Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-07-17
Selette0 sflistrllanp.
The Criftenden COmPrOmise-WOul
the south have Taken Ia!

CINCINNATI, June 10, 1851
To 1ss Editor Of tRe Eaqtirsy:
In discussion with a friend, yesterday, said
that Jefferson Davis and the Southern members
who were in Congress last session, voted for the
Crittenden Compromise. He said that they did
not and that they were not willing to vote for
any compromise We agree 20 let you decide
which OF US is right Yours. &c.
Our correspondent is right. Messrs Davis,
Toombs, Breckinri1ge and the whole South, with
the exception OF South Carolina, we're anxious,
when Congress met last December, to settle all
our difficulties upon the basis of the Crittenden
Compromise A Committee of Thirteen was
raised in the Senate TO consider plan of adjust
ment- The most eminent Senators, North and
South, Democrats and Republicans, were on the
committee AaOng them were Jefferson Davis
and Robert Toonlbs, the President and
Secretary of State of the Southern Confederaey,
Stephen A. Douglas, John j. Crittenden and
VIM II. Seward, Fesssnden and other influential
Republican Senator's What done in that
committee was thus alluded to by Ar. Douglas
in the last speech which he made in the Senate of
the United States, on the ID of March. 1851. two
DAYS before the close of the session. His remarks
were thus quoted in the Congressional Globe of
that date. Mr.. Douglas said:
II can confirm the Senator's declaration that
Senator Davis, of Mississippi, himself, when on
the Committee of Thirteen, was ready at all
times to compromise on the Critteaden PROPOSE
tion. | viii go further, and say that Mr.. TOOmbs
was also" e
No Republican or Southern Senator questioned
the truth of Mr.. Douglas assertion, which, in
deed, was a notorious fact to everybody in Wash
ington. Mr.. Breckinridge, a representative of
the extreme Southern sentiment, who had re-
ceived the vote of nearly all the Southern States
for President of the United States, wrote a letter
20 Governor Magoffn, in which he strongly advo-
Gated the adoption Of the Crittenden compromise.
Votes were taken in the Senate and House, which
showed the Southern members in n solid column
together with the Northern Democrats, to be in
favor Of that measure; but the opposition Of the
Republicans to it defeated it. Only few months
have passed since these memorable events, and
vet the belief in the extraordinary untruth that
Davis Toombs and the Southern men would not
accept of that compromise, pervades a large por-
ton of the community. The whole South, save
South Carolina, world have accepted the Critten-
den compromise
All the border slave States including Vil-
ginia, North Carolina. Tennessee and Arkansas
which have since seeded, would have accepted
the Border State Conference Report, or Mr.
Douglas COMPROMISE, or the Peace Conference
Report It Is written down in stern and inexora
BILE history that the Republicans in Congress
would not accept of these propositions. No.com
promise pas the faotto IN that quarter! They
would not even submit the question of eompro
mise TO direct vote Of the people of the UniteC
States. This proposition was made by Mr.. Crit
tenden himself, and was afterwards renew ed b,
Mr. Bigler, of Pennsylvania Had the people
voted uponit, we have no doubt they would hav,
accepted the Crittenden adjustment But the,
were denied the opportunity. They would no
even call National Convention to consider Ou
difficulties Ii is but just, i'm this connection, t.
say that President Lincoln, when he assumed tn.
robes of Office, after Congress had adjourned, die
make such a Recommendation. but Congress wa
not there practically to act upon it. Had tn,
Crittenden Compromise been adopted, not a Stat
would have been out Of the Union now, and ey
erything would have gone smoothly ans
peaceably. Had the other Compromises to which
we have alluded been accepted, the Southern re
bellion would have been confined tothe Cottor
States, and could have been quickly subdued.
Indeed il "a probable we should have had m
war, and that now we should have been in tn
midst of prosperous times. Never in the histor,
of the world was there greater and more fata
mistake than upon the part of those who rejecte'
these compromise All can see it nowl Tn
true and wise Union men We're oyerruled in thei
counsels, and loi what result has been produces
BY ignorance and folly. How ridiculous and alb
surd in the view Of history, of-reason, OF com
mon sense, is the pretension put forth by thos
who opposed these compromises, of being q
good or better Union men than those Of Us at tn
North who favored theml If they were for th
Union, Providence had not given them mucl
wisdom to act in It's behalf s FsE
Ii is only for the purpose Of vindicating tn
truth of history that we allude TO these reminis
ences, for the past is gone never to return, ant
westand prepared to act shoulder to shoulder witt
all those who labor for the restoration Of tn,
Union. without regard to past differences. w
are willing to cOncede to those who differ with a
honesty and patriotism, and will meet them nov
Americans, upon Union and Constitutions
grounds. IL is due to truth 10 say that we hav
seen no occasion to change our views of publ
policy. At the risk of offending fools and bigots
and Of being called traitors, We declare our will
ingness to accept the Crttenden Compromis
nor a. a panacea for ali our troubles. and we ar
satisfied that our national interests would be sub
served by it immediately-Cin. Eng