Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1863-04-15
LORD LYONS REVELATIONS.

LuhU LYONS' REVELATIONS
We last week published the letter of Lord
Lyons, the British minister at Washington.
| to Lord John Russell but had not time 10 call
| special attention TO it. The letter is re-
nlarkable for its disclosure of The intrigues
of the Democratic politicians with him, in
order to bring about foreign intervention, so
| as 10 put a stop to the war, and save the South
from subjugaton. The British Parliament,
in calling for and giving publicity to this let
ter, has, perhaps, undesignedly rendered TO
the Government and the loyal people OF the
United States very important service.
The scheme, revealed, il tl.is :: To have
things so arranged, that, at the opportune mo
men', when the people should be worn out and
weary of war; when such commanders as Nc
Clelan. Buell. and Fitz John Porter should
have so wasted our armies and exhausted the
resources and energies of the nation. that
peace on any terms might be supposed to be
welcome, then the s.democracy' was to give
the signal 10 England and France, and if pos
sible, Russia, to step in and demand an armis-
tice, and attempt at least at settlement
What next1 Then the Democracy was 10 get
together its National Convention. And what
was il to do 2 Lord Lyons tells US in these
words: #
'eThe armisfice should (they hold5 be fol-
lowed by a Convention in which such changes
OF the Constitution should be proposed as
would give the South ample security on the
subject OF lis slave property and would ena-
BILE the North and South To re unite and to
live together in peace and harmony"
Language fails adequately to characte rise
the meanness and bascness of this Infamous
proposition to bring this great and heroic ma
tion, with all its glorious memories, its mil
lion OF volunteer citizen soldiers. its match
less Institutions, under which il has been pros
porous and happy for three quarters of cen
tury to its knees-flrst before the potentates
of Europe, and then before the vilest rebels
and cut throats that ever cursed the earth
tear up our Constitution. expunge The word
Liberty from it. and make it a great coff1e
for slaves. This is called :.couservatism''-
this is democracy y''-while to stand by the
Union and the CONSTITUTIONS, aud to defend
both. even to the ponring ont OF The hearts
blood, is s.radicalism.''
But even this is not the worst Lord LYoNs
goes on TO say
THE more sagacious members of the party
must, however, look upon the proposal of
convention merely as a last experiment to test
the possibility OF re. union. They are TO doubt
well aware that the more probable crnse-
quence of an armislice wonld be the establish
mcDt of Southern Independence; but they
perceive that il the South is utterly alien
ated that no possible concessions will induce
it 10 return voluntarily TO the Union, il is
wiser 10 agree to seperatUn than to prose cute
cruel and hopeless war
1t is enough to make every American who
is worthy Of he name hang his head in shame
TO read those words and at the same time to
reflect that they were fist publicly read amid
the sneers of the British aristorracy Here
is proclamation, from what professes to be
the Democracy OF America, 10 the world, that
we are beaten, that the rebels have gained
their point, and achieved their independence,
and that TO prosecute the war any further is
sscruel and hopeiess.''
Now mark the hypocracy of these traitors.
Lord Lyons says:
81 listened with attention to the accounts
given me of the plans and hopes of the con-
servative party. At the bottom | thought
perceived desire to put end TO the war,
even at the risk OF losing the southern states
altogether; but il was plain that it was not
thought prudent TO avow this desire. Indeed
some hints OF il, dropped before the elections.
were so Ill received that a strong declaration
IN the contrary sense was deemed necessary
by the democratic leaders. At the present
moment, therefore, the chiefs of the conserra- |
ffre party call loudly for more rigorous prose
cHfi0n of the cdr, and Teprodch the gouernment
trith sl0cness ,ceil icih ,cunt of success in
its military measures" a
Can the 10y al men of the country any long
er doubt as TO the real object of the Copper
head leaders,? We think not. We now have
their schemes fully presented to the world by
authority that cannot be disputed. In fret,
from the general tenor of the letter, there is
reason to infer that Lord Lyons is to some de-
gree in sympathy with the rebels and with
their ssdemocratic'' ort.conservativen friends
in the North. and hence a competent witness
II this were not so, would they have ventured
to make such disclosures to bim2 We ask
all loyal men to read and ponder these facts,
and We think they will be convinced that the
enemies which the Government has bad to
contend with in the rear have been more for
midabie than those in 'front.' that their pur-
pose is either to destroy the Unfon, or lay the
government, discounted and dishonored, at
the feet Of its rebel enemies.
Gould those politicians, of whom Lord Ly-
OPS speaks, be identified, they could be tried,