Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1863-04-08
AN IMPORTANT LETTER.
Lord Lyons on Our "Conserva ,ives''-His View
Of the Situation Five Months Ago.
LORD LYONS TO EARL RUSSELL.

reported to your lordship the results of the
election for members OF Congress and State
officers which have recently taken place in
several of the most important States of the
Union. Without repeating the details, it will
be sufficient for me to observe that the sue
cess of the Democratic or Gas il now styles it,
seif) the conservative party, has been SO great
as TO manifest change in public feeling, a
mong the most rapid and the most complete
that has ever been witnessed, even in this
country.
On my arrival at New York on the Sth inst.
found the conservative leaders exulting in
the crosning success achieved by the party in
that State. They appeared to rejoice above
all, IN the conviction that personal liberty and
freedom Of speech had been secured for the
principal State of the Union. They believed
that the government must at once desist from
exercising in the State of New York the ex-
traordinary (and they regarded them) ille
gal and unconstitutional powers which il had
assumed. They were confident that at all
events after the lst of January next, on which
day the newly elected Governor would come
into office, the suspension of the writ of ha
beas corpus could not be practically main
tanned. They seemed to be persuaded that
the result of the elections would he accepted
by the President declaration OF the will
of the people that he would increase the
moderate aud conservative element in the
Cabinet; that he would seek 10 terminate the
war, not TO pnsh il TO extremity that he wouId
endeavor TO effect reconciliation with the
people of the South, aud renounce the idea of
sublugating or EXTERN mating them.
On the following morning, however, ipteli-
gence arrived from Washington which dashed
the rising hopes Of the conservatives 1t was
announced that General Mcclellan had been
dismissed from the command of the Army of
the Potomac, and ordered to repair to his
homes that he had in fact, been removed al
together from active service. The General
had been regarded as the representative of
conservative principles in the army. Support
OF him had been made one OF the articles of
the conservative electoral programme. His
dismissal was taken a sign that the Presi-
dent had thrown himself entirely into the
arms @! the extreme radical party, and that
the attempt to carry out the policy of that
party would be persisted in. The irritation
of the conservatives at New York was certain
ly very great; 1t seemed, however, 70 be not
unmxed with CONSERVATION and despondency
Several of the leaders of the democratic
party sought interv Jews with me, both before
and after the arrival of the intelligence of
General McClelan's dismissal. The subject
uppermost in their minds while they were
speaking to me naturally that of foreign
mediation between the North and South
Many OF them seemed to think that this me-
diation must come at last; but they appeared
to be very much afraid of its coming too soon.
1t was evident that they apprebended that
premature proposal OF foreign Intervention
would afford the radical party means of re-
viving the violent war spirit, and of thus de-
iesting the peaceful plans of the conserva-
tires. They appeared to regard the present
moment as peculiarly unfavorable for such an
offer, and, indeed, to hold that it would be es.
sential to the success of any proposal from
abroad that it should be deferred until the
control OF the executive government should
he in the hands OF the conservative party.
say whether or not ] myself thought foreign
Intervention probable advisable but lis
tened with attention to the accounts given me
of the plans and hopes of the conservative
party. At the bottom | thought perceived
desire to pnt an end TO the war, even at the
risk OF losing the Southern States altogether;
but it was plain that it was not thought pru-
d.nf tn his Ind J.
OF it, dropped before the elections, were so i'll
received that strong declaration in the con.
trary sense was deemed necessary by the dem
ocraiic leaders.
AT the present moment, therefore the chiefs
of the conservative party call loudly for a
more vigorous prosecution of the war, and re-
proach the government with slackness as well
as with want of success in its military meas
ures. But they repudiste all idea OF interfe-
ring with the institutions of the Southern
people, or of wagiug of subjugation or
extermination. They maintain that the OBJ
ject OF the military operations shou Id be 10
place the North in position to demand an
srmistice with honor and with effect. The
armistiee should (they hold) be followed by
convention,in which such changes fthe Con.
stitution should be proposed as would give
the South ample security on the subject of its
slave property, and would enable the North
and the South to reunite and live together in
peace and harmony. The conservatives pro-
fess to think that the South might be ind uced
to take part in such convention, and that
restoration of the Union would be the result.
The more sagacious members of the party
must, however, look upon the proposal of
convention merely as a last experiment to test