The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1861-05-09
4 Vivid POrtraitUre Of the Crisis.
letter frola EEon. s. e, Mills 10
GEae Editor OF sgae louisville
Democrat,
LANcAsI Err, Grant Co., Wis, I
April 25, 1861.


John H. Harmey, Esq, Editor Of tie Louisville
| Democrat
DEAR SIR.-I don't know that l should oft
ten have thought of you or you of me, did not
the present crisis bring all the past before the
mind. have now the TWO volumes OF Hutton S
Mathematics in which you studied at Paris,
when residing with my uncle whose memory
we both revere We have problem now that
Hutton himself could not solve. My graGdtath-
er educated you, al orphan, and yGu were a
| witness to the will by which he manumitted
his last slave and little did we think that his
| oft II peated declarations that slavery, if not
peaceably removed, would result i'll civil war,
and bloody strife, would be realized in
our day. But that day has come! Send me
your paper; write me a letter. The war spirit
has swept over the North like a whirlwind; tue
manufacturer, mechanic, farmer, all professions
all parties are changed into soldiers as if by
magic-as If the people here had never found
! their true element before. Such tornado, such
an upheaval exceeds even the elements i'll their
rage. The vast sweep of the vortex draws i'll
all classes, men gray haired, isping children,
all ages, both sexes We chrystalize into sol
diers as If that was the normal state and condi-
| ton of man. Not in the spirit of hate-on our
side, certainly no hatred, but accepting the dire
necessity, we 60 forth 10 maintain this govern
ment. The world has never seen such com
batants arrayed against each other such intel
| ligence, such infinite resources on both sides,
such personal courage and purpose, and mas
terry over the material world, welded by hu-
man genius to destroy instead OF save. A peace
able separation is utterly impossible Separa-
ton will not settle one OF the old questions but
open a thousand more aggravating sources of
strife. The southern contederacy is based OH
the principles of Force. Ii we prove an 'inferi-
or race to them, they will dictate peace to us
on this principle. Ii the contrary, they must
submit to the application of their dogma. Men
who, without prevocation, except defeat in an
election. when there were TO be other elections,
would destroy this government--men who re-
pudiate the ballot box--leave umpire be-
tween Us but the bayonet and the bullet. There
must be series OF great battles fought which
will settle the relative status OF the North and
South in reference to Force, and the conquer
ing party can then dictate peace. If we con
quer, we shall claim the same power over the
South that the Constitution now confers on the
government and no more; and the South may Ill !
she chooses, forego all the advantages of the
government. To protect trade and our cit |
izeus and collect revenue, we shall take and Oh
tain possession of all fortified places in her ter
rtory, and establish such other military posts |
as may be necessary to maintain order, defend |
Union men and all persons IN the free express |
sion of their opinions on the subject Of slavery |
Slavery must fall, says the n. Y. Herald, with |
the first great battle. If necessary to put out
the flames of war,we shall abolish it, in one or
all OF the Statess leaving it TO the Legislature,
the people and the press to determine what dis
position shall be made of the emancipatej class
es. Now do not think that the Northern peo-
pie would have made war against a separation
really peaceable. Had the people ofthe South
err States tolerated Northern speakers and
newspapers, allowed US to battle secession on
the stump, to point out to them the inevitable
destruction of their favorite institution, in the
event OF eparation, as we allowed them the 1
right offree speech i'll the North--( Yancey spoke
wherever he pleased last fall )-if after full
and free interchange Of opinion, the Southern
States had resolved to secede, strong party in
the North, headed by the n. Y. Tribune, would
say, let them go and try it alone they have
acted fairly and deliberately, and have not fore
stalled public opinion. An ant-war party would
have arisen in the North. Those anti-slayery
heresiee at which the South has WINGED are now
travelling there under cover OF the cannon and
bayonet. The two sections will understand (
each other better in six months than they have :
since the Revolution. War will establish that
equilibrium of opinion that discussion, because
it was gagged failed TO effec.. But it is boot
less to grIeve over the past the eYershadowing
present absorbs all our thoughts. What win
Kentucky do? As native of that State, !
feel trembling anxiety to know. The Jour
nal of your city says Kentucky will keep the
combatants apart. Hopeless alternative How
can Kentucky 90 this without fighting the ar
mics Of one or both the parties Will you at
tack United States forces going down the Ohio
River? Will you restrain your secessionists
from aiding JEFF. Davis? Can you expect that
volunteer regiments will be allowed to leave
your borders to aid either party, and yourselves
be exempt from the desolations of war on your |
own soil Ifrouted traitors hy to you, will you
give them refuge Win you fight an army