with
/
authority or the re incorporation Of the States with
| the Union. Secondly there are those-nen of in
| tellect and capacitv-wh0, dissenting altogether
from the doctrines pFOpounded BY the leaders OF te
revolution, and convinced that the separation VIII
NOT be permanens see the surest and latest mode OF


action in the total abstinence from all aggressive as


seTton of rights and in policy of IGS3ez cr CT in
deterninate longitude and latitude These states
men believe that like most revolutions, the seces>


sion is the work of the minority, and that strong
1 ,F oyfcf JErhIP


front by and By "expel the traitors" and return
| triumphanty with the repentant States into the


bosom of the Union. The gentlemen who hold these
| views have either more accurate knowledge than


the public are better read in the signs OF the tines


or have more faith 10 the efficacy of nactiOn on the
love of Americans for the Union than is possessed
| BY most of the outer world. The third party Is
formed of those who are inclined TO take the South
| at their w0rd-tO cut the cord at once believing


that the loss would be gain and that the Southei
Confederation would infct on itself most signal
| retribution for what they consider Gs crime, OF


breaking NJ the Union. Practically, far as have
gone have failed TO meet many people who really
exhibited any passionate attachment to the Union


for its own sake. or who pretended to be animated


by aDy strorg feelings of regard or admiration for


the government of the United States in itself. The


word "Constution" is forever ringing in ones ears,
its prnciples and its authority are continually sp-
pea!ed to- but the end is no nearer.


| The other day bought the whole Constitution OF
the United States, neatly printed, for three-haf
| pence But the only conclusion | could draw was
that IL wa better for States not to have COnstItu


tions which could be bought at such very moderate
| prices Il s rather inOppOrtune moment for the


Professor of the Harvard Law School to send forth


his lecture on the Constitution 0. the United States,


and on the differences between it and that OF Great


Britain just as the learned gentleman is glorylng


in the supremacy Of the Judicial Body Of the United


States over Congress Presidents and Legislatures,
the course of events exhibits that Supreme Court


as mere nullity in the body polite, unable to take


cogn Zance, CT unwill;ug 10 act il regard to mat
tiers which tearing the Constitution INTO atoms


No one thinks of appealing to it or invoking It's de-
eision And. after all if the Court were to decide,
what would be the use OF its Judgment if one or


other of the two great parties resisted It! The t-
tna ratio would be the only means By which the
| dpcision could be enforced. In TIE very midst of
the hymns which are offered up around the shrIneS


Cf the Constitution, 1helher old or mended all cele-


brang the powers of the great prestess Of the mys
| terks there are hereto voices TO be heard which


in addition to other matters, deny that the Supreme


Court was ever intended by the Constitution to ex


ercise the sole and final right of interpreting the


Constitution that it is competent to do SO, or that
it Ssultr6e safe to give it the power Its powers


are judicial not political, and Mr.. Calhoun on thai


very point said


surdIy attribute to the Supreme Court the exclu


sIye right Of constituting the Constitution, there


would be, in fact, between the sovereign and sub


iect under such government 10 Constitution, or al


least nothing deserving the maine, or serving the


legitimate object of so sacred an instrument"


The argument revoives in q circle; it ends no


where, and there seems no solution except such 81


concession or h sword cut may give.


There at present in Washington two OF the
| three unTeeognized Ministers Plenipotentsry o.
the Southarn Government, Mr. Roman and Mr.


Crawford. Judging from the tene OF these sehus