The New York correspondent of the London
Times, noticing the extraordinary powers given
Lincoln by the United States Congress.
says:
‘
These measures have a more logical foundation than any baseless hope of the re-annexation of the
South.
They are intended for the subjugation and the consolidation of the
North.
The danger has long been appreciated in all its magnitude by the reason as well as by the instinct of the
Northern people, and the process of disintegration would not stop with Southern independence, but would extend to the North and West, and if the principles of Secession were once admitted for any part of the late Union, it could not be successfully resisted for any other.
Hence, the
President has been invested with these extraordinary powers in order that he may his in the bud any attempt on the part of the
Western or middle States either to throw in their fortunes with those of the
South, or to set up for themselves.
It is not the
South that troubles the sleep of the meguates of
Washington, but the
West.
The symptoms are in the highest degree alarming.
The President's own
State of Illinois is a hothead of disaffection.
Indiana is no better.
Ohio is dissatisfied.
Missouri is only held down by the sword.
In fact, there is imminent danger throughout the whole of the more fertile regions of the
West of an organized outbreak against the
Government of
Washington.
To confront that danger, and not to meet the armies of
Mr. Jefferson Davis, is the real object of the conscription act and its kindred and correlevant measures.
In this intention the
Government is right to defend itself.
It has been constantly said that the life of the nation was at stake in its contest with the
South--If the
North is over to become a nation--one in purpose, in interest, in sympathy, and in destiny — now is the time to prevent the centrifugal action of the discordant and dissentient States.
and a dissolution of the whole body politic.
The
North passionately desires to live as a nation.
On this point there can be no mistake.
The people are not ordinarily very serious or very earnest about anything, but the veneration for the flag amounts to a fanaticism, and their ambition to be the greatest naval and military power in the world is so huge as to deprive them, when under its influence, of all the reason that usually governs their actions.--Under this paramount impulse it tolerates the extreme powers that are vested in the
President, and that it would not have vested in an abler and more ambitions man, and blinds itself to the danger — palpable to every calm observer — that the liberties which it go patiently and hopefully resigns may never again be recovered without a series of violent commotions — anarchies, despotisms — that are awful to imagine as the destiny of a race so intelligent and so worthy of freedom.
’
