The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1863-03-21
The Policy of the Democratic
Party.
Letter from Chief Justice Cation to Gov.
Seymour.

Hon. HoRATIo SEyMoUR-Dscr Sir AS
YOU requested, will peacil down some
suggestions which | made to you orally
few days since, in reference to western
sentiment on the present condition OF the
country, with some reflections upon the
late elections.
You are undoubtedly correct that the
Northwest will never consent 10 separa-
ton of the Union, leaving the lower Mis-
sissippi in foreign jurisdiction. Our in.
terests are agricultural, and upon market
for our products depends our well-being-
| might almost say our existence Before
the war we supplied the plantations OF
the South with their horses and mules,
their corn and their bacon. This piauta-
tion market consumed most of the pro
ducts of the counties bordering upon the
Mississippi and its tributaries, and any
surplus found its way to the Atlantic
cities and foreign countries through that
great river. BY the war we have lost this
market and this outlet, and our products,
which formerly went South, have been
thrown upon the northern transports ana
northern markets, overlooking the former
and Cutting the latter As an inevitable
consequence, while money has deprecated
nearly one -taird, the prices OF cur great
staples in the hands Of our farmers have
remained stationary, or have receded III
some instances more than half AT the
last Presidential election, on the Ohio
river mules were worth from one hundred
and TWENTY-FIVE to two hundred and twen.
ty-tive dollars per head Now our graziers
cannot realize more than from sixty five
to eighty dollars per head, notwithstanding
the great consum ption by the army; and
horses have depr-ciated IN nearly the
same ratio II other portions OF the coun-
try have found means to make money by
the war. 20 the Western agriculturalIst 1t
has proved an unmItlgated burden, which
can only be relieved 10y restoration OF
peace and OF the | Mon. The former
without the latter would render permanent
that which We now look upon as but tenn
pOrary Hence has the West fought. and
so will she fight, not for the desolatlon of
the South, and the final destruction Of her
plantations, but for the restoration OF the
Union. Hence has Illinois furnished more
than ten thousand troops above her qdota.
L draft has been necessary III any por-
ton of the West, it has not been where
the influence OF this plantation market
has been directly felt. / repeat, we can
never consent that the lower Mississippi
shall pass into a foreign jurisdiction.
! also agree with YOU that the radical
AbolItionists prefer /, separation 10 re-
sioration of the Union - it was with all
the rights Of the State, rs they exist under
the Constitution, inc.u',ing slavery; aud
| lust so soon as they are convinced that a
majority of the people OF the North and OF
/ Congress are determined to admit a peace
upon the old basis, they vii! labor for Il
separation. They seem determined to in-
2 nd pf
I bic toward, the South in order 10 produce
and continue a degree Of alienation which
shall prevent them from embracing the
tender which the conservative North is
ready 10 offer them to return and enjoy
the protection OF the Constitution uniIn-
paired. These provocatiOns. in connection
with the known state OF feeling perVaGing =
the whole community South. render any
/ hope that they will embrace the Demo
/ cratic offer 10 return and resume the stafss
/ quo G,.ie 5eiipH entirely fat 9 at the
present moment 1ncv wall with bitter
contempt spurn this offer now, let il come
from whom ii NAV. Such Is the present
I state Of feeling IN the Southwest as well as
( in the Southeast Victories must be won
i before they will listen 10 Iea>oa from any
/ party and accept reunion on any terms
! Were the Democrats IN power to-day, they
! must win victories before they could save
the Union. If these victories are won
while the Aboiition;sts rule, may not the
South accept peace from Us when we at
tain the control, quite a. readily as II won
under Democratic auspices?
What shall be done III this contingency
The answer of ninety in the hundred
| OF those who voted the Democratic ticket
at the October and November elections i.
and will be; The wa. must be prosecuted
earnestly and TO the last-not TO crush
and conquer the South, but to crush anc
conquer the rebellion. If a ten years wal
is necessary. rather than give up the Unior
they accept it-sorrowiully, il is true, bu
earnestly. We hope and believe thai
whatever the fortunes of war may be thi.
winter and especially ii success shall at
tend our arms, and il Mr. Lincoln can be
brought under Democratic influences, OF
even if the South can toe brought TO be-
lievs that conservative principles have ac.
qureo such an ascendancy III the Mort!
as 10 admit peace on the old basis, auC
protect them in their fair constitutions
rights, then peace is possible after th'
fourth OF March, when the new COngres
will come into being. To render this pos
sbie-to excite a reasonable hope lha
the South will return 10 the Union on til,
old basis--it is Indispensable that the,
should be disabused oi the opinion thai
the Democratic party Is a peace party OF
the basis of separation. " hatever this o
that Democrat may think or ieei abou
the prosecution OF the war. certain it
that a vast ma oriy of the old Democrat
party-that Is 10 say the Douglas porto
ot il, and all OF those who have former
voted with the Republicans, but at th
late elections voted with US, at least il
the West, and no doubt the same is tru
in the East-are fixed in the determine
ton that the war must be prosecutet
till The rebellion is put down, 0
till those in revolt will submit t
the government of the Constitution
Indeed, this follows as a necessary conss
quence upon the determination not 10 sui
hit to a dismemberment OF the Union
which, as before stated must be locke
upon as a settled question, AT least in tn
: West. When the rebellion was inaugura
ed, it's promoters protessed to believe, an
no doubt most OF them did believe, tin
E they would not only meet with sympath
but with material support, from the Dem
: cratic party of the North and but f,
this belief it is doubtful if they could hay
deluded their peo Jle to such an extent /
!, = TO have secere:l their acquiescence IN th
revolt. All nu- see t.ow fatal was tina
d delusion. they should be told IN tim
e tnat the hope that the late elections are a
/ expression ofsympathy for secession Is ~
= fusion equally great, and must prove equal
e fatal The Noi thern Democracy stands no.
h where it has ever stood 1t will suppoi
d at ALI hazards the integrity of the Union
p while it will guarantee to every portion {
s it all the rights and all the privilege
e stipulated in the Constitution. To this e,
t, tent of these purposes the Democrat
n party must be considered a war party. an
l. in its support and prosecution it will VI,
t, ciicate its ancient renown for steadiness {
It purpose-ior pursuing its object with