2

Undeserved Censure.

It is a lamentable fact that certain of the more violent and fanatical republican papers in the north and east, and a few in the west, are demanding that a war for the extermination of slavery, and the complete subjugation of the people of the south shall be immediately entered upon. And in the exhibition of their zeal, they begin to complain loudly of President Lincoln, and demand a new cabinet, a new leader, etc. They manifest the most forward, and perhaps we might say indecent desire to advise our government, and to censure it for not following their advice. They even talk of superceding the government of the United States unless their advice is followed.

It seems to us that these papers would be of more service to their country by finding less fault and putting more trust in the men they helped place in power. Mr. Lincoln has been only eight weeks in office, and it is fair to presume that he and his cabinet desire to proceed according to law. They are the executive officers of the government — they are the government itself, for the present. The government finds a portion of the country in insurrection, and it is its duty to put down that insurrection. It could call no congress at an earlier period than fifty days from the summons, and during the recess of congress its only power to act, beyond the regular civil and military authority, lies in the statute of 1795. That statute gives to the president the power to issue a proclamation to insurgents to disperse to their homes, and lay down their arms, and to call out the military to enforce obedience to the proclamation, if it is not voluntarily yielded. And the militia so called out, are at his command until thirty days after the meeting of the next congress. On the 15th of April, the president issued his proclamation, declaring that the execution of the laws was obstructed by combinations too powerful to be suppressed in the ordinary model and calling for 75,000 men, "in order to suppress said combinations, and to cause the laws to be duly executed." He also said "that the first service assigned to the force hereby called forth will probably be to repossess the forts, places and property which have been seized from the Union." And he also commanded "the persons composing the combinations aforesaid to disperse and retire peaceably to their respective abodes within twenty days." At the same time, he summoned congress to meet on the 4th day of July next. Thus far, it is evident that he has done everything in his power to perform his duties. And as the twenty days given to the rebels to retire, have not yet elapsed, he could not legally march against them. And, setting aside his legal obligations, he is, and has been, practically unable to make aggressive demonstrations against the rebels, up to this date. The condition of the military at his disposal is to well known too call for detail. This government has at its side, says the Boston Courier, the first military counsel in the world, in the person of Lieut. Gen. Scott, and his future acts are not known to every boy in the land. And it is this government which has up to this moment, performed all it could either legally or practically, perform, which is absolutely threatened upon an assumption that it may hereafter fail in its duties. Observe, that the next duty under the law, after the twenty days have elapsed, is to put down the insurrection, and that the president expressly promises to do, and to "repossess the forts, places," &c., at the proper time, and in the meantime the government must act on the defensive. Is not the assumption that it will fail to act properly at the proper time, somewhat premature, somewhat gratuitous! We prefer to have faith in its loyalty, confidence in its sagacity, trust in its courage; to exercise a little common sense in an examination of the different motives for the different courses of action; to remember the names of which it is composed, and the mighty moral and physical forces at work to support them; and to abide in calm obedience the event, certain always that

That it will perform its whole duty at the proper time, to the entire satisfaction of every reasonable and judicious mind in this part of the land, we sincerely believe; and not the less so, from the calm and solemn manner with which it enters upon it. There is an absence of hurry, of undue excitement, a respect for the law, and for the rights of all under the law, which augurs strength of purpose in the present, and certain success in the future.