Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1861-10-09
SOMETHING FOR DEMOCRATS TO READ.

| SOMETHING FOR DEMOCRATS TO READ.
| A friend of Senator Douglas has handed to
the National Lntefligencer for publication CO.
py OF the following letter from him on the
state of the country
CHICAGO, Friday, May 10, 1861.
MY DEAR SIR Being deprived of the
OF my arms for the present by severe attack
OF rheumatism, | am compelled to avail myself
OF the services of an amanuepsis in reply to
your two letters.
seems that some Of my friends are anable to
comprehend the difference betweem arguments
used an faror Of an equitable compromise, rith
hope Of auertimg the horrors of ,car, and those
urged in support of the Government and the
flag of our country, tchen toar is being waged
against the United States toi the aroaued purpose
Of producing permanent disruption Of the
Union and total destruction Of its Government.
All hope of compromiSe with the Cotton
States was abandoned when they assumed the
position that the separation of the Union was
complete and final, and that they would never
consent to a reconstruction in any emergency
NOT euea If ,oe tUould furnish them Uih a blank
sheet of paper and permit them TO inscri6e their
terms.
Still the hope was cherished that reasonable
and satisfactory terms or adjustment could be
agreed upon with Tennessee, North Carolina
and the Border States, and that whatever terms
would prove satisfactory to these loyal States
d
States, which would be powerful enough at
the ballot box to destroy the Revolutionary
Government and bring those States back into
the Union by the voice of their own people.
This hope was cherished by Union men North
and South, and was never abandoned until war
was levied at Charleston and the authoritative
announcement made by the Revolutionary
Government at Montgomery, that the secession
flag should be planted upon the walls of the
Capitol at Washington, and proclamation is
sued iaUiting the pirates Of the tUOrid TO prey up
on the commerce Of the United STATES.
These startling facts, in connection with the
boastful announcement that the ravages of war
and carnage should be quickly transferred from
the cotton fields of the South to the wheat
fields of the North furnish conclusive evidence
that it was the ired purpose of the Secessiontsts
10 destroy the Government Of our Fathers and
obiiterate the United States from the map Of the
,oorld.
In view of this state of facts there 1caS but
one path of duty left 10 patriotic men. 1t was
not party question, nor question involving
partisan policy 1t lcGs question of G0Cern-
ment or no Government; country or no country;
and hence it is the imperative duty OF every
U Union man, every friend OF constitutional lib
erty, to rally to the support Of our'commom coun-
try, its Government and flag, as the only means
of checking the progress of revolution and of
preserving the Union of the States.
l am unable TO answer your questions in re-
spect to the policy of Mr.. Lincoln and Cabinet.
| am not in their confidence. as you and the
whole country ought to be aware. L am neith-
er the supportersof the partisan policy nor
the apologist of the Administration. My pre-
vious relations to them remain unchanged
but trust the time ,eilL neper come tchen shall
not be ,Uilling 10 make any needfut sacrifice of
personal feeling and party policy for The honor
and integrity of my country.
l know no mode in which loyal citizen
may SO well demonstrate his devotion to his
country as by sustaining the Flag, the ConSti-
tuition, and the Union, under all circumstances
and under every Administration, regardless Of
partg politics, against all assGiLdnfs, at home
abroad. The course of Clay and Webster to-
wards the Administration of jackson, in the
days of Modification, presents noble and
worthy example for all true patriots. At the
very moment when that fearful crisis was pre-
cipitated upon the country, partisan strife be-
tween Wings and Democrats was quite as bitter
and relentless as now between Democrats and
Republicans.
The gulf which separated party leaders in
those days was quite as broad and deep as that
which now separates the Dem mocracy from the
Republicans. But the moment an enemy rose
in our midst. plotting The dismenberment of the
Union and the destruction of the Government
the uoice Of partisan strife acas hWshed an patrt-
ofic silence. One of the brightest chapters in
the history of our country will record the fact
that during this eventtul period the great lead
ers of the Opposition, sinking The partisan in
the patriot, rushed to the support of the Gov
ernment, and became its ablest and bravest
defenders against all assailants until the con-
spiracy was crushed and abandoned, when
they resumed their former positions as party
leaders upon political issues.
With the sincere hope that these my con-
scIentious convictions may coincide with those
of my friends, am, very truly, yours,
STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS.
To Virgil Hickox, Esq, Chairman State Demo-
cratic Committee.