Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1863-10-28
Last Letter of Stephen A. Douglas.
q A Man Cannot be a True Democrat Unless
He Is a Loyal Patriot:

STEPHEN a. DOUGLAS. OF Illinois. Written,
or rather dictated, but few days prior to
his death, it is his last ut.erance upon polit-
ical subjects Addressed to the Democratic
party, it gives his views of their duty to the
country in view of the rebellion of the South
against the Union. 1t is possible that pas
sages may be found in his speeches made be-
fore the war began, and in the heat of par
tizan debate, inconsistent with the admoni-
lions and counsels of this patriotic letter.
But it should be remembered that this was
written after the war had actually begun, and
that it is the calm, deliberate expression of
| Mr.. DOUGLAS IN view of the danger which
| then threatened and which continues to
| threaten our common country.
| At this time, when a determined effort is
| being made by portion of the Democratic
party, to array the loyal States in bitter hos
| tility to the National Government, and when,
in the name of the Democratic party, demo
| gogues are seeking to embarrass and thwart
every measure adopted by the administration
| for putting down the rebellion, it would be
well for men of all parties, but especially for
| Democrats, to re-peruse with care the last
counsels of DOUGLAS
| What a contrast It presents to the Ryan
Address-the platform on which the Palmer
| ticket is presented-with its vindictive par
tizanship, its cold-blooded malignity, its IN
relenting Indian-like ferocity, which, blind
| to the dangers that await the country, and
| careless of all other consequences, seeks only
to excite party hatreds and to achieve party
| successes:
CHICAGO, May 10 1861.
! Ny DEAR SIR: Being deprived of the use of
my arms for the present by severe attack
| of rheumatism, am compelled to avail nv
| self of the services of an amanuensis in re-
| ply to your two letters.
| 1t seems that some OF my friends are una
| bic to comprehend the difference between
| arguments used in favor of an equitable com
promise, with a hope of averting the horrors
| of war, and those urged III support of the
Government and the flag Of our country when
war is being waged against the United States
with the ayowed purpose of producing per-
| manent disruption of the Union and a total
destruction of its Government.
All hope of compromise with the Cotton
States was abandoned when they assumed
the position that the separation Of sSe Union
| was complete and final, and that they would
| never consent to a reconstruction in any con
| tingency-7tOt ege1s II aC0alld furnish than
aciM 6la1ak sheet Of paper, and permit them to
| i,tscrjbe their 01c3a terntS
Still hope was cherished that reasonable
| and satisfactory terms of adjustment could be
| agreed upon with Tennessee, North Carolina
aud the Border States, which would be pow
| erful enough at the ballot box to destroy the
| revolutionary 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
| at Charleston, and authoritative announce
| ment made by the revolutionary government
at Montgomery, that the secession flag should
be planted upon the walls of the Capitol al
Washington, and proclamation issued invit-
ing the pirates of the world To prey upon the
| commerce Of the United States
These startling facts, in connection with
the boastful announcement that the rayages
of war and carnage should be quickly trans
ferred from the cotton fields of the South to
the wheat and corn fields of the North, furn-
ish conclusive evidence that it was the fixed
pun tyoc Of the 90 dostror
the Government of our fathers, and obliter-
ate the United States from the map of the
world.
In view of this state of facts there 1gas int
one path Of duty left 10 patriotic men, It ,cas
not party question, nor question i3lyoIgiHg
ment or no Government; country or no coun-
| try-and hence it became the imperative duty
of every Union man, every friend of consti-
tutonal liberty to rally to the support of our
| common country, its Government and flag, as
the only means of checking the progress of
revolution and of preserving the Union of
States.
| am unable to answer your questions in re
gard to the policy of Mr.. Lincoln and Cabi-
net. l not in their confidence, as you
and the whole country ought to be aware.
am neither the supporter of the partisan pol
icy nor the apOlOgist of the errors of the ad-
ministration. My previous relations with
| them remain unchanged. But I trust the time
acU neyer come acea shall not be uii,tq to make
any needfih sacrifice Of personal feeling ard par
ty policy for tie honor and integrity Of nly cosos-
try.
I know of no mode in which loyal citizen
may so well demonstrate his devotion to his
| country as by sustaing the flag, the Constitu-
ton and the Union, under all circumstances
and 1irader every administration, regardless of
party politics, against all assailants, at home
| and abroad.
The course of Clay and Webster toward
| the Administration of jackson, in the DAYS
of notification, presents a noble and worthy
| example for all true patriots. At the very
| moment when that fearful crisis was prccipi-
| tated upon the country, partisan strife be
| tween Wings and Democrats was quite as
| bitter and relentless as now between Demo
| Gratis and Republicans.
| The gulf which separated party leaders IN
| those days, quite as broad and deep as
| that which now separates the Democracy
| from the Republicans. But the moment an
enemy rose in our midst, plotting the dis
| memberment of the Union and the destruc-
| ton of the Government the voice Of partisan
| strife was hushed in patriotic silence. One of
| the brightest chapters in the history Of our
| country will record the fact that during this
| eventful period the great leaders of the oppo-
| sition, sinking the partisan in the patriot,
rushed to the support of the Government, and
| became its ablest and bravest defenders
| against all assailants until the conspiracy was
| crushed and abandoned, when they resumed
| their former positions as party leaders upon
| political issues.
| These acts of patriotic devotion have never
| been deemed evidences of inideltY or polit-
| ical treachery on the part of Clay and Web
| ster, to the principles and organization of the
| old Wing party. Nor have | any apprehen-
| sion that the firm and unanimous support
| which the Democratic leaders and masses are
| now giving to the Constitution and Union.
| will ever be deemed evidence of iniidelity to
Democratic principles, or a want of loyalty
I TO fEAS ! II