New Oregon plaindealer. (New Oregon, Iowa) 1859-1866, 1862-08-08

versy.
l fear, from all the indications, that
they are disposed to treat the matter as
a party question, to be determined in
caucus with reference to itseffccts upon
the prospects of their party, rather
than upon the peace of the country and
the safety Of the Union. I invoke their
idclibsrate Judgment whetheri it is not a
dangerous experiment for any political
party to demonstrate to the American
people that the unity of their party is
dcarer to them than the Union of these
States. The argument is that the Chi
cage platform having been ratified by
the people in majority of the States
must be maintained at all hazards, no
matter what the consequences to the
country. l insist that they are mis-
taken in the fact when they assert that
this question was decided by the Amer
lean people in the late election. The
American people have not decided that
they preferred the disruption Of this
Government, and civil war with all its
miserics, to surrendering one iota Of
the Chicago platform. If you believe
the people are with you on this issue.
let the question be submitted to the
people on the proposition offered by the
Senator from Kentucky, or mine, or
any other fair compromise, and will
venture the prediction that your own
people will ratify the proposed amend
ments to the Constitution, in order to
take this slavery agitation out of Con.
gress, and restore peace to the country,
and insure the perpetuity Of the I'm
ion.
Why not give the people chance {?
1t is an important crisis. There IS now
a different issue presented from that in
the presidential election. I have no
doubt that the people of Massachusetts,,
by an overwhelming majority, are in
favor of a prohibition of slavery in the
Territories by an act of Congress. An
overwhelming majority of the same
people were in favor Of the instant pro-
hibition of the African slave trade, on
moral and religious grounds, when the
Constitution was made. When they
found that the Constitution could not
be adopted and the Union preserved
without surrendering their objections
on the slavery question, they, in the
spirit of patriotism and of Christian
feeEag, preferred the lesser evil to the
greater, and ratified the Constitution
without their favorite provision 'nr.gard
to slavery. Give them chance to de-
eide now between the ratification of
these proposed amendments to the Con-
stitution and the consequences which
your policy will inevitably produce.
Why not allow the people to pass on
these questions ? All we have to 10 is
to submit them to the States. If the
people reject them, theirs will be the
responsibility, AMI no harm will have
been done by the reference If thoy
accept them. the country will be safe
and at peace. The political party which
shall refuse to allow the people to de-
ter,nine for themselves at the ballot
box the issue between revolution and
war on the one side, and obstinate ad-
harence to party platform on the 9th
err, will assume fearful responsibility.
A war upon a political issue, wcged by
a people of eighteen States against the
people and domestic institutions of fif-
teen sister States, is fearful and re-
voting thought. Tho South will he
unit, and desperate under the belief
that you are waging war is their de-
struction, and not the preservation Of
the Union f; that you mediate servile
insurrection and the abolition of slavery
in the southern States by fire and
sword, in the name and under the pre-
text of enforcing the laws and vindica-
ting the authority of the Government.
You know that such is the prevailing,
and: l may say, unanimous opinion at
the South and that ten millions peo-
pie are preparing for the terrible con-
fict under that conviction.
When there is such an irrepressible
discomfort pervading ten millions peo-
pie, penetrating the bosom of every
man, woman, and child, and, in their
estimation, involving everything that
is valuable and dear on earth, is it not
time to pause and reflect whether there
is not some cause, real or imaginary,
for apprehension ? If there be just
cause for it, in Coils name. in the name
of humanity and civilization, let it be
removed. Will We not be guilty, in the
sight Of Heaven and of posterity, if we
do not remove all just cause before pro-
cecding to extremities =? If, on the
contrary, there be no real foundation
for these approximations f; if it be all a
mistake, and yet they, believing it to