The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-02-27
ThH)ONIl AZ aGAXDll X3A31% I3s
THE WEEKLY PIONEER AND DEMOCRAT

broken up. He was supporter OF MIR.
Douglas, for he preferred moderate
Southern man; but it was not only bad
party fealty for the South to have nomina
ted Mr.. Breckenridge, but it was commit
ting the democracy of the North to the
tender mercy of the abolitionists. At the
last Presidential election no man ever heard
the sound of his voice, although he voted
for the party opposed to Mr.. Lincoln, be-
cause he saw it was impossible to stem the
result that was precipitated upon the de-
mocracy of the North. F.-.
The election of Mr. Lincoln was no cause
for dissolving the Union, and the Southern
democrats treated the democracy of the
North unwisely, for the Senate, the House
of Representatives and the Supreme Court
would have prevented Mr.. Lincoln from
doing any injury to the South. There was
no manner of doubt as to what was the
duty of the existing government under the
present constitution; for the instant that
these people set up under our present con-
stitution separate government, they were
rebels and traitors, and the government
had no authority except to treat them in
that way. (Applause.) The war came on
inevitably, and it was the duty of the Presi
dent to exert the authority of the law over
the whole Union and in every portion of
the confederacy. He attempted to do SO
in bungling and inefficient manner,
and the war was the consequence. The
war had waged from the 4th of March
until the present time, and every just and
fair man would say that it was drawn
game between the slaveholding and the
non-slaveholding States; and that from
some cause or other we have not only not
succeeded in crushing the rebellion, but the
Southern people were as defiant now as
they had been at any time during the pro-
gress Of tt e war, except within the first few
days after it commenced. He regretted
that the President did not employ greater
force in the outset, and alluded to his read
ing on a former occasion the letter Of Gen.
Scott to Mr.. Lincoln, the day before he
was sworn in, notifying him what force
would be necessary if he desired to crush
the rebellion. That letter was presented
by Governor Seward to the President; but
he overlooked those suggestions from the
start, and the war was commenced upon
an insufficient basis, without sufficient men
and money or appreciation Of the extent of
the struggle, and the result had been that
it went on to this time with various for
tunes and with doubtful results, until it had
now demanded the anxious attention of the
American people as much as the day it
broke out.
He asked what was the best thing that
could be done in the present condition of
the country? He had suggested, in the
progress Of the campaign, that the war
ought to be vigorously prosecuted. Gen.
Mcclellan was at that time at the head of
the army. (Cheers were given for Gen.
McClellan) He (Mr. Van BUREN, never
dreamed that Gen. Mcclellan was to be
removed from the command of the army !;
and when he spoke of the prosecution of
the war; he spoke of it under him as Com
mander-in-C Chief The speaker then re-
capitulated what he had said upon this
point when he addressed the Democratic
Association three months ago. Burnside's
efforts as commander of the army, to pros
ccute the war, had not only not been
crowned with success, buthe had been en-
barrassed at every step by persons in the
Senate, and subordinate commanders I'M
der him, running to Washington, until he
had been forced to resign and the COM
mand turned over to another officer. The
army was under the command of General
Hooker, who, he was glad to hear from
officers in the army, and from persons in
whose opinion he had considerable conf
dence, was good man.
On a former occasion he (the speaker)
suggested that after we had conquered
Richmond it would be we'll to hold con-
vention OF the people of the different
States to see if the differences between us
could not be accommodated, and he ven
tured to suggest that if half dozen States
persisted in holding out after that, the
question would arise whether the war
should be prosecuted for the purpose OF
keeping them in or whether they should
be allowed to go, and that for himself he
should be in favor of allowing them to go.
The New York Iy'ibune was shocked at
those remarks; but now the Tribune
openly stated unless We conquered the en-
envy by the 1st Of May they were in favor
of arranging the whole matter. The edi-
tor of that paper substantially states that
he desires to acknowledge the independence
of the Southern States if they hold out till
the LIST of May. That WINS an extraordi-
nary change in the sentiments of those
opposed to the Democracy. Well, gentle
men, the suggestion was received with
moderate favor by the North aud with
none at all by the South. The Richmond
Dispatch, in speaking of what l said an(
what Mr.. Brooks said, made these remark:
on the 10th of January last:-
We are aware that many persons believe tha
the party of which Brooks and Van Buren, arc
representatives desire and design to restor,
peace, and that at present they dare not speal
out their real sentiments, which are in favor O
separation. We do not brlieve they are in'favo
of any such thing. They would like peace OF
condition Of our return to the Union, and the,
are fools enough to believe that a majority 0
the people in the confederacy are in favor O
reunion. They would like peace on thes
terms, because it would restore the commercial
supremacy of the North, and especially of tn
city of New York, which is gone forever if tn
Union is not restored. But they are as bitterl,
opposed to separation as Lincoln himself O
any of the thieves and murderers who lead hi
armies. In the event of a refusal to return t,
the Union they would to man unite in hound
ing the assassins who are desolating our countr
and numbering our people as fiercely as the
have ever been bounded on by Beecher ant