The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1862-09-18
DOUGLASS LAST LETTER.
READ, READ ANDPoNDER.

hbAD, READ AN u RONO
Below we publish the last letter ever
written by Senator Douglas. Read IL
carefully, and preserve it for future
reference
CHICAGO, May 10th, 1861.
My DEAR SIR Being deprived Of
the use of my arms for the present, by
severe attack of Rheumatism, | am
compelled to avail myself of the ser
vice Of an amanuensis to answer your
two letters. 1t seems that some of my
friends are unable to comprehend the
difference between arguments used in
favor of an equitable compromise, with
the hope of averting the horrors OF
war, and those used in support of the
Government and the flag of our coun.
try, when war is being waged against
the United States, with the avowed pur
pose of producing permanent disrup.
ton of the Union and total destruc.
tion of its Government.
All hope of compromise with the
Cotton States was abandoned when they
assumed the position that the separa.
ton of the Union was complete and
final, and that they would never con-
sent to construction in any contin.
gency--not even if we would furnish
them with blank sheet of paper, and
permit them to inscribe their own
! terms.
Still the hope was cherished that rea-
sonable and satisfactory terms Of agree.
ment could be agreed upon with Ten
ncssee, North Carolina and the Bor.
der States, and that whatever terms
would prove satisfactory TO these loyal
States, would create Union party in
the Cotton States, which would be DOW
erful enough at the ballot box to destro
Revolutionary Government, and bring
these States back into the Union by the
choice of their own people. This hope
was cherished by the Union men North
and South, and was never abandoned
until actual war was levied at Charles
ton, and the authoritative announce
ment made by the Revolutionary Gov.
ernment at Montgomery, that the Sc.
eession flag should be planted upon the
= walls of the Capitol at Washington, and
proclamation issued inviting the pi
rates of the world to prey upon the
: commerce of the United States.
These startling facts, taken in con
nection with the boastful announcement
that the ravagos ofthe war and carnage
should be quickly transferred from the
cotton fields of the South to the wheat
IF the North, furnish conclusive
W -. that it was the fixed purpose oi
rHed dSecesSonists utterly to destroy the
Government of our Fathers, and obliE.
crate the UnitedaStatcs from the map OF
the world.
la view of this state of facts, there
was but one path of duty left to the pa.
triotic men. 1t was not party question
nor a question involving partisan poll
cy; 1t was question of Government o,
no Government; country or no country
and hence it became the imperative du
ty Of every Union man, every friend Of
constitutional liberty, to rally to the
support Of our common country, it,
, Government and aag, as the only meas
ures Of checking the progress of revo
luton and of preserving the Union oI
t the States.
t | am unable to answer your quos
, tions in respect to the policy of Mr.
Lincoln aud his Cabinet. am not il
their confidence, as you and the Who'll,
country ought to be aware. | am ne
; thcr the supporter of the partisan poll
cy nor the apologist for the errors o
the Administration, Ny previous re
latipns with them remain unchanged
but trist The time will never com,
when shall not be willing to max,
any needful sacrifice of personal feeling
and party policy for tho honor and in
teGrity Of my country.
l know Of no mode by which loya
ei tizcn may so well demonstrate his de
votion to his country, as by sustainin;
tho Flag, the Constitution aud tho Un
ion, under all circumstances, and uRde
, every administration, (regardless o
party policy against all assailants, a
home or abroad, The course Of Clay and
Webster towards the Administration o
Gen. Jackson, in the days of Nulifca
tion, presents noble aud worthy ex
ample for all true patriots. Al the ve
ry moment when that fearful crisis wa
prccipitated upon the country, partisaI
strife between Wings and Democrat
was quite as bitter and relentless "a
. now between Democrats and RepublI
\ cans.
The gulf which separated party lead
ers in those days, was quite as broa
and deep as that which now separate
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