The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1861-08-15
.. Waereas. The present war could an

"WRerras The present war could and
ouqh, to have been avoided by compro-
mise. and would have been, had not the
Republican party defeated every measure
offered BY the democracy 10 secure
a peaceable solution Of our sectional tTouo-
les" &c,--I Democratic Resolutions
The above embodies the greater part OF
the anti war argument now urged before
the people. We give it notice not because
it deserves it, not Lecauss those who
peuned the resolution did not know it
false, but because Of its frequent use. OF
It's tendency to mi0'ead such as have been
denied through the perversenes9, obsiina:
cy and treason oil its authors, an oPportu'
nity to know tie facts
Isl. We would premise by saying that
"hs democracy" never ''c6ered any com
vron,ise measure" never proposed any
terms Of settlement The only PROPOSE
tious that were ever made. were, lst the
Criuenden (Ame-ican) Compromise, the
Corwin, Republican, the Adams, (Re-
publican the Sherman, (Republican' }
The Border State, which WAS never OF
fered in the House, and which Mr.. Crit
tenden refused to substitute for his ard
the Peace Conference propositions.
Now let us eec how much truth there
is in the declaration that "the Republican
party defeated every measure offered to
seaure peaceablo solution Of our tIoub-
les"
The immediate cause ofall our troubles
is slavery in the territories. There was
no division Of sentiment in regard to the
States. The Republican party claimed
"r,es territories for fee meu"--"that
Congress had the night to exclude slavery
from the Territories and it was her duty
to do ~ Upon this platform they fought
and won the last campaign.
The Democratic party claimed. and
claimed it too lor the South, and the claim
was a gIcat advance on anything demand
ed By them prior to 1854. chat the
slave holder should have tho right TO take
his slaves into the territories and that the
people Of the territories should regulate
their domestic institutions in their own
way subject only 10 the Constitution Of
the United States" For the sake Of peace
the Republicans gave mp their theory OF
Congressional intervention, and adopted
the Southerp doctrine OF non'in'ervent'On
To setlle this vexed question forever anc
save the country. they introduced and pass
ed bills organizing every inch of trrrito'!
belonging TO he Nation, applying tc hos
territories the very provisions OF tn
Kansas Nebraska bill itself, thus settling
the slavery question on the very b"SI
demanded by tho South in 1856, Ind b.
the democracy in 1860.
What more. There was ono teTiIor
already organized--the vast territory
New Mexico, large enough 10 mike hY
States the size of New York." in whlc
slavery existed according TO terr'Io'n
law. The Republicans proposed 10 ad"
Ne,O Merieo and let Ms people say 'ohe@e
they wanted Slavery or mol.
But still further. Tho Southern pee
pIe effected to believe that the NortheT
paopIe wanted 10 abolish slavery In IL
States. That We wanted to "steal the
negroes" "Iob them of their property.
and 'inoite beryiIs iosurreclipn. y
While they were thus villifying uc as'roI
berg, thioyes and murderels,' we paSst
perpetual amendment to the ConstlIl
ton. providing that "CoNgrecS Shoa
nersr interfere wih Sidvery in the STATES
Still not satisfied, we strengthened the Fl
gitiye Slave Law, recommended the repe
Of tho Liberty Bills, met them in Il
Peace Conference Convention, and final
Mr. Lincoln recommended Nation
Convention as last resort All the
things they spurned and met our conce
sioBs with robbery. ralino, murder al
war.
Honorable compromise could have "a
ed the country. but tho South would u
accept it. Her politicians were stru
gli z ior pace and power. They h
set their hearts and staked their furtun
on Southern ConiodoIacy. The succC
Of the rebellion brought them honor, po
81 aud pIace--its failure covered til,
with disgrace, If the independence
the South was recognized, they were
roes, II hot they were traitors. IL pei
and union wero restored on the basis
the Constitution, ambitious demagogu
who had melted the people 10 rebel agai
no bsneGcent Government as ours, wo
DO scorned, deridcd and despised, Co
promise was rejected because comprom
was fatal TO the interests, fatal 10 tho I
bition and fatal 10 the hopes Of the auth,
movers and prosecutors Of the REBEL
With compromise JEFF Davis knew he 1
er could be President Of the United Sta
without il he knew ho could be Presto