Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-01-20

The Great Debate Of Wednesday last
FaIlandIgham's declaration Of Democrat.
ie Policy.
The debate Of Wednesday between Val
lsndigham as the exponent of secession
and Msssrs. BiughsmUf ONO, ana Wright
Of Pennsylvania, as advocates Of vigorous
warfare against all rebellion or treason
was one Of the most important Of the ses-
sion. In it the tory Ohioan set forth with
labOred exsctness, the doctrines which
constitute his platform and that Of those
who sympathise with him, and upon which
he would like to array the Democracy
These doctrines, as Mr.. VaIlandigham
himself said, constitute "informal, practi-
cal recognition Of the COnfsderaey. In
order to accomplish this he endesvOrs to
divide the North, to stir up and encourage
an opposition spirit until it proves
bold and strong enough to dictate terms
Of peaes to the Government, and then to
adopt such a peace as will concede all
that the South and the rebels want. His
plan is most traitorous and wicked, and
90 EIaringly did his treason crop out, that
even the most conservative Democrats
are found to rspudiste him, lest they suffer
By contamination. We have no space for
lengthy extracts from any Of the three
speeches, but avail ourselves of an alb
street Of each, their importance justi-
fying the expenditure Of space. The pa
triotie replies Of Messrs. Bingham
and Wright are in splendid contrast to the
special pleading Of the Dayton tory.
In Vsllandigham's speech, after review
ing briefly the efforts to compromise at the
session of 1s6O-61 and the beginning Of
the war, and the scenes that followed, his
own position and the failure Of the war,
he next proceeded to consider the question
-HCan the Union of these States be yet
restored, and how can it be dOneP" He
maintained that reunion WAS not only
possible, but inevitable, unless defeated by
the deliberate folly and wickedness Of the
public men and the people. He argued
the question at length, from history, citing
many examples:
HHe maintained also that the causes
which led to disunion were not eternal
and ineradicsl, and were weaker than those
which tended to reunion; that slavery was
not the cause, but only the development Of
the cause-sectionalism that there is no
Irrepressible conflict between slave labor
and free labor, the slaveholding and the
nen-slsveholding States; that the funda-
mental idea Of the Constitution is the per-
feet and eternal compatibility Of s union
Of States, part slave and part free; and
that such union was in fact the strongest
Of all popular governments. BE oontended
that nothing keeps rs apart now excepting
hate, antsgonism and revenge, and that
war heats these passions seven times hot
ter, and thRt while it lasts reunion cannot
commence. He insisted that prejudiees
should be overcome. He explained the
origin Of the jeslousies between New Eng
land and the South, tracing them to differ
enoe Of manners, habits and social life,
and different ideas Of religion, morals and
politieS-
EHe said the Northwest would not Hspa-
rate from the South, and that the day
which divided the slaVeholding from the
non-slaTeholding States would decree the
eternal divorce Of the West from the East.
He asserted that there was no cause for
controversy except slavery, and that the
agitation Of that subject as a political ele-
ment must cease. We must return to the
old constitutional and actual base Of fifty
years ago-the three-ffths rule-speedy
and ready return Of fugitive slaves; no
more agitation, and the transit and the
temporary sojourning Of masters with
their slaves in the free States. This was
the price Of the Union, and whoever was
not willing TO pay it must finally declare
for epsration-disunion.
HHe argued that the South was interest
ed Just as much Rs we in reunion. BE
spoke sf The terms Of slavery on the old ba-
sis, and the way to effect reunion, refer
ring 70 the almost exact similarity Of the
two nstitutions-Federal and Contede-
rste-and Of the impossibility Of keeping
M two such governments, with national
boundary. He said the only difficulty in
the way ofreunion was q want Of the viii
70 reunite, and that while the war lasted
that will would never exist. He said that
II the country was really tired Of the war
and thought the military experiment had
been tried long enough, and enough Of
blood and treasure expended, and misery
indicted on both, he would then propose
this. BE denied this was formal recog-
nition, to which, for obvious reasons, he
would not consent. It was an informal re-
eoguitiou, and so was exchange Of prison
era. and flags oftruce. Riteonfessed disun-
lon, Il was only as the surgeon who sets q
frsctured limb TO heal it, admits that it is
broken.
at would not do to say that the govern
ment would have failed to crush out the
rebellion. It had failed and would al
ways fail. Neither ought anybody com
plain thas one would be hung. Neither
would there be, though the war lasted fifty
Years. But ifnobody was to be hung, then
Let tbs wrong-doers Of the Administration
rejoice and Be exceeding glad. BE approx
ed Of mediation as o means Of suspending
kostilifies. but rejected arbitration.
HHe spoke slso Of the important lessons
which the war had taught on both sides,
exploding anti-slsyery errors, proving the
strength Of the South, and that slavery,
tnstesd of q weakness, was power; that
the non-sIayeholding white men Of the
ssufh were the chief support Of slavery,
and that there Ess no danger Of seryile
ins6IFections.
q Stop fighting, make an armistice-no
formal treaty; Withdraw our army from
the seeded States; reduce both armies to
9 fair and Sufficient peace establishment; ;
declare Sbsolute free trade between the
Nsrtk and South; buy and sell, sgres upon