Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1861-03-07

The Border States and the Union.

The Border States and the Union.
A great deal has been written about the
influence, that might have been eyerted by
the Border Slave States, in procuring con-
ccssiuns from the North, If they had united in
demanding them with the Gulf States. II
is thought by some. that united and defiant
South would soon have brought the North to
terms. We believe it a mistake founded
upon wrong conception Of the people of
the North They are as brave and high
minded as we are, as has been fully proven.
They are not disposed to grant any thing to
defiant armed demands and had that attitude
been assumed, the settlement tf our Official
ties would no doubt already lave cummen-
ced upon the battle field. As an exhibition
Of the reception of the position Of the Bor-
der States in the North, We give an editorial
from the New ork times one Of the ablest
of the Republican Journals. The editor
says:
The general reply to all propositions for
concilliatOn has been, we cannot compro-
mise with traitors 1t was assumed that the
whole South had resolved to repudate the
| General Government, and it seems useless rs
degrading to offer terms to men who had de-
cided in advence upon their rejection.
| This plea was not without force at the out
set of the secession movement. So long AS
there WAS no party in tno Southern States
nrcparcd to avow its devotion to the Union.
! It certainly did seem worse than idle TO dis
crss terms of compromise and Cancellation.
Bat the elections in the Border States have
changed all that First Virginia pronounced
her ,lesro to remain in the Union if she
could do SO with honor. Tennessee next de-
clarrd her devotion to the Union by an over
whcmins majority, and now Missouri adds
her voice to that Of her sister States. There
can be no doubt. therefore, that all the BOr
der States are in favor of preserving the
| Union, are determined to adhere to 1t against
all its enemies, and will, unless driven off by
uulriendly action. stand by the Government
in its efforts to maintain it,
These elections and the state OF Southern
sentiment which they reveal. present all en-
tireIy new basis for the action Of Congress.
They are entitled to attention and respect,
especially from the Republican party, which
is soon to assume all the responsibility of
conducting the government They certain.
| IS negative and nulliy utterly the plea that
there can be no compromise with traitors and
rebels. No one asks such Compromise
| The traitors and rebels, Vi the seeding States
rcpudia,e all thought of compromise or con-
citation. Nothing can SUIT them better than
the HibHlse's policy IF contempt aud coer-
cion. 1t serves their ends, by driving the
Border States into rebellion with them, and
! thus strengthening their Southern Conieleia-
ley.
| What we are asked to do is to mako COM
mon cause with our friends, in tho Border
Staies,-to invite them 20 Join lis, on common
ground, in sustaining the government and in
pcrpe:uatius the Union which our Fathers
formed. they ask at our hands no sacralice
Of princplc,-,hcy exact no terms inconsis-
tent with loyalty to our own CONVICTIONS
/ They simply ask that we will give them
guarantees for the truth of our declarations.
and take some steps to end the Teyri.urial
dispute which has been at the bottom OF
our sectional differences for the las, ten wears.
A declaration such as the house of Il .presen-
tatives has Just adopted almost unanimously
against interference with Slavery in the
States An Enabling act for New Mexico
which will settle the whole controversy con-
corning Slavery in the Territories, without
violating any principle OF the Chicago Flat
form, and some provision concerning the fu-
ture acquisition of terrtory,-these points,
frankly proclaimed by the Republican Party
aud made the basis of their action, would
create A nl..fnr,u nm which ors,,, R,r{<r