The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-02-13

sire to take revenge on the Republicans first,
that you may enjoy its sweets before set
tlement can be agreed on?
ask again, can you expect that the mass
es Of freemen from eighteen States of this
confederacy, having legally elected their can
didate for the Presidency on distinct an
nounccment of principles, upon, which issue
was Joined, will submit to humliatins terms
as conditions precedent to the transfer Of the
reins of government to their hands? They
would be unworthy Of the rights of freemen
if they would consent to suooa disgrace. |
announce to you distinctly that, in my SOL
emn conviction, you cannot extort a surren-
der of one hairs breadth Of principle from
the Republican party in advance of the inau-
guration of Mr.. Lincoln. They have demand
ed at your hands nothing that is wrong, and
they will submit to no wrong and no humil
iation.
Now, it is for you to say whether you pre-
fer peaceable adjustment that does not in
volve surrender of principle on your part
nor on ours, or whether you prefer the ar
bitraments of arms. Nobody on this side Of
the Chamber has threatened, as was errone-
ously charged to-day, such a conflict. Sew
eral Senator's have expressed their great and
abiding fear that that would be the result of
secession movements at the South at this
crssis in our public affairs. They have fears
say, that you will plunge this country into
civil war, and drench its plains with frater-
nal blood, through the madness ofyour cha
grin over political defeat at the polls
Southern Senators have spoken of the mil
itary resources which their section can COM
mand for the conflict, and their powers of
nrotracted resistance and aggression; they
have intimated that such war would be
| long and bloody, and mutually disastrous.
1t would be fearful and terrible. doubt not;
but it would be very brief. ! say it would
be very brief and challenge your atten-
ton to history for the truth Of the assertion.
The time has been, Mr.. President, when war
merely involved conflict between animal
forces. That time bas past. Your struggle
for independence involved you in a war Of
seven or eight years. The world has changed
since then. Mind controls. .. .-.--.
Senator's have said here that cotton is king
No, sir; in this kind Of contest science is
king and warlike elements, are his vassals.
Why, sir, your war with Mexico lasted but
year. You subjugated her ten million
people in single year. The contest between
the Russians, powerful empire, on the one
hand, and the English and French on the
other at the Crimea, lasted but two summers
A conflict between the French and Austrians
more recently where half million ofcombat-
ants were narshaled on the plains against
each other, was determined in three months
Since then, we were told that the States of
Italy were about to be plunged into sea of
blood and the steamer brought the news
that reace had been restored, and new en-
pire founded. The English and French as
sail the Celestial Empire, with population
or three hnnIrnd million and untold wealth
and in few weeks they dictate peace in the
palace of the vanquished Emperor.
1t has been said that there is eloquence in
facts; and perhaps it would be well for
statesmen to look to their logic in an argu-
ment on question so grave as this 4
contest, l repeat, between these States
highly cultivated, highly enlightened, with
immense power on either hand-would be 2
terrible and fearful conflict. 1t would be
soon over, and at less expense of money
than the merchants of our great cities have
suffered during the last few months of your
sectional agitation.
Nor will your threatened or actual seces-
sion, as stroke of diplomacy, terminate
any more favorably. That seems to be the
policy of the Senator from Virginia, as sug-
gested to-day-break up this Government,
dissolve it into its original elements, and re-
construct it on such plan as will enable the
minority to govern. Will the people who
have voted for the honorable Senator from
Illinois, and the candidate of the Republican
party, accede 70 terms like these Do you
hope for it ? As it seems to me, no PROPOSE
ton could be more absurd. Should you
secede temporarily for the purpose ofrecon-
structing the Federal Government on amend
ments, as suggested from any Senator on
that side of the Chamber, embracing as q
part ofits provisions the Breckenridge plat
form, or the Senate resolutions of the last
session, (bcing almost literal transcript OF
the Calhoun resolutions of 1889 this new
Confederacy will never embrace one of the
free States-not one. Perhaps you do not
desire New England infer, from intima-
tions that have heard outside Of this Cham
Der, that you would be willing to have her
sloughed off, and form new Confederacy
with the middle and northwestern States,
in which you would have fifteen slave States,
and we would have twelve free States thus
giving you the power to dominate over us ;
or, as the Senator from Alabama would say,
to enable you to rule us. Do you suppose
that the people of those twelve States are SO
obtuse as to engage in any alliance for the
avowed purpose of giving you the power
to control them, and coerce them into the
adoption of the policy which they have so
recently condemned ? 1t was to get rid Of
your domination, which has prevailed so
Al