The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-10-05
wsr,h R.msmberInE.

the Republican party, as it was justly and
fairly expOunded by the Supreme Court,
has been the parent Of all our troubles.
IL that had been accepted and acquicsccd
in four years ago, as it should have been,
our country would not now he embroilcd
in frutracidal war. All the South asked
was that the compacts Of the ConStitu.
ton should be observed. Indeed, at the
meeting Of COn!rcSs, last December, she
offered to compromise on the most favor
able terms, to the North She offered to
stand to the Constitution, as she. always
had done, il it was to be a white mans
Government, but the Republican party
said no. They were for introducing the
higher law" doctrine-fOr pressing the
irrepresSible conflict" upon the country
for changing or revolutonizing our po-
litical system, under which we had lived
happily aud prOsperOnsly.
Greeley expressed their tue sentiments
when he declared that the "Chicago Plat
form was worth fifty Unions" Far the
Chicago Platform they were ready to
make any concessions, any sacrifices, but
they would make neither to preserve their
country from desolating war. They put
party above country, and to perpetuatr
their power they shrank not from tramp
ling upon the Constitution and provoking
hoStilitirs with the Southern States They
rejected "the Crittenden amendments :"
which would have quieted the apprehen.
SiOns Of the South and restored harmony,
and insisted upon carrying on the Govern
ment in conformity with the doctrines
enunciated in their Platform doctrines at
war with the institutions of tine South
and in gross violation of Constitutional
guarantees. mo more compromises
no backing down-yield not an inch
was echoed and re-echocd by the Repub
licans everywhere, and their representa-
tives in Congress, intimidatcd OF seduccd
by promises regardless Of their duty and
their oath, resolved to listen to no prOpo.
sitions for a settlement Of difficulties, no
matter how fair, reasonable aud honorable
they might be. The loyal Union men OF
the South and the conservative men Of
their own party implored them not to re.
ject all compromises, and at the same
time warned them that such rejection
would inevitably lead to a dissolution Of
the Union and civil war, but their ap-
peals and friendly warnings were unhced-
. ed. They had marked out line of policy
and resolved not to deviate from it, even
; to preserve the Union and prevent civil
war. These are well known facts, gath.
cred from Republican sources.
The Washington correspondent Of the
New York Esening Post, knowing the
feelings and views fthe Republican mem
bers Of Congress, under date of "Janua-
ry Z, 1851" wrote as follows:
"Compromise is diving daily. All outside
influences and appeals thus far have been
wasted, and Mr.. Weed, whU has been here q
day or two, returns without finding any Re
publican 10 Ggree NTH him"
Mr.. Weed had recommended them ia
concede little, to forget the Chicago
Platform for the present, and legislate foi
the country. Mr.. Weed replied to the
above intensely partisan and purely self
ish and sectional paragraph, as follows
Mark his language
" II the chances Of adjustment bv means o
which the Union men Of the Border States may
be encouraged and fortified, are dying daily,
| we have only TO express our renewed regrets
Or the Discrimination Of Republicans in Con
gresS TO entertain propositions 0f adjustment
there Is sufficient evidence in the report III tlIelI
proceedings. Lightly, hoW ever, as outside ap
peals may be regarded, we venture TO express
the opinion that, instead Of standing, as the
Repncticdn side Of (ongress hun done, for five
weeks. pdrrying proportions, there would have
been wisdom in assuming an affirmative atti
tude."
Mr.. Weed, one of the ablest champions
of the Republican party, and the bosom
friend Of Secretary Seward. justly throw,
the guilt of the present state of affairs up
on the Republican members of Congress
They are responsible, to use his owr
strong language, for 1.-The treasure anG
blood, the disaster and humiliation, thu
anguish and tears" which this war ha.
cost.