Year: 1861

We ecknowleoge, as We nave saln, the 40.
ministration's legal authority 10 recover, il
it can, its property grasrsd by the South.
ern spoilers, bu, its practical attempt to ex.
erciss that right in the mode it proposes,
would, if there should be no effective inter.
position between the belligersnt powers,
bring upon our Who'll" country cslsmitiss as
awful ss any recorded in modern or in an.
cient history. Such calamilies must be
averted if it Is in the power Of wise and
good and patriotic men to avert them. And
here comes, according to our solemn con-
viotion, the great mission Of the border
slave States. We believe that the duty Of
these important States is rendered plain
and palpable in The lurid and bsleful light
Of passing events. live were 10 60 with
the South, or if We were 10 20 with the
North, the struggle between the two see
tions into which the whole country would
then be divided could not fail to bring on,
throughout the continent, a reign Of blood
and famine and terror that would IN all
probability extend beyond the years Of our
lives and the lives of our children.


In this dreadful exigency, the border
siave States, If they are wise, will take their
position firm and steadfast, between the
North and the South. and in doing so, con-
fer a mighty blessing upon both, besides
securing their own comparative welfare
end prosperity. Let Us OF the border slave
States, at the very earliest practicable mo-
ment. band ourselves together for the pres.
erva.ion Of peace, so far IS in US lies, be-
tween our Northern brethren and our South.
ern brethren. Let US be the friends of
both, but let us be independent Of BOTH
They can declare war against each other if
they will, but we shall have had no agency
in the accursed work, and we shall possess
right, sacred right, 10 prevent our soil
from being stained and polluted by il. We
can say to the United States Government
that we occupy neutral territory, and that
they shall not send troops across it for the
invasion Of the South, end we can say TO
the Government Of the Confederate Ststes
that they shall not send troop. scross it for
the invasion Of the North. We can keep
them apart until they have time TO recover
from their excited passions and return to
their senses.


The policy we suggest for the adoption
Of the border slave States is the only one
that occurs 10 US as holding out the slight
est rational hope Of their own salvation and
the salvation OF the whole country from a
destiny wretched beyond oil conception. It
is. we earnestly believe, the only policy,
by which We can prevent our entire land
from being blasted and desols,ed by a sea
Of fire. The States north Of US and the
State, south of US would of necessity IN.
ders,snd and appreciate the beni6eens in.
fiuences of our position and in their Utmost
hearts be grateful TO rs. But, whether
theyiwere grateful or ungrateful we should
have the satisfaction Of knowing ourselves
TO bs acting in selfsdefense-for the pro.
lection of our possessions and our lives ard
the lives Of our families. The North and
the South have acted without consultation
with US and in bitter disregard Of what
they both knew TO be our wishes and our
interests, and they can have no cause to
complain OF US for standing aloof from both
Of them slike. Indeed if they had full
and realizing sense Of the present and the
future, both Of them would see cause, and
perhaps equal cause, to pray fsrvently to
US and rerqently 10 God, that we should
stand where we are, lha, we should stand
. sovereign power betwixt them 10 stay
the march Of each against the other.
| We ask our fellow citizens Of all the
border slave States 10 consider calmly what
we have said. If our suggestions are
deemed worthy OF adoption, they should be
adopted without loss Of time. Their adop.
,ion might do good; il certainly could no,
make tie condition of things worse than h
would Otherwise be likely to be. 'f75
Fromthe Louisville Democrat.


| We must inform the powers that be st
Washington, which are only powers now
for evil to the country Of the positien Of the
border slave States. They have condemn
cd this policy Of coercion. 1t is disunion
policy fatal 10 the existence Of the United
States Of America.
/ We bad hoped that tina earnest advice Of
those who stood By the Union, resolved 10.
to to be borne swsy by revolutionary vio-
lencs, would have had some weight, thai
the pride Of party would yield 10 necessity
bu, in that we have hsen mistaken. Did
Lincoln suppose that the reaonstranes q
g,inst coercion from Union men. meant moth