The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1863-07-17


for publication, a copy of the follow
ing letter from him, on the state of
the country:
CHICAGO, May 10, 1861.
MY DEAR SIR:--Being deprived OF
the use of my arms for the present by
Il severe attack of rheumatism. | am
compelled to avail myself of the ser
vices of an amanuensis in reply TO
Your two letters.
It seems that some Of my friends
are unable to comprehend the differ
ence bet'~een arguments used in favor
of an equitable compromise, with the
hope of averting the horrors of war,
and those urged iu support of the
Government and flag Of cur country.
when war is being wagcd against the
United States with the avowcd pur-
pose of producing permanent dis.
ruption of the Union and n total de.
struction Of It's Government
All hope OF compromise with the
Cotton States was abandoned when
they assumed the position that the
separation of the Union was complete
and final, and that they would never
consent to reconstruction in any
contingcney-not even if we would
furnish them with a blank sheet Of
paper and permit them to inscribe
their own terms.
Still the hope was cherished that
reasonable and satisfactory terms of
adjustment could he agreed upon with
Tennessee, North Carolina, and the
Border States, and that whatever
terms would prove satisfactory TO
these loyal States would create a
Union party in the Cotton Stntes
which would he powerful enough at
the ballot box to destroy the Revolu-
tionaay 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 Mt Charles |
ton, and the authoritative announce |
ment made 10y tho Revolutionary |
Government ut Montgomery. that the |
Secession flag should hc planted upon |
the walls Of the Capital at Washing
ton, and proclamation issued invit- |
ing the pirates Of the world to prey
upon the commerce of the United |
States.
These startling facts, taken in con.
nection with the boastfnl announce
ment that the rayagcs war and car
mage should be quickly transferred
from the cotton fields Of the South to
the wheat fields and corn fields of the
North, furnish conclusive evidence
that it was the fixed purpose of the
Secessionists utterly TO destroy the
Government of our fathers and oblit
crate the United States from the map
of the world.
In view OF this state Of facts there
was but one path of duty left to pat
rlotlc men. 1t was not party qucs-
tion, nor Il question involving parts
an policy: it was q question of Gov
or no Governments: country
or no country: and hence it became
the imperitive duty of every Union
man. every friend of Constitutional
liberty, TO rally to the support Of our
common country, its Government and
flag, rs the only means of checking /
the progress Of revolution and of pre-
serving the Union Of the States.
| am unable to answer Your Ques
tons IN respect to the policy of Mr.
Lincoln and his Cabinet. / am not
n their confidence, as YOU and the
whole country ought to he aware
am neither the supporter of the par
,isan policy nor the abologist for the
errors of the Administration. NV
previous relations TO them remain un-
changod; bnt | trust the time will
never como when ] shall not he will
ng to make any ncedful sacrailce OF
personal feeling and party policy for
he honor and integrity ofmy country.
know of no mode by which n 10y
Il citizen may so well demonstrate
Ills devotion to his country rs by sus-
tanning the Flag, the Constitution.
and the Union, under all circumstan.
res, and under every Administration,
regardless of party politics) against
al assailants, at home and abroad
Ihe course of Clay and Webster to-
ward the Administration Of General
Jackson, in the days of Notification.
presents noble and worthy example
on all true patriots At the very mo-
nent when that fearful crisis was pre-
'ipitated upon the country partisan
strife hetwecn Wings and Democrats
vas quite rs bitter aud rclontless ms
low between Democrats and Republic
lns.
The gulf which separated party lead |
,rs in those days was quite rs broad |
and deep as that which now separates
he Democracy from the Republicans |
But the moment an enemy rose in our
midst, plotting the Acknowledgement
IF the Union and the destruction of
-he Government, the voice of patisnn
strife was hushed in patriotic silence.
One OF the brightest chapters in the
history Of oar country will record the |
fact that during this cventfl period |
the great leaders Of the Opposition.
sinking the partisan in the patriot, /
rushed to the support of the Govern
nenl, an became its ablcst and !
bravest defenders against all assail.