The Ohio Democrat. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1840-1900, 1863-02-06

only a question of time, and short time.
Such was its strength, indeed, that | do
not believe that the union OF the Demo
cratic party in 1860 on any candidate,
even though he had been supported also
by the entire so-called conservative or
anli,Lincoln vote of the country, would
have availed TO defeat it; and if il had,
the success of the Abolition party would
only have been postponed four years
longer. The disease had fastened too
strongly upOu the system TO be healed
until it had run its course. The doc
trine of the "hrepressible conflict had
been taught too long and accepted too
widely and earnestly to die out, until it
should culuminate in secession and dis
union; and, if coercion we're resorted to,
then in civil war. believed from the
first that it was the purpose of some of
the apostles Of that doctrine TO force
collision between the North and the
South, either to bring abonl separation
or to find vain but bloody pretext for
abolishing slavery in the States. In
any event, l knew, or thought knew,
that the end was certain collision, and
death to the Union. .. .'. .
Believing thus, | have for years past
denounced those who taught that doc
trine with all the vehemence, the bitter
ness, you choose thought it right
eeus, a patriotic billerness-of an earn.
est and impassioned nature. Thinking
thus, | forewarned all who believed the
doctrine, or followed the party which
taught it, with a sincerity and ? depth
of fconviclion as profound as ever pene-
trated the heart ofman. And when, for
eight years past, over and over again, |
have proclaimed to the people that the
success Of sectional anti>slavery party
would be the beginning Of disunion and
civil war in America, believed it: ]
did. had read history, and studied
human nature, and meditated for years
upon the character of our institutions
and form of Government, and Of the
people South as well as North: and |
could not doubt the event. But the
people did not believe me, nor those OIL
der and wiser and greater than |. They
rejected the prophecy, and stoned the
prophets. The candidate of the Repub>
lican party was chosen President. Se'
cessiOn began. Civil war was imm'
nent. 1t was no petty insurrection; no
temporary combination to obs!ruct the
execution of the laws in certain States;
but revolution, systematic, deliberate
determined, and with the consent of a
majority Of the people of each State
which seeded, Causeess it may have
been; wicked it may have been, bu
there it was; not TO be rallied at, still less
to be laughed at, but to be dealt with by
statesmen as fact. No display ofvigo
or force alone, however sudden or great
could have arrested it even at the outset
1t was disunion at last. The wolf hat
come. But civil war had not yet follow
ed. In my deliberate and most solemn
Judgment, there was but one wise ant
masterly mode Of dealing with it. Non
coercion would avert civil war, ant
compromise crush out both Abolition
ism and Secession. The parent and tn,
child would thus both perish. But re
sort to force would at once precipitat
war, hasten secession, extend disunion
and, while it lasted, utterly cut off al
hopes of compromise. | believed tha
war, il long enough continued, would b
, final, eternal disunion. | said it;
: meant it; and accordingly, to the utmos
'of my ability and influence, | Iexerte
l myself in behalf of the policy of non
t coercion. 1t was adopted by Mr.. Buch
g anan's Administration, with the almo:
i, unanimous consent Of the Democrat
0 and Constitutional Union parties in an
/ out of Congress; and, in February, wit
e the concurrence of a majority ofthe RI
:, publican party in the Senate and til
/ House. But that party, most disas
). trously for the country, refused all con
It promise. How, indeed, could they al
= cept anyl That which the South d'
:, manded and the Democratic and cor
= servative parties Of the North and We
10 were willing to grant, and which alOr
,f could avail TO keep the peace, and say
d the Union, implied surrender Of Il
,, sole vital element of the party and
l. platform-of the very principle, in fac
'e upon which it had Just won the conte
if for the Presidency; not indeed, by
ID majority Of the popular vole-the m
= joriy was nearly million against it.
l. but under the forms ofthe Constitutio
#. Sir, the crime, the "high crime" Of Il
nj Republican party was not SO much
Is refusal 10 compromise. as its origin
s, organization upon basis and doctr
" wholly inconsistent with the stability
n the Constitution and the peace Of Il
m Union.
lie Butto resume; the session of Congre
m expired. The President elect W
III inaugurated; and now, if only the poll
v Of non-coercion could be maintaine
le and war thus averled, time would do
f. work in the North and the South, a
lie final peaceable adjustment and reun
TO be secured. Some time in March it "
X announced that the. President had |
e solved to continue the policy of |
ID predecessor, and even go a step furth'
i and evacuate Sumter and the 9th
lr Federal forts and arsenals in the seced
m States. His own party aequiesced; /
n. whole country rejoiced. The policy
le non-coercion had lriumphed, and
IN 0ace, sir, in my life | found myselfin
ID immense majority. No man then pI
ID tended that Union founded in conse
l. could be cemented by force. Ma