New Oregon plaindealer. (New Oregon, Iowa) 1859-1866, 1862-03-07

the letter to Mr.. Davis as president of the
confederate States is evidence Of disloyaltv.
My answer is, that had neither the author
lty or intention to recognize the lawfulness of
his claim to the Office held in fact, and sup
pose addressed him as a matter of courtesy
| by the title he claimed, and, in doing this.
did no more, as was well said by the Senator
from California, (Mr. LArHAM) than was re-
peated by Senators on this floor, in open de
bate, both before and :fter the date of my
letter. had been, for many years on terms
friendly personal and political relations with
Mr. Davis and in common with those who
knew him, had high opinion ofhis charac-
ter and capacity, and, of course, felt justified
by those but recently severed relations in Civ
ing a letter of introduction to him. without
any reference to the position he claimed nor
did then. for q moment believe that civil
war could or would be rcsorted to as a reme-
dy for the settlement of our sectional difficult
ties Nay, more, for weeks before. and for
days. if not weeks, after this letter was
written. letters and documents We're trans
mitted by Your mails, addressed to Mr. Davis
by the same title, without objection. or Civ
ing rise to the idea that such an address was
recognition of his lawful title to the Office he
claimed. or any impeachment Of the LOYALTY
of those who directed them Or permitted their
transmission. One of the Senators from Tex
as, on this floor, repeatedly showed docu.
ments and letters that he had directed at his
desk here, to the president of the confederate
states.
Subsequent to this letter, for more than a
month. persons claiming to be commissioners
from the new contederacy were residing in
this capital unmolested. and in communica-
ton, whether formal or informal is immateri-
al, with the Secretary of State.
The postal. commercial, and travelling in
tereourse of the people of the Uuited State,
was continued as before the commencement
Of this revolution. and vet mere letter of
introduction, written during this state of
affairs, for a friend of twenty years. standing
to another had known almost as long, is now
perverted in its intention, and held to be ev-
idence of disloyalty.
felt at the date Of this letter. in the Ian
guage of the President. uttered three days
thereafter. and repeated by himself and his
political friends for weeks thereafter, that
there could not, must not be war: that we
were friends not enemies that our unfortunate
sectional difficulties would be settled peace
fully. but never by the power of the sword
But. say some of nay accmsers, ''you must
have known, despite OF all this, that war was
upon us - others say. ''you must have known
that it was inevitable" To this illiberal. un-
Just imputation of prophetic knowledge on
my part, oppose history and facts. Cotcm
pOrancous with the scenes and incidents
have mentioned came the voice Of the people
of Tennessee, declaring by = majority of thir-
tv thousand that she was for the Union and
Constitution, and agninst secession and the
h.,l Il l,,l
heard it's reyerberation from that mother of
States, Virginia and following her example
came Kentucky, Arkansas, and North Caro-
lima. With this Gordon orloyal border south
ern States, who believed that soldier wonlI
ever be sent from north Of Mason and Dxon's
lire to enforce obedience to the Consttu-
tion
Again, sir, many of the leading Republican
journals OF the country were open and unre'
served in their advocacy of peaceful separ-
alton. Among them was the New York
Tribune, commencing its advocacy Of this
tinguished public functionaries of the Repub-
can name them if denied. AS late as April
10, the present Secretary OF Stat, in his dis
patch to our minister at London, said
s'The President neither looks for apprehends ary
actual disemberment of the American Unon especially
by line of latitude" "The move
ment therefore, in the opinion Of the President, ter
directly anarchy in the seeding States similar move
rnens in similar circumstances have already resulted in
Spanish America, and especially in Mexico lie believes,
nevertheless the citizens those States, we
citizens Of the other States too intelligent consider
ate and wise follow the leaders to that disastrous end
For these reasons he would be disposed to reject card
inal dogma theirs namely the Federal Government
could not reduce the seeding States to obedience by con-
quest even ough he disposed to question that
proposition But in fact the President willingly accepts
Only an imperial or despotic government could
subugate thoroughly dsaccted and nsurrectionary mem
bcrs Of State This federal republican system Of ours
is of all forms of Government, the OF which sost
untitled for such labor. Happily however, this is only
imaginary defect The system has within Itself adequate
peaceful, conservative and recaperave forces finess
on the par. of the Government mainaiAny and preser
wing public institutions md property and in executing
the laws where authority be exercised without waging
war; combined with such Of JUSTICE moderation,
and forbeaance will disarm reasoning opposition, will be
sufficient to secure the public safety until returning reec
ton concurrng with the fearful experience of social evils
the Inevitable fruits of faction shall bring the recusant
members cheerfuy back into the family, which after all
must prove their best and happes as undenaby is their
most natural home. The Constitution of the United States
Or ,gdes for that by authorizing Congress-
pcation to made by certain majority of the States to
assemble national convention, in which the organic law
can if needfu be revised to remove all real OBJ
staces to reunion suitable the habits of the people,
and so emnenty conducive to the commen safety and
welfare"
"Keepng that remedy steadily in view, the President on
the one hand will suffer the Federal authority to fall in
he fba exist
evils by attempts COERCION which must assume the form
of direct war against any Of the revolutionary States"
In view of all these historical facts, how
can any candid, impartial mind reach the
conclusion that on the lst OF March, 1861, |
knew there was war existing, or that war
was inevitable? Add to this, the late timid
and time-serving policy the Administration.
in frequent consultation with the immediate