Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-04-26
The ResponsiblIity for tho war

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We know Of no example for the sublime i'm
pudenoe of the Republican leaders In denyipe
their responsibility for the war. They shall
not escape the responsibility. nevertheless.
The war nor secession was necessary conse.
quence Of the election of Mr.. Lincoln. He
could himself have averted secession, and of
course war, by few simple assuring worde,
spoken in good time after his election. The
Republican leaders In Congress could have
averted secession, and of course war, by a little
assuring legislation during the Arst lew weeks
OF the session which com nenced in December,
1861 and after the secession of Che cotton States
they could have confined secession to those
States, which would speedily have collapsed, by
little assuring legislation. All this every in
telligent reader understands 40 well as we do,
and we have only to recall bis recollection OF
events from the election to the Inauguration of
Mr.. Lincoln to fix, In every readers mind, the
responsibility for the war.
upon the question. Republicans are of late fond
OF quoting Douglas. In making him witness
they cannot impeach the credibility of their
own witness In any respect. we seek to know
from Douglas, therefore, whether the Republi-
can leaders might not have averted secession
and war by little assuring legislation; and we
hnd his answer In q speech delivered by him in
the Senate on the Sd of January, 1861, on the
measure of conciliation which himself had in
troduced. Said he:
81 believe this to be fair basis of amicable
adjustment. If you Of the Republican side are
not willing to accept this, nor the proposition of
the Senator from Kentucky (Mr. Crttenden),
pray tell u what you are willing to dot
II address the inquiry to Republicans alone,
for the reason that in the committee Of Thirteen,
teo days ago, euery member from the South, includ-
ing those from the cotton States (Meears. Toombs
and Davis) expressed their readiness 10 accent Ge
proposition Of my venerable friend from Kentueky
(Mr. Crittenden) as a FINAL SETTLEMENT of the
eontToueTsy,U INTENDED and sustained 6u Repubi.
can members.
Hence, the sole TesponSibility of our disagree
nent, and the only difficulty in heDay of an amcs-
Ole adjustment, is toih the Republican party"
Mark the language: 1.-THE sole Tesponsi5ility
Of our disagreement, and he only difficulty in the
tOay Of amicabe adjustment, 10 iciA he Republican
party" We sound this language In the ears OF
every man and woman in the land upon whom
the consequences Of this war fall with crushing
weight.
There Is another witness whom we wish to
examine in this connection. 1t is Wendell
Phillips, who was recently feasted by the Vice
President of the United States, the Speaker of
tne uOuse OF representatives, and other Re-
publican leaders in Washington, and who GER
tainly has lately been fully accepted as gos-
peler by the leading Republican press OF the
country. We want to show by him tOhy the
Republican or Antl-slavery leaders in Congress
would not agree to any Of the measures of con-
ciliation which were urged by Douglas, Critten-
den and other patriote during the session of
1852, and which would have been accepted by
the South, and averted secession and war, In
a speech In fremont Temple, Boston, after the
close OF the above named session of Congress,
Phillips testified:
"The anti-slavery party had hoped for and
planned disunion, because it would lead to the
development of mankind and the elevation Of
the black man." =
And he added:
'1n six months / expect separation. The
game is up, the Union is at an end. We have
purchased nothing but disgrace The North il
bankrupt In character as In money. Before
the summer ends we shall see two confedera'
cies"
We have said enough, and shown enough. to
set the reader to thinking. We leave him to
his thoughts. Chicago Times.