Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-08-18
WhOIs HesPOnsibic SOr the Defeat OF
the Crittenden COmprOmise! - The
Eornn,orcsaI Mistaken

The Commercial takes issue with the editor of
the Dayton Empire-calling him with its usual
choice and delicate phraseology, ''tory," and
and remarks miserable lying'-upon the ques-
ton, Who is responsible for the war! The En-
pire atiirms that it is the Republican party, be-
cause that party defeated the Crittenden COM
promise" To this the Commercial demurs, with
pretty extensive assortment of epithets and
charges the reverse of complimentary. With
these, however, we have nothing to do, but
simply with the point in controversy, which, as
the Commercial leaves it, appears TO be this: Did
the Republican party defeat the Crittenden com
promiSe7 with the virtual admission on the part
of the Commercial that if the Republican party
cid defeat that compromise it is responsible for
The war.
Did the Republican party defeat the Crttenden
compromise! Upon this point the Commercial
quotes passage from speech of Judge Doug
las, which, unfortunately for its case, does not
allude to the compromise, nor have any relation
to it. But by making Judge Douglas its own
witness it has cut itselfo from the right to take
exceptions to his testimony. As the Commercial
in spite of those defects of temper which eX-
hibit themselves in language not admissible in
polite cireles-is, no doubt exceedingly anxious
to know the truth, will cite for its information
the following passage from a speech of Judge
Douglas, delivered in the Senate of the United
CUiIeS, JdnuaIl ., 1901, WHICH tic OOHuWeFctd,
in its researches, has doubtless overlooked, and
which we know it will ingenuously admit is ex-
actly to the point. 1t is as follows:
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. Crittenden, |
pray tell us what you are willing to do! j adj
dress the inquiry TO the Republicans alone, for
the reason that in the Committee of Thirteen a
few days ago, every member from the South, in
Guiding those from the cotton States, Messrs.
Toombs and Davis, expressed their readiness to
accept the proposition of nv venerable friend
/ from Kentucky, Mr.. Crittenden,l as final set
tlement Of the controversy, if intended and sus-
tanned by Republican members. Hence, the sole
responsibility of our disagreement, and the only
difficulty in the way of an amicabe adjustment,
is with the Republican party"
! From this it appears that on the third day of
/ January, 1861, the South was willing TO accept
/ the compromise, while the Republican members
were opposed to it. The Commercial, however,
/ proceeds TO give an excuse for the opposition
of the Republican members, that the compro-
mise was impossible in fact because half a
/ dozen. States had seeded before it was before
! Congress, and their vote would have been re-
quired to put it in the Constitution" In this
the CommeTciai-doubtless through inadvertence
lis mistaken; and it will look upon it as en- act
of kindness In us TO correct its memory.
The resolution of Mr.. Crittenden was intro
duced at the very opening of the session of Con
gress, early in December, 1860, with great ur-
gency on the part of that gentleman and his
friends, that it should be acted upon immediate
ly, and thus any act of secession be prevented
South Carolina had called Convention to meet
on the 18th of the same month. The remarks
of Judge Douglas, showing that the South was
ready to accept the compromise, were made on
the Sd of January, 1861, only one State having
then resolved TO secede; and no time having
been fixed for the convention of any other State
earlier than the sth of that month. These fact,
being proveable by the record-the Commercial
we presume, viii not deny; and yet it can mo-
but see how completely they demoiish Its position
and leave unobstructed the way for the Inference
that the Republicans are the responsible party
Cincinnati Enquirer.