Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1863-02-04

coercion would avert civil war, ana conf
promise crush out both abolition and Sc
cession. The parent and the child would
thus both perish. But resort TO force
would at once precipitate war, hasten
secession, extend disunion, and while IT
lasted, utterly cut of all hope OF compro-
mise. | believed that war, If long enough
continued, would be final, eternal distInion.
/ said it: | meant it: and accordingly,
to the utmost OF my ability AMI influence.
exerted myself in behalf of the policy o+
non-coercion. 1t was adopted By Mr..
Buchanan's Administration, with the
aim unanimous consent Of the Demo-
cratic and constitutional Union parties i'll
and out of Congress AMI, February, with
the concurrence of majority of the Re
publican party in the Senate and this
House. But that party, most disastrously
for the country, refused all compromise.
How, inlecd, could they accept any
That which the South demanded and the
D1mp.ratic ami conservative parties OF
the North and West were willing To grant
and which alone could avail To keep the
peace and save the Union, implied sur
render of the sole vital element of the
party and Its platfoim-of the very prin-
ciple, in fact, upon which it had just won
the contest for the Presidency not, in
deed, by a m Jority of the popular vote
the majority was nearly million against
it-5ut under the forms of the Constitu-
ton
But 10 resume: the session of Congress
expired The President elect was inaug-
urated; AMI now, if only the policy of
non-coerciDn could be maintained, and
war thus averted, time would do Its work
in the North AMI South, and final pcacca-
bic adjustment and reunion be secured
Some time in Mlrch announced that the
President had resolved 10 follow up the
policy of his predecessor, and even 90 a
step further, and eyac.Iatc Sampler an1
the other Federal forts and arsenals in
the seeded States. Ills own party ac-
quiesei the whole country rcjoiccd
The policy o. non-coercion had triumphed,
and for once, sir, ia my life | found my
self in an immense majority No man
then pretended that Union founded in
consent could be cemented bv force.
Nay, more, the President and the S,cre-
tary of State went further Said Mr.
Seward, in an official diplomatic letter to
Mr. Adams:
- For these reasons he THE President
would not be disposed TO reject a cardinal
dogma of theirs the secessionists, name
ly, that the Federal Government could
not reduce the seeding States 10 obedi-
ence by conquest, although he were dis
posed to question that proposition. But
in fact the Preside:t willingly accepts it rs
true Only an imp erial or despotic Gov
ernmant could subju9atc thoroughly dis
affected and insurrectiOnary members OF
the State
Pardon me, sir, but I beg to know
whether this conviction of the President
AMI his Secretary, Is not the philosophy OF
the persistent and most vigorous efforts
mad by this administration, ana first OF
all through this same Secretary, the mo-
ment war broke out AMI ever since till the
late elections, to convert the United States
into an imperial or despotic Government ?
But Mr.. Seward adds, and | agree with
him:
''This Federal RdSubiican system cI
ours, of all forms of government. the
very one which is most untitled for such :,
labor"
This. sir, was on the 10th of April.
ana yet that very day the fleet was under
sail for Charleston. The policy of peace
had been abandoned. Collision followed:
the militia were ordered out civil wal
began.
Now, sir. on the 18th of April. be-
Heved tn at coercion would bring on war.
and war disunion- MIore than that, be-
hevcd, that you all in your hearts believe
to-day, ,tha; the South could never be
conquered-never. And not that onIv,
hut | was satisfied-and Won of the Abo-
lition party have now proved it to the
world-:hIt the secret but real purpose OF
the war was to abolish slavery in the
States. In any event, die not doub;
that whatever might be the momentary
impulses of those in power. and whatever
pledges they might make in the midst Of
the fury for the Constitution. the Union and
the Flag, vet the natural and inexorabIe
logic OF revolutions would, sooner or later.
drive them into that policy, and with it to
it, final but inevitable result, the change OF
our demOcratical form of government into
IN imperial desPotism-
These Were M convictions on the ith
OF April Had L changed them on the
10Th, when the PrcSident's proclamation.
and become convinced that | had been
wrong all my life, and that all history
was fable, and all human nature false
its Development from the beginning of
time, | would have changed nv public
conduct also. But H,y corrections did not
change. l thought that if war was dis
union on the 18th of April, ii was equally
dI dIsuniOn ON the hIh and of ill tinns