Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1863-09-22
Th~r UUuslaS.


The letter subioined was first publish
ed in the National Inteltgencer of May :
II, 1861 1t is the last public expression /
of opinion on national affairs from Sena- /
tor Douglas We hope it will be carefully !
read By every Democrat. 1t contains |
the truth of history as to the commence
ment and object of the rebellion, and /
sound doctrine as to the duty of Demo /
Gratis in the present state of the country:
CAIRO, May 10, 1861.
My DEAR SIR:-Being deprived OF the
use of my arms at present by Il severe
attack of the rheumatism, | am compell-
ed to avail myself of the services of an
amanuensis in reply to your two letters
1t seems that some of my friends are
unable to comprehend the difference be-
tween arguments used in favor OF an
equitable compromise with the hope OF
averting the horrors of war and those
urged in support of the Government and
! flag of our country, when war is being
waged against the United States with
the avowed purpose of producing per
manent disruption of the Union and
total destruction of the Government
AU hope of compromise Nth the Cot
ton States lcas abandoned acken they as
sumed the position that the separation Of
the Union sg0S complete and final, and
that they aCoaIld neUer consent to a recon
struction an any contingency-Tlot eUen
If zoe acould furnish them aoith a blank
Sheet Of paper and permit them to an
scribe their Oton terms
Still the hope was cherished that rea-
sonable and satisfactory terms OF adjust
ment could be agreed upon with Tennes-
see, North Carolina, and the Border
E States, and that whatever terms would
create Union party in the Cotton States
which would be powerful enough, at the
ballot-box, to destroy the revolutionary
. Government, and bring those States back
into the Union by the voice of their own
people This hope was cherished by
Union men, North and South, and was
+ never abandoned until actual war was
! levied at Charleston, and the authorlta
, tive announcement made by the revolu
tionarv Government at Montgomery thai
I the secession flag would be planted upor
! the walls of the Capitol at Washington
r and proclamation issued, inviting th'
ciTStss c6nmsrcs Sf Il 5Pfh The Gf Gnffted States -
These startling facts taken in connec
q ton with the boastful announcement tina
!. the ravages of war and carnage shoul'
J. be quietly transferred from the cotton
h fields of the South to the wheat-helds an
; corn-felds of the North, furnish conclu
. sive evidence that it was the fixed pun
o nose of the secessionists utterly to destro
q. the Government of our fathers, and oi
!. l;+arate the limited States from the ma
ve of the world.
n. In view of this state of facts, there wa
!. but one path of duty left to patriot
y. ~ men. 1t ,cas not a party question ii
St Uolring partisan policy; 1t 'ods que
u ton Of government or no go0ernn1'e,n
Sc country or on country, and hence 1t b
nd came the imperative duty OF every UnI!
lin man, every friend of constitutional Il
les erty, to rally to the support of our con
els mon country, its government and fla
ot as the only means of checking the pi
al, gress of the revolution, and of preservil
q" the union of the States.
,cv | am unable to answer your quesu
)nr as to the policy of Mr.. Lincoln and
m Cabinet. | am not in their conhdent
Md as you and the whole country ought to
new aware. | am neither the supporter
e. the partisan policy, nor apologist for
- errors of the Administration. My p
oour yious relations to them remain !
loly changed but 1 trust the time will ne
,an- come when l shall not be willing to ma
YOU any needful sacrifice of personal feel
the and party policy for the honor and
Yes tegrity of my country.
/ kno,o of no mode by aChtch a 10
..,o,, a,oU dom an Sf1,1fe his !
"a alty to has country as by sustaining
you flag, the Constet,tttom ana tHe oIs
SCI" under alt circumstances, ana o''deF a q
mid Administration (regardLess Of pa
kele- politics., against all dssa'tdnts,
{ aid home or abroad The course OF
arms and Webster toward the Administra
men of General jackson, in the days OF n