March 2, 1861; The Charleston Mercury
WASHINGTON, February 27, 1861.
LINCOLN’s designs are still shrouded in thick darkness. The ass is between the bundle of hay – anxious to go to CHASE and afraid to leave SEWARD. It is some consolation to know that only five days remain ere the fountain of the great deep will be broken up, and the voice of the Rail Splitter be heard. The problem of Fort Sumter must be solved very shortly.
The time for South Carolina to take Fort Sumter has passed. In my opinion, and according to the views of a great many, the capture of that post some time since would have been pregnant with the best results for the cause of a Southern confederacy. It would not only have made such a breach between the North and the South as to have lit up, in an uncontrollable degree, the dormant Southern feeling throughout the Border States, and swept the Union savers and submissionists into their political graves – bringing all those States into the Confederate States – but it would have given a prestige and power to the South Carolina Delegation at Montgomery that would have enabled them to engraft their State frights, free trade and pro slavery emendations upon the new Constitution. These objects could have been effected by pursing the bold, straight forward policy of “Know you are right, then go ahead.” But the policy pursued has been different, and its objects are lost. The Mare has passed. Having waited so long, honor will not suffer by waiting longer. The State can now gain nothing by an attack. If President DAVIS is to make the fight, and to reap the glory of that which may turn out to be a necessity, would it not be wise, at this stage, to let the enlisted soldiers and regular army of the Confederate States do the fighting? There was a time when Carolina and Carolinians might well have established her independence themselves, under their own authorities. By too great caution as to the means, the end is forfeited. As you have had pursued the policy of saving risk to the lives of valuable citizens, that policy should now be carried through. At this time of day it would be worse than useless to sacrifice them for what cannot be redeemed. Wisdom now requires that the whole matter should be turned over to the Confederate States Government, and to its forces of regular soldiers, recruited at so much a head. Your people can then congratulate themselves that, at lest, prudence has done something, if it has left undone other things. It would be exceedingly unwise to lose now what has been gained.
The House had an uproarous time over the Force bill yesterday. PRYOR and BURNETT made stirring speeches. SICKLES and HICKMAN had a pretty bout, and in fact every body had a lively morning of it. Postponed until Thursday. This force bill would have been defeated but for the news from Virginia. In the Committee on Federal Relations Mr. MACFARLAND introduced a resolution declaring that Virginia would regard the attempt to collect the revenue in the seceded States as coercion, and resent it accordingly. This was voted down. Its effect upon the Republicans here need not be told. If we are to have war, the Virginia Convention will have the honor and satisfaction of bringing it about.
Northern papers teeth with frightful romances about the plot to murder LINCOLN. It is rather a poor way of covering up his cowardice. We hear that a hand grenade with the fuse already lighted was found in the Rail Splitter’s car, just as the train was leaving Cincinnati. We are told that LINCOLN is to be shot with an air gun on the day of the inauguration. All these fables, conjured up by the timidity or folly of newspaper writers, will be carried broad and believed implicitly. What a name the American people will eventually obtain! Where is ARROWSMITH?
We have encouraging accounts from Arkansas. There will be eight Confederate States before many days. With Mississippi and Arkansas out of the Union, the people in Memphis will be much inclined to off from that portion of the State which chooses to live under the sceptre of LINCOLN and ANDREW JOHNSON, the model demagogue of the South.
It seems that Major ANDERSON has opened a short correspondence with HENRY WARD BEECHER. He suggests to the reverend gentleman the propriety of returning the money collected for the wives and children of the soldiers now imprisoned in Fort Sumter, as the government has provided for them. But BEECHER is bent on giving them the money, whether they need it or not.
Gen. TWIGGS is terribly denounced by the Northern press and people on account of his surrendering the military property of the United States to Texas. He is pleasantly compared to BENEDICT ARNOLD. Hanging is the reward which they propose to bestow on him as soon as he gets within their reach. I think it quite likely that “Fuss and Feathers” is frantic over the patriotism of TWIGGS – a difference of opinion — what’s in a name?
The successful negotiation of the Government loan has given buoyancy to the stock market, and also to the coercionists, who believe now that there will be no difficulty in raising the sinews of war. They are not far wrong. But there is a vast deal of bluff after all in it.
The recent indignation meeting in Richmond, is consequence of McDOWELL MOORE’s speech, is the beginning of the end. The Convention is doing its best to kindle the fires of civil strife around their own doors.
They are hanging LINCOLN in effigy in New York, on account of his touching the pocket nerve partially. Quite a fuss occurred on Monday in consequence of the exhibition among the masts of the shipping at the foot of Perry street of one of these effigies, under which appeared the very impious and untrue inscription, “ABE LINCOLN, dead and gone to –-.”He yet walks the earth, and will be permitted to survive until Monday next, when a Baltimore Plug Ugly will bring him down with an air gun – as hereinbefore stated.
SEVEN.