The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-01-04
The Crittenden Compromise.

The Republicans in Congress refuse to
accept the peace offering Of Senator GRIT
TENDEN and this determination is greeted
with favor by all the agitating editors and
aspiring politicians Of the party. There
can be no hope of the adoption of that
plan Of adjustment, or of any other, unless it
meets with the appreciation of large pro-
portion of the dominant party at the
North. The Republican leaders evidently
fear, that any backing down from their anti
slavery position, will demoralize and break
up their party; and hence they are deter.
mined to refuse all compromises and plans
of adjustment not based on the Chicago
platform. We believe, in effect, this is tan
tamount to submitting the differences be-
tween the sections to the arbitrament of
civil war, with all its calamities and hor-
rors, should Mr.. LINCOLN, as he undoubt-
eddy will, determine to coerce the citizens
of the seeding States. One of the most
unfortunate results of this refusal to listen
to any compromise, is the effect it will have
upon the border States, and the Union men
of the whole South. The CR1TTENDENs,
HoUsroNs, STEPHENS, GuTHR1Es, HILLS, and
other patriots who are now contending
against the secessionists, will be overwhelm-
ed their own arguments turned against
them and, it appears to us to be inevita-
bic, that every Southern State will follow
the example of South Carolina. How diff
ferent would be the result if the North
would strengthen the hands of the brave
men who are now contrasting the ground,
inch by inch, with the Secessionists? Union
parties would be formed, old differences for.
gotten, and as in 1888 and 1850, the revo-
lutionists would be put down, not by the
strong arm of the Federal Government, but
by the more peaceful and more potent
power of the ballot. And what would
South Carolina's acts of rebellion amount
to, unsupported by the sympathy and as
sistanee of the other Southern States. Her
action at present derives two thirds of its
consequence from the we'll grounded appre-
hension that it will be participated in, and
sustained to the last extremity, by united
South, if no measure of adjustment can be
agreed upon.
The question presented to the Republicans
of the North, at this time, may be very
briefly stated. 1t is whether they consider
disruption of the Union, the utter pros
tration of every business interest, North
and South, and the horrors of civil war,
evils which should be endured, in prefer
ence to abating one jot of their hostility to
the institution of slavery. And in solving
this question, let them reflect that in the
popular vote of the Union, there was q
majority of one million votes recorded
against the principles set forth in the
Chicago platform.
We believe the preservation of the
American Union is worthy the sacrifice of
a million of lives and billions of money.
Yet will this expenditure of blood and
treasure preserve it And admitting that
it would, cannot the great result be achieved
by other and better means; can it not be
done by compromise and Cancellation, and
by the abatement of small portion of our
sectional prejudices, and the exercise of a
broader charity towards an institution which
our Southern neighbors, through many gen.
erations, have been educated to regard as
social, political, and moral benefit.