Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1861-01-25

obey. Be pleased, therefore, 10 make known
my acceptance Of the nomination go
Very respectfully,
''5f WILLIAM LUCAS.
10 JAMES BUCHANAN =
L will not apologize for addressing
YOU These are terrible times. We hear
from one side Of this extensive country, the
cry for war and destruction upon the other.
We hear the pulpit and their loyal and obe-
dent hocks denouncing the South; and the
Legislatures and the Governors of States
Ginning in, and offering the executive Gou.)
all their force to oyerrun and crush the South
for presumipg to defend their conceded rights
and interests against the aggrcssions offanat-
les and plunderers: and to.1o what they call
'.preserve the Union" | need not say to
YOU, the Union that arus is not 1t has tum-
bed peacefully to pieces; State after State
having seeded, and O. hers preparing to fol-.
low because they feel themselves insecure
under ancient obligations which for thirty
years have been disregarded, if not violently
broken. We hear an uproar, CHATTER, as If
OF arms, rs if preparing for war and strife, of
blood in our midst-at our very hearthstoncs
and We hear Uf 10 word, no voice potential,
offered to stay the agitated passions Of the as
sailants SO angrily expressed; or to soothe the
feelings of those who arGLcOOly, but resolutc-
" determined to defend the rights reserved
and secured to them under the Constitutions;
the instrument by which they, as States, del
e@ated all its power 10 the General Govern
ment, which, without that delegation, it did
not and would not exist-rightS which they
had and enjoyed before The confederacy COM
menced, aud long anterior to the formation Of
the Constitution.
The only peace Offering, the Crittenden
resolutions, we have seen superseded and laid
on the table, by set (Clark's) which, declare
that the Constitution needs no amendment,
consequently that the South has no rights in
the Territories, or to rendition blythe States
OF their fugitive slaves. To this, the enti.e
horrifying picture, your friends here, ofwhom
l have always been one, have seen you add
figure, as an additional counsellor, which
strikes them with an4uEement Ilease--sslls.ae-
calling OF that man Of blood, who in piping
times of peace, could not live BY the law, but
obtained subordinate military command,
whose sword hassince been his mcatand bread,
and garments also. If peace to a distracted
country was, or sto be preserved, could it be
done by that man? On you this dire response
bility rests. True, you have SO far been govern
ed by peaceful feelings possiblycounseis also.
| do not question your right OF action-do
not design to interfere, but would ask if there
is not two sides to. this question of secession
and occupancy Of the forts and public prop
erty. by the seeding States, presenting ques-
tivns more for negotiation ut this time than
for war? What period in this Christian and
civilized age, has seen one people commence
war upon another, at the moment an injury
is felt, and without first resOrting to Dipl0-
macy for settlement, if possible? Need ask
you to revert to history to see how the Gov
ernmeutat Washington has acted. The trea-
ty of peace and independence, defined our
boundaries The British held possession of
Fort Granville for many years, though clear
ly in our boundary and belonging tous. Did
we at any time attempt to collect customs
there, or go to war, or did we negotiate and
settle it, without war aud consequent destruc-
ton Of life and commerce? And at more !
recent period, in which you acquired much of
ment held possession of Astoria forfyears af-
ter the peace which succeeded the war of
1872. Did VIC collect customs there, OF at
tempt it, or make war on Great Britain for
Withholding our forts and towns, and collect
ing what ought to have been our customs g.
No, nothing of the kind. There was stron
nation, always armed to the teeth and ready
for war and for plumber, standing in our
front. No, we negotiated. There we're no
widows or orphans made or cities burned or
bombarded, or towns sacked and countries
plundered, by the mad passions of our pure
patriots.
Did we declare war against Great Britain
when the Leopard" in 1906, fred into and
took possession of the frigate chesapeake"
aud took from her crew several men Or
did we negotiate like pure detesters of blood
and carnage Possibly If that noble speci-
men of courage, Ashley of Ohio, had been
living and acting in those, days. he would
have had Capt. Humphreys shot for daring
to fire into our vessel. ~ b.
/ have seen stated that the Rev. Owen
Loyejoy, has offered a resolution to invest
Lieut., Gen. Scott with power over the militia
ry and naval forces. is itso? Have a care. /
In him you have not a Cincinnatus. Since
he assumed the sword, he has never for a
moment relinquished it for the plough.
Iswiu not say that secession is right--but
right or wrong, we haye.it to deal with. The
seceders are our brethren, and we yet don't
know to where secession may extend. We
can { deny that the Union created by the He
roes d, the Revolution, is not now in exists
ence; and, ] ask, what is to be done? Can
it be preserved the fancy pguage Of Black
Repub licanisml or be reconstructed on the