The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1863-05-21


walks through our streets, is a sure in
dication that our brave soldiers have
met with reverse, is, that Mr.. Douglas
was a patriot and placed the blame
where itrightfully belonged, upon the
heads of the traitors. themselves; while
this Gantt,-who through the courtesy
of our citizens, is suffered to put forth
his slime week after week, though the
treason contained in every issue of his
detestible sheet ought to send him to
keep company with his martyred chief,
Vallandigham,-like drowning man,
catching at straws, is convulsively
grasping at every straw that is borne
along in the hope of finding some apol-
ogy for his dear southern brethren
But CAN'T finds a little comfort and
some excuse for the rebellion in the fact
that the Peace Propositions $50 called)
was opposed by the Republicans in the
House. Now let us see how the matter
really stood. Mr.. Dudley D. Field was
member of the Peace Congress that
met in Washington in February, 1861,
and he has lately published complete
exposure of this same oft.reiterated
Democratic falsehood, from which we
take the following extracts. Mr.. Field
first submitted othe Congress the fol
lowing:
"The Union of the States under the
Constitution is indissoluble, and no
State can secede from the Union, or
nullify an act of Congress, or absolve
its citizens from their paramount obi
cation of obedience to the Constitution
and laws of the United States"
This was laid on the table by the
majority. Mr.. Field then proposed the
following
&C 1t is believed to be the true intent
and meaning of the present Constitution
that the Union of the States under it is
indissoluble."
This was rejected by the CoDserv.
atives."
Gov. Roger S. Baldwin (Republican)
of [ onnecticut then submitted the fol-
lowing
Whereas, Unhappy differences exist
which have ailenated from each other,
portions of the people of the United
States to such an extent as seriously to
disturb the peace of the nation and i'm
pair the regular and efficient action of
the. Government within the sphere of
its constitutional powers and duties /;
and,
Whereas, The Legislature of the
State of Kentucky has made applica-
ton to Congress to call a Convention
for proposing amendments to the Con-
stitution of the United States and
+" Whereas, 1t is believed to be the
opinion of the people of other States
that amendments to the Constitution
are or may become necessary to secure
to the United States of every section
the. full and equal enjoyment of their
rights and liberties, so far as the same
may depend for their security and pro-
lection on the powers granted to or
withheld from the General Govern
ment in pursuance of the national pur-
pose for which it was ordained and es-
tablished.
This conference does therefore rec
ommend to the several States to unite
with Kentucky in her application to
Congress to call Convention for pro-
posing amendments to the Constitution
of the United States, to be submitted
to the Legislature of the several States,
or to Conventions therein, for ratifca-
ton, as the one or the other mode of
ratification may be proposed by Con-
gress, in accordance with the provis-
ions in the fifth article of the Constitu.
ton"
This proposition was sustained by
Mr.. Field and all the Republicans but
it was vehemently resisted by their OPP
ponents and defeated-Yeas, eight
States; Nays, thirteen States. Every
Szaue State represented in that Con-
gress-Delaware, Maryland, Virginia,
North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee
and Missouri-all voted Nay. Here it
will be seen the Republicans advocated
precisely what the Democrats have, in
repeated instances since the war broke
out, proposed as means of stopping it,
but which the representatives of the
South refused to accept to avert the
war. They would not even declare for
the preservation of the Union, or that
it is indissoluble.
1t will be seen that these PROPOSE.
tons, as also one offered by Mr.. Tuck,
similar to that of Mr.. Baldwin, was
voted down by the South. Finally 9
proposition was adopted, which was op-
posed by the Republicans, it being the
same as that rejected to the bitter end
by the Democrats of the Free States al
the Charleston Convention. When il
was presented to Congress it met with
no success whatever. In the, Senate
| Mason and Hunter of Virginia, Green
of Missouri and Lane of OREGON de-