Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1861-06-13
Letter from S. A. Douglas.

The following letter was dictated by
the late Hon. Stephen A Douglas, when
upon his dying bed. 1t may be fifty
considered his last words to his country
men. Read it, and ponder well It's con-
! tents.
Chicago, May 10, 1861.
Ny Dear Sir: Being deprived of the use
OF my arms for the present by severe at
tack Of rheumatism, ] am compelled t. avail
myself Of the services Of an amanucnsis IN
reply t. your two letters.
1t seems tn some of my friends are una
bic to comprehend the difference between ar
guments used in favor of an equitable COM
promise, with the hope Of averting the bor-
rors of war and those urged in support of
the Government aud flag of our country,
when war is being waged against the United
States with the avowed purpose of producing
permanent disruption Of the Union and a
total destruction Of its government.
All hope of compromise with the Cotton
States was abandoned when they assumed
the position that the separation of the u
MON was complete and final, and that they
would never consent to reconstruction in
any cOntingency-not even if we would fur
nish them with blank sheet Of paper and
permit them to inscribe their own terms.
Still the hope was cherished that reasons
Lle and satisfactory terms OF adjustment could
be agreed upon with Tennessee, North Ca
rOliua, and the Border States and that what
ever terms would prove satisfactory to these
oval States would create a Union party in
the Cotton States which would be powerful
enough at the ballot-boX to destroy the Rev.
dictionary Government, and bring those
States back into the Union by the voice Of
their own people. This hope was cherished
bv Union men North and South, and was
never abandoned until actual war was levi
ed ut Charleston, and the authoritative an
uUunccmeut made by the Revolutionary Cow
eminent at Montgomery, that the Secession
flag should he planted upon the walls Of the
capitol at Washington and proclamation
issued inviting the pirates Of the world 10
prev upon the commerce Of the United
States.
These startling facts. taken in connection
with the noastful announcement that the nav
ages of war and carnage should be quickly
transferred from the cotton fields of the
S'uth 10 the "HehI Hsiuh anu CpIh hciNS W
the North, furnish conclusive evidence that
it was the fixed purpose OF the Sece3slonIstS
utterly to destroy the Government 81 our III
theirs and "blltrrate the United States from
the rap Of the world.
In view of this state Of facts there was hu'
one path OF duty lett to patriotic men. 1t
was not party questlsn. nor question m
volvln2 partisan policy; 1t was a question
of Government or 10 Government; c"untry
or no country; aud h"nce 1t became the i'm
pcrative duty Of every Union man, every
friend Of constitutional liberty, to rally t"I
the support OF our common country, It's Gov
ernmeut and tias,as the only meals Of check
lug tho progress OF revolution and OF presery-
iug the Union OF the States.
! am unable to answer your question III
respect to the policy OF Mr.. Linc"n and lis
Cabinet. am not III their eon'lte"e". a.
you and the whole country "uGht |" be n
ware. lam neither supporter OF the par
tsan policy nor the apulugiSt Tor the errors
Of the Administration. My previous rcla.
tons to them remain unchanged; hut trust