The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1861-06-14
Letter from Mr.. vsllandighamu,..

To Messrs. Richard II lfendrieksopIiN
= q. 0glesby, John Mcclellan, Nm. s.
II WillSe, Simon Goldman. Jas. G., LINN
q mis-, d. H. Peck, j. +. Hand, John II.
:. Jones, A. G. Glendenning. II. p. Cough.
J.tC. FAIRIES, and w. ". .Settell, Md
dletown, Ohio. I aN l.i91a ri
GENTLEMEN: Yours of the Sth inst re,
/ questing my opinion upon certain points
connected with what you justly style the
present "inglorious, and Il may be,
bloody war has been received. That
opinion Was long since formed. and was
repeatedly set fortl: through the press or
by my speeches and vote in the House OF
Representatives last winter, and re-af-
iirmed in a card dated the Ftb OF last
month, few days after the commence
ment of the war. But inasniueh as !
never had occasion to discuss this partic-
ular question at length. beg leave to
adopt the following admirable summary
of the case in an extract from careful
ly prepared and exceedingly able speech
of the Hon. Stephen a. Douglas, in the
Senate of the = United States, March
/ 10Th, 1861; s rIr1 .s7r. q. p'i f,
j II prefer such an nmicable settlement
topeaeeablea disunion: and | prefer il a
| thousand times to civil war. IL we can
| adopt such amendments as will be salts
factory to Virginia, North Carolina, Ten
nessee and the other border States, the
same plan of pacification which willsa
fy them will create Union party in the
Cotton States which will soon embrace a
large majority of the people of those
States, and bring them back of their own
free will and accord; and thus restore,
strengthen, and perpetuate the glorious
old Union forever. ] repeat, whatever
guarantees will satisfy Maryland and the
border States (the States now in the
| Union,) will create Union party in the
seeded States that will bring them back
by the voluntary action ofther own peo-
pie. You can restore and preserve the
government in that mode. You can do
it in no other. .t,'' ,--,
"IHn is tfSnmiOn. War is final, eternal
separation. Hence, disguise it as you
may, every Union man in America must
advocate such amendments to the Con-
stitution as will preserve peace and re-
store the Union; while every disunionists,
whether openly or secretly plotting its
destruction, is the advocate of peace
full secession, or of war, as the surest
means of rendering reunion and recon-
structlon impossible. | have too much
respect for his intellect TO believe, for one
moment, that there is man for war who
is not dsunionist per Sc. Hence do
not mean, if can prevent it, that the
enemies of the Union-men plotting to
destroy it--shall drag this country into
war, under the PRErExr of protecting the
public property, and enforcing the laws,
and collecting revenues, when their OBJ
Ject is disunion, and war the means OF
accomplishing cherished purpose.
"The DIsUNIoNIsTs, therefore, are divi- |
ded into two classes: me one open, the
other secret disunionists. The one is in
favor Of peaceful secession and recog- |
milton ofiudependence; ChS other is in la- I
vor of war as the surest means Of accom- !
plishing the object, and of making the |
separation final and eteana. | am
Union man, and hence against war; but |
if the Union must be temporarily broken
by revolution, and the establishment of |
a de factO government by some of the
States, let no act be done that will pre-
vent restoration and future preservation.
Peace is the only policy that can lead to
that result. ~
but we are told, and we hear it re-
peated everywhere, that we must find out
whether we have got Government
Have we Government is the question,
and we are told we must test that ques-
ton by using military power to put down
all discontented spirits. Sir, this ques-
tion-'have we Government?-has been
propounded by every tyrant who has
tried to keep his feet on the necks of
the people since the world began. When
the barons demanded Magma Charta from
King John at Runneymede, he exclaim-
ed, have we Government?' and called |
for his army to put down the discontentcd |
barons. When Charles |. attempted to
collect the ships money in violation of
the Constitution of England and in dis
regarding the right of the people, and
was resisted by them, he exclaimed,
have we q government We cannot |
treat with rebels; put down the traitors;
we must show that we have Govern
ment.' When James II. was driven
from the throne of England for tram. /,
ping on the liberties Of the roople, he.
called for his army, and exclaimed. let
us show that we have Goycrnment.'-
When George H. called upon his army
to pnt down rebellion in America, Lord |
North cried out Justify no compromise
with traitors; let us demonstrate that we
have q Government When, in IS4S,
the people rose upon their tyrants all |
over Europe, and demanded guarantees
for their rights, every crowned head ex-
claimed, have we Government and \
appealed to The army to vndicate their |
authority and enforce the law
"Sr, the history of the world does not
fail to condemn the folly, weakness, and |
wickedness OF that Government which |
drew its sword upon its own people when
they demanded guarantees for their rigib. |
This cry, that we must have a government, |
is merely following the example of the |
bcsotted Bourbon, who never learned |
anything by misfortune, never forgave an
injury, never forgot an uffront. Must we |
demonstrate that we have got n Govern |
meni. and coerce obedience without re |
ference to the justice or injustice of the |
complaints? Sir, whenever ten million |
people proclaim to you, with one unani-
nous voice, that they apprehend their
rights, their fresides, and their family
altois are in danger, it becomes u wise
government to listen to the appeal, and
to remove the apprehension. History
does not record an example where any
human government has been strong
enough TO crush ten millions Of people
into subiection when they believed their
rights and liberties were imperiled, with
out first converting the government itself
into despoiism, and destroying the last
yestige Of freedom"
These were the sentimcntso Of the Demo-
cratic party, Of the Constitutional Union
party, and OF large majority Of the Re-
publican presses and party, onlysi weeks
ago. They were mine: | voted them re
peatedly along with every Democrat and
Union man in the House. have seen
nothing 10 change. much 10 confirm them