Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-12-15
ANrnPoaTANr LETTER From Xxx.
OK TIE AFPARs CT THE UNITED STATES
AT THIS CRISIS


OK THE AFFAIRS CT THg UNITED STATE
AT THIS CRISIS.
Prom the Pittsburs POstl t.-.4
We publish below highly important, patri
lotie, statesman-like letter from Ex-senator Big
ler, on the affairs of our country ct this crisis
Il is manly out-spoken document, and vii
meet with an earnest and ready response from
thousands of loyal and true men, in all sections
of the nation. Is was written in response to 81
inq ury from 3 personal friend, with reference Il
Mr.. Bigler's position in relation to the coming
contest for she United States senatOrsbip in thi
State, and also in reply Is the question, " Wha
can be done to aid our bleeding aud distracted
country at this momsntous period in its his
tory 7" The Ex-Senator's former and Presen
position, IS well as his known attachment to the
union Of these States, give to his views grea
foTes and potency at this time. We most earn
estly commend them 10 the atteution OF ali those
who wish 70 stop useless etfuson of blood
and restore the Union as it was framed by oul
patriotic fathers.
CIRARFfELD, Pa, November 1st, 1862.
DEAR Sra In reply 70 your favor of the
3Oth ultimo, I have 20 say that you hsve been
| rightly informed do not intend to bs q can
| 3dats for Unfsed States Senator at the coming
election, and haYs so expressed myself 10
friends on al proper occasions. have q mum
Der Of reasons, public and private, for this
coarse one OF which Is that the Eastern and
Northern sections Of the State make special
claim to the senator, at this time, on the ground
! that we have one in the West, recently elected,
! and cannot reasonably claim both for 50 long q
term.
The other qgestion you ask, " what can be
done to save the country is not so easily an
swersd. The usual res ponse is, % God knows -
Few Of our best thinkers seem 70 have any
| olesr views on the question; and it is not even
certain that the administration at Washington
has well defined policy to that end, have
some thoughts on the subject which 1 do not
hesitate 70 give you. They may seem to be
crude, and on some points even novel and
startling bat they are the resOlt of some re-
The sword is The only agency at work. Bat
the swerd cannot do ali. 1t is an agent Of de
| struction. It can tear down, but cannot build
up. II msy ehsstise and silence the rebels il
the 6eld, bui it cannot make Hnion Of States,
It cannot restore condolences and fratsrnity
among pe0pls estrsnged and slienaied from
each other II the war was against the leaders
in the S5sth only, as many at the beginning
supposed, then the sword might pat them down,
and the masses return to their allegiance But
the eonfict turns out to be with ihe whole mass
Of the people within tine Tevolted States, old and
-
lions. With such a power! sooner or later, We
shAl have to treat and negotiate. The sword
alone will never restore this people to the Union.
You well know that when ths present calami-
ties menaeed the nation, was for peaceful
means to avert the blow. Then our present
suffering and sacTifcss could have BEEN avoided,
and, as believe, the unity of the States pre-
served Tor generations, without tho sacrifice Of
principle or honor, or conscience on either side
passion, prejudice and fansdeism only would
have been required to give way and | still
think, nag, am sure, that other means beside
war arc Necessary to save our eounlry-our
whole oountry-from present Affections aud i'm
pending ruin.
know how easy it is to talk about war and
csrnsgei sbO1t strataseiic positiors and bril-
hant victories; about thu prompt subjugation of
the South by the North even how pleasant it
may bs to some to float in the common current
OF excitement and passion; and especially how
unpleasant, if not unsafe, it is to stem this tide
Bat the time is coming, If it be not now, when
the public man who would render his county
q substantial service must do this. He must
look at the whole work before Us, and strike for
tine right, regardless of clsmor or Consequence
to himssf personally.
