Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1862-07-31

'O' a'c putiiots Nnu statesmen, ana rs
such pray you to consider this prcpo-
sition and, at the last, commend il TO
the consideration Of your States and peo.
pie. AS you would perpetuate popular
government for the best people in the
world, | beseech you that you do in no
wise omit this. Our common country is
in great peril demanding the lofticst
views and boldest action 20 bring a pccdy
relief. Once relieved, its form of gov.
eminent is saved to the world its beloved
history and cherished memories are vim
dicated, and its happy future fully assured
and rendered inconceivably grand. To
you, more than to any others, the privi.
ege is given to assure the happiness and
swell the grandure, and to link your own
names herewith forever.
AT the conclusion Of these remarks
some conversation was had between the
President and several delegations from
the Bo:der States, in which it was repre-.
scntcd that these States could not be cx.
pected to move in so great q matter as
that brought to notice in the foregoing
address, while as yet, the Congress had
taken no sep beyond the passage of q
resolution, expressive rather of senti.
ment than presenting substantial and
reliable basis Of action.
The President acknowledged the force
OF this view, and admitted that the Bor.
der States were entitled to expect a sub
stantal pledge OF pecuniary aid as the
condition of taking into consideration a
proposition SO important in its relations
to their social system.
1t was further represented in the con.
ference, that the people of the Border
States were interested in knowing the
great Importance which the President at
tached to the policy in question, while it
was equally due to the country, to the
President, and to themselves, that the
representatives of the border slaveholding
States should publicly announce the
motives under which they were called to
act, and the considerations of public pol
icy urged upon them and their constit-
uents by the President.
With view to such statement of
their position, the members thus address
ed met in council to deliberate on the re-
ply they should make to the President,
and, as the result of a comparison of
opinions among themselves, they de-
termined upon the adoption of majority
and minority answer.-National Intei-
hgcncer.
REPLY OF THE MAJORITY.
The following paper was accordingly
sent to the President, signed by the ma
.jority of the Representatives from the
Border Slaveholding States:
WASHINGTON, July IA, 1862.
To tile President ::
The undersigned, Representatives of
Kentucky, Virginia, Missouri, and Mary
land, in the two houses of Congress,
have listened to your address with pro-
found sensibility naturally inspired by
the high source from which it emanates,
the earnestness which marked it's delivery,
and the overwhelming importance of the
subject of which it treats. We have Civ.
en- it ost respectful consideration, and
now lay before you our response We
regret that want Of time has not permit
ted us to make it more perfect.
We have not been wanting, Mr.. Pres-
dent, in respect to you, and in devotion
to the Constitution and the Union. We
have not been Indifferent to the great diff
icultics surrounding you, compared with
which all former national troubles have
been but as the summer cloud; and we
have freely given you our sympathy and
support Repudiating the dangerous her.
estes of the secessionists, we believed
with you, that the war on their part is ag-
gressive and wicked, and the object for
which it was to be prosecuted on our, de-
fined by your message at the opening of
the present Congress, to be such as all
good men should approve, we have not
hesitated to vote all supplies necessary to
carry it on vigorously. We have voted
all the men and money you have asked
for, and even more ; we have imposed on
erous taxes on our people, and they are
paying them with cheerfulness and alac-
rity /; we have encouraged enlistments,
and sent to the field many of our best
men and some Of our number have Of
fered their person to the enemy as pledges
of sincerity and devotion to their country
We have done all this under the most dis.
couraging circumstances and in the face o
measures most distaste(ul to us and injuri.
GUS to the interests we represent and in
the hearing of doctrines avowed by those
who claim to be your friends most abhor.
rent to us and our constituents. But, fol
all this, we have never faltered, nor shall
we as long as we have Constitution to
defend and government which protects
us. And we are ready for renewed
efforts. and even greater sacrifices, yea
any sacrifice, when we are satisfied it is
required to preserve our admirable form
of government and the priceless blessings
of constitutional liberty.
~ few of our number voted for the res
olution recommended by your message
Of the 9th OF March last the greater por
tion of us did not, and we will bricAy
state the prominent reasons which inAu-
enced our action.
In the first place, it proposed radical
change of our social system, and was hur.
ried through both Houses with undue
haste, without reasonable time for consid.
Grafton and debate, and with no time a,
all for consultation with cur constituents,
whose interests it deeply involved. 1t
seemed like an interference by this Gov
ernment with a question which peculiarly
and exclusively belonged to our res Spectiye