The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-03-07

dred thousand. Sir, if this Union can
only be preserved by concessions Of
principle from majorities to minorities,
then it is Union not worth preserving.
Ii we are to recognize the doctrine that
minority may demand terms and OBJ
tam them, as the condition of their 10y.
atty, then, the sooner this Uniou is dis
solved the better. If freemen are to
make humiliating concessions in return
for the privilege of enjoying what at
the ballot-box they have fairly won,
then we have Government better
suited for some other miridian-a Gov.
eminent too imbecile to command re.
spect, and certainly worthy Of no saeri.
fees to preserve. Eg iiT ,fi Z
1t may be answered that we are not
asked to concede to that extent that
we are not required to surren.
der any principle as the price for
peace; but / find that one idea per-
vades all propositions for compromise,
and that is the surrender to slavery Of
the territory south of the line of $50
80. It is done either directly and
openly, in express terms, by constitu.
tional amendment, or it is accomplished
covertly and indirectly, by the admis.
sion of New Mexico as a State. It
implies recognition and extension of
the institution of slavery; it gives it
new guarantees and additional strength.
If it does not do it, then it is useless
as a measure of compromise and just
so far as it does it, it is surrender Of
a popular judgment, carefully matured
and legally rendered. r
There are other objections, in my
mind, to a compromise. If one is de.
sirable, this, at any rate, is not the
time to think of it. Six States have,
already raised the standard of rebel.s
lion; they have separated from the
brotherhood, SO far as any acts of their
own could effect separation. They
moreover delcare the separation to be
final; they have closed the door of re-
conciliation; they declare, alike by
word and deed, that they desire none.
To them the offer of compromise is, on
our part, an. Unnecessary humiliation
Even if it were not SO, the offer to
treat with men who have iusulted our
flag, and taken possession of 6ar prop
erty, would only entail disgrace and
shame. A change of policy at the be.
hest of armed insurgents would de.
moralize and weaken any Government.
1t would be not only a confession Of
utter weakness, but it would be pre-.
MUM offered to men who wear the liv.
cry of treason, and encouraging others
to assume it. But l am appealed to,
not in behalf of the seeded States,
but in behalf of the border slave States.
Sir, there are gallant men fighting the
battles of the Union there, and / would
do much, aud yield much to strengthen
their hands; but l cannot, after all
lconceal from my eyes the fact that the
position of large majority of the peo.
pie of some border States is one of con.
tingent loyalty they hold their fealty
to this Union as thing to be secured
by constitutional amendments, or con,
gressional legislation. And where loy.
atty is in the market, /, like the gentle.
man from New York Mr.. Conkling, do
not want the Government to be bidder,
Moreover, we, after all, treat with the
Gulf States through the mediation Of
the border States. The legislatures
of North Carolina, Virginia. and Ken.
lucky, declare that they must have new
guarantees for slavery, for the purpose
: of insuring their own allegiance, and
in the hope that movement will be
inaugurated which will bring back the
seeded States. Moreover, these boFs
der States announce to us in advance,
that no force must be used by the Gen.
eral Government to collect its revenus,
or maintain its authority ip the revolted
States. When the hour comes in which
the strength of this Government is to
be tried, then we are told that the CONS
} mon interests of the slave States lead
to common cause and a common dess
tiny. -
i am asked to Join ia . declaration
that the Republican party meditates
J no invasion of the rights Of sovereign
States; and that it especially eonfem.
} plates no interference with the relation
: of master and slave where the relation
exists under the sanction of State lays.
| am told that declaration of that pa-
J ture will do much to disabnse the pub.
: lie mind in the southern States: and
that it will be an effective agency in
; the work of coneiiiatioE. Sir. il an
impression of that nature prevails 10 any
part of the Republic, it is because mea
are unable or unwilling to examine the
creed which the Republican party has
: avowed to the world. If any man, to-
} day, labors under the delnsioa th at tba
Republican party meditates interfer.
ence with slavery in the States, 1T is be-
J cause that man has believed the siap-
: ders of its encmies ia preference TO the
statements of its friends; and it bsst
: becomes the men who have circulated
falsehoods for partizan ends now to re-
! tract them, if the welfare of eommoa
country is hazarded by their iuAueaee.
, The appeal should be made to our pc.
litical opponents; because, II any mis-
, apprehension on this ssbjeet EXISTS. Il
, is the result of their reckless and
greandIess assertions in the effort t.
manafaetare political capital. and they
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