Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1861-02-08
The State OF the Nation.
Letter from Senator Grimes.


WARRINGTON, Jan. 70, 1861.
My DEAR SIR Your esteemed favor of
The 18th inst has reached me.
There appears to be general misunder-
standing in the public mind as to the present
of affairs at the Capital of the ma
lion, and especially in relation to the de-
mands Of the disunionists upon the Union
men of the North. | find that the impress
sion prevails quite extensively that the "Orit-
tenden proposion," as it is called, is simply
q re-establishment of the Missouri compro-
mise line. This is very far from the truth.
Mr.. Orittenden proposes to extend the
lines of $50 30 through to the Pacific ocean,
and to agree by Constitutional provision to
protect and defend slavery in all of the
line. Nor Is this all. He no,o proposes that
this protection to Slavery shall be ertended
to all Territory that may hereafter be ac
CURED South Of that lime. The sum and
substance of the whole matter is that we are
asked for the sake of peace, to surrender all
of our cherished ideas on the subject of
slavery, and agree, in effect, to provide a
slave code for the Territories south of $50
3V. and for the Mexican provinces as soon
as they shall be brought within our jurisdic-
ton. 1t is demanded of us that We shall
consent to change the Constitution into q
genuine pro-slavery instrument, and to
convert the government into great slave
breeding, slavery extending empire
Every man blessed with ordinary foresight
must see what would be the inevitable and
almost immediate consequence of the adop-
ton Of this provision as part Of the Con
stitution. 1t would disclose itself to be the
very reverse OF measure of peace. Raids
would at once begin upon the provinces Of
Mexico war would eusue the annexation
Of Sonora, chihuahua, Cohahuila, Nueval-
con, Tamaulipas and other provinces would
follow they would be converted, at the in
slant Of their acquisition, from free into
slaye Territories, and ultimately be admitted
into the Union as slave States. Much as
love peace and seek to pursue it am not
prepared to pay this price for it. Let no
man in Iowa imagine for u moment that the
Crittenden proposition is for the mere resto-
ration Of the Compromise line of 1920. 1t is
simply and truly the application of the
Breckenridge platform to all Territory now
acquired or hereafter to be acquired south OF
SO 3O>, and would result, if adopted, in the
acquisition and adoption eff new Slave States
for the ostensible purpose Of restoring what
is called the equilibrium of the sections. The
restoration of the Missouri Compromise line
has been offered to the disunionists and con-
temptuously rejected. Their maxim is "rule
or ruin"
confess that look with amazement upon
the course of Northern sympathizers with
the disunionists. Six year ago they sssisted
to break down compromise of thirty four
years standing, and defended their action by
what they claimed to be the right Of the
people to determine for themselves what
should be the character of their domestic
institutions. There was much plausibility
in their argument. They made a party creed
OF it. Now, after the lapse of six short
years, they have became so pro-slavesy in
their opinions that they are willingto ignore
the past and recognize and protect slavery
in the very country which they boosted that
their own act had made free.
There are other provisions in the Critten-
den resolutions which tony mind are wholly
inadmissable, but let them pass. My objec.
ton is to any compromise. | will never
consent 10 compromises or to the imposition
of terms upon me or the people represent
under threats Of breaking up the Government
| will mot give reasons under compulsion."
No surer or more effectual way could be de-
vised for converting this into revolutionary
Government than the adoption of q compro.
mise expedient at this tine.
Eight months ago the four political par
ties of this country, IA their several Conven-
tons, announced certain abstract propositions
in their platforms which each believed to be
true, aud which, if acted upon, would in
their opinions, most conduce to the prosper.
ity Of the whole country. The issues of
these propositions was submitted to the
people through the ballot boxes. One party
was successful, as either might have been
but for the lack of votes, and now one of the
parties seeks to overthrow the
Government because they were not tn cmselves
the victors, and will only consent to stay
their work of demolition upon the condition
that we will agree to make their platform,
which is abhorrent to US, q part of the Con
sttution of the country. After taking their
chances for success and being defeated in a
fair and manly contest, they now seek to
overthrow the Government under which they
i've and to which they owe allegiance How
rapidly are we following in the footsteps of
The Governments Of Mexico and South
America
l do not believe that the public mind is
now in a condition to calmly consider the
great questions involved in the amendments
proposed. But suppose the people were
wiling and anxious that such amendments
% the Constitution should be submitted to
hem; suppose they were in proper frame
If mind to weigh them and decide upon
heir adoption, suppose their adoption was
not attempted to be enforced by threats. can
We have any assurance that this is the last
lemand to be made upon us? Can we be
certain that success in this instance will not
yhet the appetite for new concessions and
lew demands, and that similar threats of
secession and revolution will not succeed
every future Presidential election? Will the
temand for new guarantees stop here? Shall
We not be as liable to have our trade paral-
red, our finances deranged, our National
lag insulted, the public property wrested
rom us and destroyed, and the Government
tself overthrow four years hence, if we
Imend the Constitution, rs we should be if
We now stand firmly by our principles and |
uphold the authority of the Government
The question before the country, it seems |
o me, has assumed gigantic proportions. 1t |
100 cSSonhO coh0thhh6 hiOtS 6ubA du Issue |
IN the slavery question growing out of the |
construction of the Constitution. The issue
low before us is whether we have q country
whether or not this is nation. Is this u
Government which Florida, with $4,000 peo-
lie, can destroy by resolving herself out of
he Union and Selling the forts and arsenals
within her borders? That is the question
presented for our decision. Can a great and
nation of 100000 of people be
destroyed by an act of secession of some of
is members? Florida and her sister revo-
utionary States answer in the affirmative.
We deny it. They undertake to act upon
heir professed belief, and secede, or, as l
ERIN it, rebel against the Government. While
hey are in this attitude Of rebellion, COM
romise is presented to us for adoption by
which it is proposed, not to punish the rebel
ious States, but to entice them back into
he Union. Who does not see that by
dopting these compromise propositions we
acitlv recooniZa the rivht If these Statos to |