n to one of the four plans of procedure subjoined:

"I. Throw off the old and assume the new designation, the Union
party; adopt the conciliatory measures proposed by Mr. Crittenden or
the Peace Convention, and my life upon it, we shall have no new case
of secession; but, on the contrary, an early return of many, if not
of all, the States which have already broken off from the Union.
Without some equally benign measure the remaining slaveholding
States will probably join the Montgomery Confederacy in less than
sixty days, when this city, being included in a foreign country,
would require a permanent garrison of at least thirty-five thousand
troops to protect the Government within it.

"II. Collect the duties on foreign goods outside the ports of which
the Government has lost the command, or close such ports by act of
Congress and blockade them.

"III. Conquer the seceded States by invading armies. No doubt this
might be done in two or three years by a young and able general--a
Wolfe, a Desaix, a Hoche--with three hundred thousand disciplined
men, estimating a third for garrisons and the loss of a yet greater
number by skirmishes, sieges, battles, and Southern fevers. The
destruction of life and property on the other side would be
frightful, however perfect the moral discipline of the invaders.

"The conquest completed at the enormous waste of human life to the
North and Northwest, with at least $250,000,000 added thereto, and
_cui bono_? Fifteen devastated provinces! not to be brought into
harmony with their conquerors, but to be held for generations by
heavy garrisons at an expense quadruple the net duties or taxes,
which it would be possible to extort from them, followed by a
protector or emperor.

"IV. Say to the seceded States: 'Wayward sisters, depart in peace.'

"In haste, I remain very truly yours,

"WINFIELD SCOTT."

The two months preceding the inauguration of Mr. Lincoln were fraught
with great responsibility to General Scott. He had moved his
headquarters to Washington, as he thought, temporarily; but from the
threatening aspect of the political troubles it soon became apparent
that his stay there would be, if not permanent, prolonged a greater
length of time than was at first expected. As March 4th approached,
rumors thick and fast filled the atmosphere of attempts to resist Mr.
Lincoln's taking