Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1861-02-22

| From the Burlington Hawk Eye
THE STATE OF THE NATION.
Letter From senator Grimes.
| wAsuixcroS. Jan. Is, 1861.
Ny DEAR Sir: Youf esteemed favor ofthe
nth inst. has reached me.
There appears to be very great misundcr
standing in the public mind as to the present
condition Of affairs at the Capital Of the ua-
ton, and especially in relation to the demands
Of the secessonsis upon the Union men or
the North. find that the impression pre-.
walls quite extensively that the "Crittenden
proposition" as it is called, is simply re-
establishment Of the Missouri Compromise
line. This is very far from the truth.
Mr.. Crittenden proposes to extend the line
Of 36 deg 30 min. through to the Pacific
ocean, and to agree by Constitutional provi-
sion to protect and defend slavery in all the
territory of the United States South Of that
line. Nor is this all. He now proposes that
this protection to Slarery shall be ertended to
all territory that may hereafter be acquired
South Of that line. The sum and substance
Of the whole matter is that we are asked; for
the sake Of peace, to surrender all of our
cherished ideas on the subject of slavery, and
to agree in effect, to provide slave code for
the Territories south of SO deg. 80 min., and
for the Mexican provinces as soon as they
shall be brought within our jurisdiction. Il
is demanded OF us that We shall consent to
, change the Constitution to q genuine pro-
slavery instrument, and to convert the gOyer-
ment into a great slave breeding, slayery-ex-
| tending empire, r
i Every man blessed with ordinary foresight
| must sec what would be the inevitable and.
almost immediate consequence of the adop.
ton OF this provision as part of the C0nstia
tuition. 1t would disclose itself to be the
Q very reverse Of measure Of peace. Raids
| would at once begin upon the provinces of
[ Mexico; war would ensue ; the annexation
of Sonora, chihuahua, Cohahuila, Nuevol-
con, Tamaulipas, and other provinces would
follow they would be converted, at tho in
stant of their acquisition, from free to slave
territories, and ultimately be admitted into
r the Union as slave States. Much as love
peace and seek to pursue it am not prepared
t to pay this price for it. Let no man in Iowa
G imagine for moment that the Crittenden
r proposition is for mere restoration of tho
r Compromise line of 1920. It il simply and
a truly the application of the Breckenridge plat
Y form to all territory now acquired or hereat.
Z: ter to be acquired south Of 36 deg 80 min,
0 and would result, if adopted, in the acquisi-
ton and admission of new Slave States for
d the ostensible purpose Of restoring what is
!, called the equilibrium, Of the sections. The
!. restoration of the Missouri Compromise line
Y has been offered to the dsunionsts and con
temptuously rejected. Their maxim is " rule
8 or ruin" .-. .. r..
n confess that I look with amazement M.
Il on the course of the Northern sympathisers
d with the disunionists. Six years ago they as
n sisted to break down compromise of thirty
e four years standing, and defend thier action
!, by what they claimed to be the right Of the
y people to determln for themselves what should
be the character Of their own domestic insti
tutions. There was much plausibility in
y their agreement. They made party creed
# fit. Now, after the lapse of six short years,
they have become so pro-slavery in their
;. opinions that they are willing to ignore the
n past and recognize and protect slavery in the
!, n very country which they boosted that thcif
"a "a own act had made free r,
!, There arc other provisions in the Critten
;. den resolutions which 70 my mind arc wholly
II inadmissibe, but let them pass. My objec-
d ton is to any compromise. will never con
% sent to compromises or the imposition ofterms
n upon me or the people represent under
d threats OF breaking up the government. l
n will mot give reasons under compulsion ~
a No surcr or more effectual way could be dc.
, vlsed for converting this into revolutionary
g government than the adoption Of compro-
mise expcdient at this time.
d Eight months ago the four political parties
d OF this country in their several conventions,
e announced certain abstract propositions in
:. their platforms which each believed to be
n true, and which, If acted upon, would in their
= opinion, most conduce to the prosperity of
"a lSh hnI Il. Al.
propositions was submitted to the people
, through the ballot boxes. One party was
. successful as either might have been but for
. the lack Of votes, and now one Of the van
e qulshed parties seeks to overthrow the gov
o ernment because they were not themselves
+ the victors, and will only consent to stay
,f their york Of demolition upon the condition
$ that we will agree to make their platform,
n which is abhorrcnt to us, part of the Con
:. sttution Of the country. After taking their
. chances for success and being defeated in a
: FAIR and manly contest, they now ask to
# overthrow the government under which they
n owe their allegiance. How rapidly are We
r following in the footsteps of the governments
+ Of Mexico and South America
do not believe that the public mind is
now in condition to calmly consider the
!. great questions involved In the amendments
# proposed. But suppose the people were
willing and anxious that such amendments
to the Constitution should be submitted to
themj suppose their adoption was not at
: tempted to be enforced by threats, can VIC
have any assurance that this is the last de-
8 mand TO be made upon us? Can we be certain
that Success in this instance will not " het the
o appetite for new concessions and new de-
] mands, and that similar threats Of secession
= and revolution will not succeed every future
= Presidential clecti0ne Will the demand for
new guarantees stop here Shall we not be
!. as liable to have our trade pAralyxed, our f.
nances deranged, our national flag insulted,
the public property wrcstcd from us and de-.
= stroyed, and the government itself over.
thrown four years hence, II we amend the
Constitution, as we should be If we now stand
firmly by our principles and uphold the au :
thority Of the government
$ The question before the country, il seems
to me, has assumed gigantic proportions 1t
has become SOYnpthinV ,nnre than az, ;oc,,o ,,,,