The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1863-02-21

ever to say, that we are far from endors-
1t may be possible, that there were men
in that legislature who, having, as he says,
"iumped to the horrible conclusion that
this nation i. already destroyed, address
ed themselves, by means of the pacification
Resolutions, to the work OF making "se
veral new nations out Of the wrecks OF
the old one" To say, however, that the
legislature meant this, is equivalent to
saying, that the democracy Of Illinois, by
endorsing their action, accept the fact,
that the Union Is dissolved-tha! its re-
storation is spossible-that a further
prosecution OF the war is useless-and
that the real business in hand is to end
the strife as speedily as possible and adj
dress ourselves TO the question -" here
shall we GO in the reconstruction-with
the East or with the South?
If such, by any possibility, were indeed
the views of some men IN getting up these
resolutions, we say boldly and fearlessly
that such is not the sense in which the
body Of the democratic members Of the
legislature or the democratic masses out.
side understand them. The language of
the resolutions themselves is at war with
such an Interpretation. The Sd resolution
denounces the "Iuinous heresy Of seces-
sion as destructive to the peace and
liberties Of the people, dc, and intimat-
ing that it is the purpose of the present
administration, at no distant day, to &C.
knowledge the independence of the South
ern Confeueracy and thereby sever the
Union they proceed solemnly to de-
eli re that we are uuaIterabiy opposed to
any such severance of the Union, &c. Ii
would have been n most remarkable and
wicked inconsistency in the legislature
thus to arraisn the government as crimi
nal FOR meditating the very thing them
selves were aiming at.
No-such was neither the understand
ing or aim at Springfield The democratic
members believed, as we believe, and as
the resolutions express it clearly enough,
that. upon the present abolition pro
gramme the war can end in but one way
and that is, in defeat and destruction of
the Union that therefore, further TO con-
tuue he contest on such programme is
little better than sheer criminal waste Of
blood and treasure. They also believed
which abundant facts clearly prove, that
thousands of men. if not a majority of the
peoi lie in the Southern States, who are
called secessionist-, would properly come
in the category of lion men if they could
be -er.uadsd that return 10 the Union
does not necessarily Involve suLj uca,ion 20
the rule OF back Republican or Wendell
Phillips abo!iiionism, tina, there IS 4 ma
iorlty IN The South 10 day IN favor of the
Union as it was and the Constitution as i,
is. That there j. any respectable party
there in favor Of the measures OF the pre-
sent Federal Administration. or that any
respectable party Of that kind can be
forced INTO existence by war or COERCION
i, too absurd TO require contradiction. and
that the South can ever be .ubiugated in
that sense; that, therefore under the ex-
i,ting circumstances. the only means of
saving the Union Is, by a friendly confer
ence-a convention OF the States-or In
whatever other way 1t can be don.-to
uadeceive the real Union men of the
South, and demonstrate 10 them that the
monster aboliIioni-m they so much abhor
i, really as odious to the great body OF the
people of the North - the twin monster.
South Carolina secessionisn, Is in reality
To them. That 10y such a conference, AZ
least, the great middle and western States
can be brought into a close, friendly, and
firm compact with the union and sem!
Union States of West Virginia. Maryland,
Kentucky. Tennessee Missouri, and posi-
bly, Arkansas and Louisiana New Eng.
land must bow 20 such a combination, Of
curse; the Mississippi could no longer
remain closed in the face of it; Texas
would be isolated ano. cut no figure while
seccssionism proper would then be crib
bed, cabined and confined 70 the narrow
limits OF six small. States, where. rigidly
blockadei aad hemmed in on ali sides, j,
must soon die out of itself
Sucn ard not that in,imated BY our
correspondent, we are stoutly assured was
the dream o! our democratic friends a.
Springfield. And is 1t an idle one? Give
Us democratic President and a demo-
cratic Congress, and we will realize It 10
ninety days
1t is true, we do not like the word ar
rni.tice; bu. the word is very flexible
o.e A public Offer of permission to re-
spectacle men OF the South, for instance,
10 cross our lincs and meet like men ia
convention at Frankfort or Colurnbu. to
confer on terms, or ways and means OF
ending the present strife and restoring. the
Union, might in sense, be called an ar
! nIistice; yet such things, in the very
height OF a war, are not uncommon. Dur
ing the height OF the war Of 1912, our
commissioners with those of England held
such conference at Client, ana had ac-
tuaily concluded a peace before the crown.
! ing battle of the war; that of New Orleans
was fought, so that, brilliant as the VIC
/ tory was on our side, it was useless effu-
sion of blood.
No-our correspondent is mistaken.
! The democratic members Of the Iegisla-
! ture no more than the democratic masses
Of Illinois, would ever consent to such a
dissraceful and humiliating peace as would
De the acknowledgment of the Southern
Con!ederacy. The democracy leave such
/ projects to the abolition leaders-to Gree
ley, Pomeroy Of Kansas, nc If the days
OF the American Union indeed are mum.
bered, let the disgrace Of the deed rest on