We have had the war for eighteen nonhs the ike of
whca the world has seldom witnessed before 70 sastsn
which a national debt Of startling magnitude which
must hang over posterty long Into the future has al
ready been created and more than quarter Of mil
lion Of invaluable lives sacrificed on tho Uuion side
alone in addition to the many Thousands that have been
crippled or diseased fer life aud yet little any, sub
stsna progress has been made IN ths good work OF re-
establishing the Union, Of maintaining ths Fed
eral authority within the revolted States Has not
the couny from the present deplorabe condition been
already tested tested least 70 such an extent a. to
prove its utter futility, unaidSd by other meauE
It was happy thought # President Lincoln, ex-
pressed In his inaugural that went war We could
not fight always and when after much less on both
sides and no gain on her you cease hghtng the den
teal old questions to OF interssurse are again
upsn you" This prophetic and highly significant sen
Inent shows that Mr. Lincoln, before the war be
gan, anticipated the time in ease it did begin, when
would be necessary 10 put the sword 20 rest least fer
season, in order 70 resume the Identical old questions
about intercourse and settlement 10 does not seem 10
have occurred to him that the sword could do she whole
TO the original psnt 60 compromise and GettIe H then
we cannot hgh' Always, what amount Of fighting ne
In order 10 consider srs Of reconciliation There has
already been much loss both sides and ne eain on
either" and whilst the time to fighting may not
be YET the period has surely come whom other means
besides the sword should be employed In the effort 70
save the government and country
Certainly the object Of the war and the extent to
which 10 go should be defntsly known to ths eoun
try. il be intended to sdbugate the States in rebel
lion and hold them not States Ia the Union but as
conquered provinces then the sword be kept ia
constant motiou and and carnage must be the order
Of the day New leVies and fresh supplies may be
properly raised for It will require formidable army in
each Of the seeded States execute maintain lhn
scheme IL eXermlnation be the object then the sword
should have strained license TO dss death and de,
sruciiOn among the rebels In All pArs Of their country
regardless Of sex age or condition But neither Of these
purposes, II practicable. would establish tbs Union
although there would remain Union composed of Ger
tain States But when ths Union is reestabshsd the
South well the North must be 10 III ths fauny Of
the Sta'es exst heretofore else 70 will not be the
Union about which we have talked much. and for
which 50 many brave men have offered up thelr lives
80
the held the North, In the end, may triumph is
the whole OF the task The States mast be brought
seIhef ths Of tns poop OF ootn seoions must
be constrained and mcderste that they fstsrnize
aAd live together, else the Union ls gone forever To
subiugste the Southern States and hold them could
subserYe good end 70 either section and In way,
that can discover advance thsyeifsre Of the North
for long the South held their hate Of the
North would lncrease and whilst this Horh hold the
South IL could do but little elss meanwhile is mStsral
interests must angush and de But In addition, such
work utterly Inconsistent with the genius Of our
situsohs and could scarcely fail to lead to their usr
pervsoh, and ultimate overthrow adding 70 the cslnm
tiles Of disuniOa the sacrifice OF free government Con-
quest and empire, however magnificent could not com
pensate for such a loss
To extsrminae the inhabitants Of the South would be
deliberate emaseula,on Of the Union rendering its re-
eonstruetiou st impraetieable and hopeless and
would involve work Of barbarity from which the
Northern people would shrink in horror The existenee
OF the Southern States Ia FORM with their inhsb
tants and terms Of intercourse Is highly
tal nay, will ssy, indspsnsabe 10 the welfare Of the
North am theIeioIei AsShst e4'ermlnaloh snq
against the policy Of holding the Southern States
dusred provinces. This ground be easily main
tanned on purely selfish considerations fer the North
which will occur 70 all and need not trouble you with
their pressn tadon this occasion am FOR reessbsh
ing the Union as was making Union as smilGr
practicable the States to be equals and to be sovereign
to the extent he States are each to have and enjoy
such domestic Institutions IS itmaY choose and, were
In Congress- would sustsin that Of war, and
that only that would clearly tend to the accomplishment
OF these ends but no war OF 5jugStion or extermna-
ton.
Know that It may be said In reply to all this then let
the Southern people lay down their and eoms bsek
into the Union, and all viii be right again Would to
God they could BE induced so TO do There is no
guarantee in that would not be willing to grant
them. But do see any indications Of such return
10 and duty can nons and expect to
none, long the sword Is unaceomp paned By agents
for settlement ana peace. When our army went TO Mex,
eo i was accompanied by peace Commission in order