The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-02-22
A Ray Of Light from AMI Unexpected
Quarter.

Quarter.
About the most sensible article the Press
has yet published, on the subject Of the
secession trou bles, which LINCoLNs election
has brought upon the country, is that which
appeared in its issue of Sunday, in the shape
of Washington letter. 1t IS currently re-
ported that it indicates the views of Messrs.
WILKINSON, WINDOW, and ALDR1oH, if it
does not owe its authorship to the first
named of these gentlemen. Although we
cannot endorse all the statements contained
in the letter, or the conclusions reached,
yet we commend its spirit-its advocacy of
compromise and Cancellation, and its evident
opposition to anything like armed coercion
of the seeding States, as impracticable,
and involving the direful consequences of
protracted civil war. The writer truthfulIy
states that the Press, and the people whose
views it represents, have no just concep-
tion of the real danger" and adds:
There are thousand facts and influences
which are seen and felt here, of which people
at distance have no idea, and hence cannot
realize. 1t is so easy for men to plant them.
selves upon their ideas of what they like to haze
done, rather than what can be done, and to in
sist upon the application of abstract principles
without reference to the attendant circumstan-
ces. that it is difficult to make them realize the
true state of affairs.
This has been the great trouble. The
people have been taught to believe that the
revolution at the South was the work of
few politicians, and that it would not retain,
and had not, many said, the sympathy and
approval of the people. The opposite of
this is the case, and our delegation at the
capital are in position to appreciate the
fact. In the cotton States the disunion
feeling is rampant and unanimous, and the
Border States have only been saved from
immediate secession, by hopes of such an
adjustment as would efectually guarantee
their rights, and bring back the seeding
States. The Press letter writer conceds this,
in the following extract:
Still, we must not deceive ourselves by this
apparent victory Tin Tennessee and Virginia)
nor lose its practical fruits by too hasty action,
or by refusing now to grant what the border
States ask. In fact, it was only upon the as
surance that this should be granted them that
this result was obtained. Had the people of
Virginia been satisfied that no concession
would be made by the North, the disunon
ticket would have been overwhelmingly elect
ed, and as it is, the Union men are such only
on the condition that their reasonable requests
should be complied with. So too of the Union
men OF the other border states. And the real
question now is, whether the North will con-
sent to such an arrangement as shall satisfy
the border States, and retain them within the
Union, or by refusing to do this, let them 60
with the seeding States; for no matter whether
justifable not such, in that eUent, ,oH be their
action. OF course, no one thinks of trying to
pacify the seeding States, by any sort Of a
compromise.
The writer opposes the CRITTENDEN COM
promise, on the ground that it guarantees
slavery in all territory to be hereafter &C.
quired. He thinks that Senator R1cE's
plan, as recently modified. promises most,
because it puts an end to the whole SUBJ
ject of slavery agitation, and removes it now
and forever, from the halls of Congress-
1t has the approval, the correspondent un-
derstands, of SEWARD, SHERMAN, CoRwIN,
ADAMS, and others.
But here is an extract, to which we invite
particular attention. For advancing the
same sentiments, the Press has glibly accused
US of sympathizing with "trators, ""rebels,"
&c.
Men may talk as much as they please about
not cOnceding-nOt cOmprOmising--bac
down. and all this sort of thing, but l tell you
that the men who talk thus, do not understand
the facts in the case, nor realize the real danger
we are in. I give it as my deliberate opinion,
and settled conviction, that there ,ciN be either
compromise or dissolution. I am well aware
that this will excite q smile of derision on many
faces, and secure for me all sorts of denuncia.
ton, as 'dough-face "-wantng shack bone"
being "weak in the knees" &c; but this
does not change the facts Of the case, nor will it
divert the danger which threatens. My own
opinion is, that we shall have a compromise,
with which the border States will be satisfied..-
that then most of the seeding States will re-
turn, leaving Sonth Carolina, and perhaps one
or two others to fight it out alone. What the
result will then be, no one can doubt, they must
yield.
Republicans of Minnesota, the alterna-
tlves are here presented. Compromise, or
a dissolution of the Union, with the added
horrors of civil war, is before you!
On the subject of the subjugation of the
seeding States the Press correspondent
states -
In this review or statement of affairs, have
purposely avoided the subject of armed coer-
cion, because. while admitting fully the power
and ability of the North to subjugate even the
entire South. still we may not shut our eyes to
the fact that in the present state of affairs, any
such attempt would inevitably result in civil
war, such as the world never witnessed.
A very prominent Minnesota merchant writes
me that his business has fallen off one-half, in
consequence of political dficuties-that the
prices of grain are greatly reduced, and but
very few buyers at that. If the talk of dis.
solution and war have produced this result al
ready, what will the reality bring?
Who can estimate the destruction of life,
peace, prosperity, personal and national wealth,
that would result from such war? And who
can tell where, when, and how it would end
These are questions which men ought to con-
slider well before rushing headlong into war.