February 2, 1861; The New York Herald
The leaders of the republican party find themselves in a peculiarly perplexing position. They are opposing with all their might the meeting of Commissioners to consider the Virginia resolutions, and they are determined to resist the Bigler proposition to submit the whole question to the people. In both of Mr. Seward’s speeches he has clearly indicated that the policy of the new administration is the strict party policy, and that the republican leaders believe that the secessionists will exhaust themselves in time. Mr. Seward adheres to his former position, that after one, two or three years shall have elapsed the Southern storm will blow over. Then will be the proper time for a Constitutional Convention of all the States; but if all else fails, and Union by force of arms is to stand or fall, he will advise his people to stand or perish with it – that is, to fight for it to the death.
The republican leaders, Mr. Seward included, have no confidence in the masses of their party. The fear that if the question of compromise should be put directly to the people of the North they would vote in the affirmative, when the republican party would be broken into half a dozen cliques, and finally perish of strangulation at the hands of its own friends. They will therefore take the risk of losing the border States rather than run the chance of destroying their party organization. If the matter could be left to the people, it would be very soon settled; but the politicians are bound to keep it in their own hands, on the principle of rule or ruin. So there is nothing to be hoped for from the republicans. They go in for the inauguration of Lincoln and the spoils first, and adjustment afterwards, if adjustment is practicable. It is probable that nothing practical will result from the efforts now being made to bring about a settlement, and that all or nearly all the border States will withdraw from the Union on or about the 4th of March. When Mr. Lincoln takes office he will be compelled to call an extra session of Congress, to assemble at the earliest possible moment. As will be seen by the tables we have given elsewhere, fourteen States – namely: Alabama, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Kentucky, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Mississippi, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia – have still to elect representatives to the next Congress. Of course the seceding States will disregard the President’s proclamation altogether; but we shall obtain from New England, California, and, we trust, from the border States, an expression of the public sentiment, which may go far towards bringing about a peaceable settlement of existing difficulties.
The New England States choose in March, and elsewhere special Congressional elections will be ordered. It is claimed that there has been a great change in the opinions of the New England people since the election of Lincoln, and it is very evident, from the frantic appeals of Hon. Massa Greeley, in the Tribune, that the concessionists are rapidly gaining strength. No pains should be spared in building up this conciliatory sentiment in the republican party. That organization is clearly responsible for the troubles which now menace the nation, and the remedy must come, if it comes at all, from the republican ranks. The question is, whether the federal Union, the prosperity of the United States, the interests of civilization, progress and free government, are of less importance than the preservation of the republican party. Mr. Seward and his friends seem to think so, but we disagree with them entirely. Let the matter go to the people, and we will be willing to abide by their verdict.