The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1863-01-16
By CAPT. J. 7. DREW.
CHI A ? L F. r ".
What Edmund Rufin thinks.

Extract from the prison journal: ed
mund Ruffin a venerable clergyman of Vir-
ginia, who fired the first gun at Sumter, gave
US his views to-day (Aug 10, 1861 on the
causes of the war. AS near as | can recollect,
and as near as Col Wilcox could revise, it was
this:
People Of the North seem to know very
little about the causes that led to this war;
Many of them think it has been the agitation
of the slave question, others that it is caused
by " tire-eaters" of the South. But it is nei-
ther; the cause is in Southern ambition-in
the desire of the people to expand into vast
empire We at the South are divided into
two classes-"The thinkers" and the Thought
for" About 100000 do all the thinking.
The rest are led wherever we choose to go.
TO bring about this thing, We formed an asso-
ciation vast in numbers, rich, powerful and
all contyoling-the wonders of the world cul-
minated in this society. Genius, transcen-
deLt intellect, great practical powers and a.
most unbounded ambition were the charac-
teristics of it. | refer to the Knights of the
Golden Circle" The foolish talk about slaves
in the North was made to move the people
to convince them that slavery was the great
est blessing in the world to the South and
that the North wished to destroy it was our
plan. This succeeded. Many a man who
never really knew what -itoltiOn meant,
went into passion over the mere sound OF
the name. After getting the hatred of the
North awake, it was easy to add to it. The
North was great help itself by getting angry
at u.s. Our design was to get rid Of the
New England States and New York. We
knew them to be mercenary, 20 lack ambition.
We hoped to nave taken the West with US
and had it not been for the trank,open- heart
ed nature of the people We should have Sue
ceeded. 1t was for their interest The New
England States will make money ont of this
war-they will out of anything the West
: vii! loose Had they gone with US they would
have supplied us with ali the necessar:es of
life and got our cotton to have sent by way
Of Canada to Europe.
Col Wi!cox.-Do you mean by the West
all that is termed that in our Biographies
Edmund RrHn.-No, was only thinking
o! kentuckv. Missouri, Indiana. Illinois and
some of the territories We counted on those
States for making our plan successful. Some
of the leading men were f,r US.
/! Col Corcoran.-Dd YOU think Stephen y.
i Do1gas friend TO your cause, ever?
/ Eiumnd Rufiin.-No. Whatever | may
0 have though, of him politically must say h,
was one of our bitterest opponents con
= <cie,tousy so. think. Had he joined III.
{ order of the knights Of the Golden Circle
r this war wcnid never have been.
Col C.-Why so, sir.
: F. R-Because We could have peacefully
: done whst Ne have done.
Col Woodrutf. ky.-Do YOU regard tn,
II ueople of the North AZ burden to any am
bilious designs
e T. R-Yss sir. they are a white liveret
race-vou will see they will desire to com
promise By the time they have fought two
wears The fact is as scon as this war Begin
e TO touch their p0ckets-to interfere witt
e their personal comfort, then they will cry pi
1t c9ce'
e know they said they would fight us fo
:, years but they viii not-they cannot stan,
$ defeats. Besides We have many among yor
II who are our friends. some favor US from in
e terested motives. some from natural affinities
= others from q cynical hate Of all that i
2 around them. thus making it necessary fo
g them 10 favor something remote. as all man
Z kind will have some party to favor-ther
s never was an honest MURAL in the world,-n,
e human being remains unbiased he will ia
J. vor secretly if not openly one side or tn
u other.
/ Col Wilcox. DO you expect any servic
It from these men
o f. R.-Yes si:, indirectly much. We eS
pect them to harrass your Government, t
e SOW dissension among the people, to deade
le enthusiasm. throw gloom and despondenc
d. over the people and little by little weaker
,e their faith in the Government, bring desir
/ for peace prevent YOU from drafting, ant
10 finally, do more to defeat you than souther
N bravery and skill in arms. Yon think thi
"a will never happen but it will. know you
people, they have had too much liberty-the
D think liberty Of speech" means say VIII:
Al you please no matter what hurt it will de-
ie They call "equal rights" the right to do a
u one pleases 10 matter what injury it wi
u bring on others. They will abuse the Gov
IS ernment and say things that will injure it an
lie yet if any one tries the lar on them they n
II ally feel prosecuted. Now we know thes
Is fellows, We know they are miserable ours, W
Is despse them, and yet they aid us great!
as But when We first thought about making
e great nation, an empire with slavery as tn
- foundation we felt that both the Abolitio
as party and these white livered fellows, woul
e equally hinder the one from principle pei
y haps, the other from cowardice. We learne
IA this, when the plan was formed to captur
all Cuba. Dlring Buchanan's term We mad