The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1861-06-21
Testimony Of Hon. J. Holt, late Sec
rotary of War.
3w25

rotary of War.
Our neighbOr of the Democrat very much
mistakes us If he suppOses that wo propose
to allow his declarations fayoring treason
and rebellion, and his support of the South
ern thieves and robbers to 80 unrebuked.
His secession friends at the South now claim
him for their friend, and with good reason,
and il is our intention to do him justice by
giving him the benefit of his associations
with traitors. While We do not propose to
make personal replies to personal questions,
we do mean, as heretofore, to point out glar-
ing mistakes which are made in his paper in
matters Of history, to notice his misrepresen-
tations of the principles and objects of the
Republican party and to comment on his as
sertion Of false principles.
We have read, with more than ordinary
careiullness the articles published in the
three last numbers of the Democrat, headed
4" the American system OF government" and
have waited most patiently Tor the develope-
ment of the pIsn by which the Democrat
was to save the country. We have waded
through some twelve columns Of lrreyelent
quotations Of scripture, unmeaninS plati-
tudcs. and strange jumbles of truth and er-
ror, and found at last that the way the Dem
ocrlt has discovered to settle this national
trouble is to give the South just what they
ask, remodel the government to suit the Sc
ccdcrs, and they will return to their allegi-
ance. Compromises have been potential in
days past, says the Democrat, and lot us COM
promise again. This is the panacca. Now
it will DO perfectly safe to affirm with
Gen. Butler that Z" the day Of compromises
is past" and that nothing short OF the com.
pletc submission Of the seeded states to the
cot stitutiou and the laws will be received.
During the session of the last Congress, us
every ono who is conyersant with the events
that have transpircd knows, every effort
that men could reasonably make was made
by the Republicans there to conciliatc the
practical settlement Of the whole subject
Of the controversy was offered in the plan Of
Mr.. Adams, and the Republicans,!de sirous Of
ayertins, if possible, civil war, did propose
the holding of National Convention, and
passed through both houses a proposition so
to amend the Constitution US to forbid Con-
gress from ever emancipatins the slaves in
the slave states. When the Democrat as
serts that &" the representatives OF the North
ern party would make no compromise" it
mistates history. 1t says:
"But the representatives Of the new party
the Northern party-while admitting that the
fears and distrusi Of the Southern people in
regard to the new administration and its party
were real, enough groundleSs they alleSed)
would give no assurances would make no
cONPRONIsE-to allay those fears and secure
the assent of the Southern people to the admin
istration Of the new Northern party"
The statement made in the Democrat is
not attributable to ignorance it arises from
malvolent disposition to misreprescnt the
Republican party. We do not expec, to
convince its editor of his error, but We can
convict him Of falsehoOd, and this too in the
testimony Of witnesses not Republican.
Hear Hon. FL. Eyeaett. He says in q re-
cent letter:
'After the Cotton States had seeded, and,
although that circumstance greatly increased
the difficulty of compromise, measures were
nevertheless adopted or proposed in Congress.
which must have removed all sincere alarm on
the part OF the South, that their constitutional
rights were threatened. The accredited leaders
Of the Republican party, including the Presi-
dent elect, uniformly pledged themselves to
that effect. The two Houses, by a constitution
al majority, pledged themselves in like manner
against any future amendment Of the Consti-
tuition violating the rights of the South.
member from Massachusetts, MIR. Adams) pos
seSsing the entire confidence of the incoming
administration, proposed TO admit New Mexico
as State, and three new territories were orga-
niIed without any anti-slavery restriction
While tins was done in Congress, the States re-
pealed or modified the laws throwing obstacles
IN the way Of recovering fugitive slaves
which have never been Of any practical injury
10 the Cotton States. These concliatOry DEM
onstrations hal no eject in staying the pro-
cress OF secession, because the leaders OF that
revolution were determined not TO be satisfied;
and TO maintain their policy, which in the light
of the Constitution Is simply rebellion and
treason. they have appealed to the sword"
We were in Washington very large por-
ton Of the time from the commencement to
the end Of the last session Of Congress, and
some time after the Inauguration Of Mr..
Lincoln, were coguizant Of the passage OF
these conciliatory measures to which Mr..
Everett refers. and INDUCED hope that
they would be instrumental in promoting
peace.
Hon. j. Holt, Mr.. Buchanan's last sccre-
tary Of War, and a Democrat, not Of the
class to which the editor Of the Democrat be
longs. also says in aletter dated May 81, to a
friend in Louisville.
''For more than month AFTER the inaugura-
ton Of President Lincoln, the manifestations
seemcl unequiyocal that his administration
would seek a peaceful solution of our unhappy
political troubles, and would look 10 time and
amendments 10 the Federal Constitution, adopt
ell In accordance with its provisions, to bring
back the reyOlted State to their allegiance. So
marked was the effect Of these manifestations
n tranquiliIing the border States, and in re
,ssuring their loyalty, that the conspirators
sho had set this revolution on foot took the
darm. While affecting TO despise these States
5 not sufficiently intensified in their devotion