The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1863-02-04

influence, / exerted myself in behalf of tn
policy Of non coercion. Il wss adopted b.
Mr.. Buchanan's Administration. with tn
almost unanimous consent OF the Democrati
and constitutional Union parties in and ou
Of Congress; and. in February. with the con
currence Of q majority Of the Republicai
party In the Senate and this House. Blu
that party, most dissstrously for the country
refused all compromise. How, indeed, coul'
they accept any? That which the Soutl
demanded and the Democratic and conser
vative parties Of the North and West wer
willing to grant, and which alone could avai
to keep the peace and save the Union, im
piled q surrender of the sole vital element o
the party and its platiorm-cf the very prin
cipls, in fact, upon which it had Just wor
the coulsst for the Presidency; not, indie ed
by q majority of the popular vote-the ma
jority vas nearly million against it-bu
under the iorms oi the Constitution. Sir
the crime, the "high crime" Of the Republi
can party was not so much its refusal Il
compronise, as its original organization upor
basis and doctrine wholly inconsistent will
the stability Of the Constitution and the
peace Of the Union.
But to resumes the session OF Congress:
expired. The President elect was inaucura.
ted, and now, II only the policy Of non coer'
cion could be maintained, and war thus 4.
verted, time would do It's work in the North
and the South, and final peaceabe adjust
ment and reunion be secured. Some time
in March it was announced that the Presi
dent had resolved to continue the policy o
his predecessor, and even to go q step fur
ther, and evacuate Sumter and the other
Federal iorts and arsenals in the seeded
States. His own party acQuiesced; the whole
country rejoiced. The policy Of non coer.
cion had iriumphed, and for once, sir, in my
life | found myself in an immense majority.
No man then pretended that a Union
founded in consent could be, cemented by
forcs Nay, more, the President aud the
Secretary Of State went further. SAID Mr..
Seward, in on official diplomatic lstter to
Mr. Adams:
.'For these tensions be tthe Presldent1 would
not be disposed to reject q cardinal dogma OF
theirs, [ihe secessionists. namely, that the Fed
eral Government could not reduce the seceeding
states to obedience by conquest, although he
were disposed to question that proposition -
Bu in fact the President willing ly accepts it as
Iu0s o1'y ltupcIiut u borpotC
ment could subiugate thoroughly dsatected
and nsurreclionary members OF the State,n
Pardon me, sir, but beg to know wheth.
er this conviction of the President and his
Secretary, is not the philosophy of the per.
,istent and most vigorous effort made by
This Administration, and first OF all through
his same Secretary, the moment war broke
but and ever since till the late elections, to
convert the United States into an imperial
,r despotic Government? But MIR. Seward
.dds, and | agree with him:
n1his r'eder al Republican system of ours is,
Df all forms of government, the very ono which
is most untitled tor such labor"
THIS, sir, was on the 10th of April and
yet that verv day the feet was under sail for
Charleston. The policy Of peace hal been
abandoned. Collision followed; the militia
were ordred out: civil war began.
Now, sir, on the l4th OF April, believed
that coercion would bring on war, and war
lisunion. More than that, believe, what
you all in your hearts believe TO day, that
The South could never be conquered -nsv-
pr. And not that only, but was satisfied
and you Of the abolition party have now
proved 1t to the world-that the secret but
cal purpose OF the war was to abolish slave.
" in the States. In any event, did not
ioubt that whatever might be the momen
airy impulses Of those in power, and what
'ver pledges they might make in the midst
II the fury for the constitution, the Union,
md the flag, yet the natural and inexorable
cgic Of revolutions would, ,oner or later,
lrlye them into that policy, and with it to
is final but inevitable result, the change OF
,ur present demoeratical form ofgoyernment
nto an imperial despotism.
These were my convictions on the 14,h of
April, Had changed them on The 18th,
when read the Presidents proclamation
md become convinced that had been wrong
III my lie, and that all history was fable,
ind all human nature false in its development
rom the beginning OF timo, would have
changed my public conduct also. But my
convictions did not change. thought that
{ war was disunon on the 14th OF April, it
was equally disunion on the 18th, and at all
nmes Believing this. could not as an
honest man, Union man and patriot lend
IN active support TO the war; and did not
had rather my right arm were plucked
rom its socket, and cast into eternal burns
ngs. than with my convictions, to bave
hus defiled my soul with tho guilt OF NOR.
II perjury. Sir. ! was not taught in this
school which proclaimS that "all IS fair In
politics." loathc, abhor, and detest the
execrable maxim. stamp upon it. No
State can endure single generation whose
public men practice il. Whoever teaches it
is corrupter Of youth. What We most
wapt in these times, and at all times, is hon
est and independent public men. That
man who is dishonest in politics is not hon
est, at heart, in anything; and sometimes
moral cowardice is dishonesty. Do right;
and trust to God, and Truth, and the People.
Perish office, perish honors, perish lie itself;
but do the thing that IS right, and do it like
a man. did it. Certainly, sir, could not
doubt what he must suffer who dare defy
the opinions and the passions, not to say
the madness, oi twenty millions Of people -
Had not read history? Did | not know
human nature? But ! appealed to TINE,
and right Dobly hath the Aveng answered
me.
did not support the war; and to day
bless God that not the smell OF 30 much as
one drop Of its blood is upon my garments
Sir, censure no brave man who rushed
into this war; neither will ]
quarrel with any one, here or elswhere, who
gave to 1t an honest support. Had their con
Victions been mine, too, would doubtless
have done as they did With my convictions
| could not.
But was Representative. War exis
ted--by whose act no matter--not mine.-
The President. the Senate, the House, and
the country, all said that there should be
war--war for the Union; union Of consent
and goodwill. Our southern brethern were
to be whipped back into love and fellowship
at the point OF the bsyonet. oh, monstrous
can comprehend war TO COM
nal n neonle To accent a master: to change a