Year: 1861

That sterling Independent newspaper the
Richmond Dispateh accompanies the publica
ton of Lncoln's inaugural with the follow
ing severe but just remarks:


The Inaugural address of Abraham Lin
coin inaugurates civil war, as we have prediC
ted it would from the beginning. The Black
Republicans have played their deep, temper
izing game with profound address and subtlety;
but there is no longer any need of conceal
ment, and the veil drops from the false proph-
ct The Demon of Coercion stands unmasked.
The sword is drawn and the scabbard thrown
away. If the fifteen Slave States had gone
out in body this would have never been
But, as it is the Border States lie almost at
the mercy of an invader. Their forts are
filled with Federal troops, whilst they have
not raised a finger for defence. No doubt
Fortress Monroe, in month, will bc power
fully reinforced and ere long Virginia may be
engaged in life and death struggle for indc-
pendence honor and for all that makes eXis-
tence worth having.


We have no intention of arguing the points
raised by his Sable Excellency upon the right
of secession That is subject upon which
there is the most radical disagreement be
tween the North and South, disagreement
which he proposes to reconcile by the sword
This pregnant paragraph is all that concerns
us:


Il therefore consider, that in view of the Con-
stitution and the laws the Union is unbroken,
and to the best of my ability, shall take care.
the Constitution Itself expressly e,yGtHs upon
that the Ia,cs of the Union be fathtU erennted
all the States. Doing this deemt to be only a sim
pie duty on my raTt and IshaH perform 1t 30 far
practicable. unless my rlghttuI master. the Amer
lean people, shall withhold the requisite means.
or, in some authoritative manner. direct the con-
trarv | trust that this will not be regarded u
menace but only as the declared purpose of the
Union that it will constitutionally defend and
maintain itself. In doing this there needs to be
no boodshed or violence, and there shall be none
unless it be forced upon the National ma or!ty.
The po,rer confded to ciH be used to hOI8,
pY and possess the property and places belonging to
the Gerernment, and to collect the duties on p0rts
but beyond what may be necessary for these OBJ
iects there will be no invasion. no using of force
against or among the people anywhere"


There is but one power under Heaven that
can keep this man from executing his purpose
the American People, which he recognizes a
his master, and in order to secure the nterpo
stion of that power, every Border State ought
to 90 out of the Union within twenty-to
hours. Even this movement which would
once have been effectual, may now be too late
to avert the catastrophe, but it will at all events
mitigate its force. 1t will increase the difficult
ties of the ferocious enterprise which these en-
emies of humanity propose; it is the only al
tentative except the most abject humiliation.
! Henceforth, venture to predict, there will
! be no difference of opinion in Virginia as to
| the course of duty, of interest and Of honor
| We have often protested against the apphca-
| ton of the term Submisslonist to any party in
| Virginia We accord to those who have COZ
selled delay and negotiation the same sincerity
| of motive which we claim for ourselves We
/ believe that all parties are imbued with com
! mon love of Virginia, and that the LegislatuTc
expressed the will of the whole State when it
declared, by unanimous voice, that Virginia
would resist coercion. We believe that dec
| laration will be sustained by the unanimous
voice of the Virginia people; that henccforth
the hatchet of internal discord will be buried,
and that shoulder to shoulder, and heart TO
heart, we shall stand in solid phalanI in de
! fence of the independence Of Virginia sovcT-
eighty, and the sanctity Of the Southern soil


The Petersburg Erprees another inlepeT-
dent paper thus touches up the document
! We spread this important document in full


before our readers this morning, (see telegraph
| c head.)


It's great length and the late hour at which


we had to prepare it for the press prevent our


noticing it except in the briefest possible man


ner. We can only express the general opin-


ion we have arrived at from its perusal and


that is: that it will add immensely to public


dissatisfaction North and South.
In our next we will have more to say abou


it. In the meantime we shall learn the com


position of the new Cabinet which is matte


of very little inferioF Importance to the address
t That portion of the latter relative to coercion
was posted on our bulletin board as soon 8


we received it, and created rousing excite
! ment in our community. We understan
= that it was productive of the same effect il
= Richmond.


We shall give the opinions of the State pres
on the Inaugural as fast as received.
|