Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1863-01-23
BY CAPT. j. T. DREW.
CHAPTER ~.
WHAT EDMUND RUFF1N THINKS.


Extract from the prison journal: ed
mund Ruffin, venerable clergyman Of
Virginia, who fred the first gun at Sum-
ter, 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 'fre-eaters' Of
the South. But it is neither the cause
is in Southern ambition-in the desire
of the people to expand into vast en-
pire. We of the South are divided into
classes-'the thinkers and the thought
for About 100000 do all the thinking
The rest are led wherever we choose to
60. To bring about this thing, we form
ed an association vast in numbers, rich
powerful and all controling-the won
ders of the world eliminated in this So
cety. Genius, transcendent intellect,
great practical powers and almos! un-
bounded ambition were the Characters
tics 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 sla-
very was the greatest blessing in the
world TO the South, ard that the North
wished to destroy it, was our PLAN
This succeeded. Many a man who new
err really knew what Abolition 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 US. Our design was
to get rid of the New England States
and New York. We knew them TO be
mercenary-to lack ambition. We hoped
to have taken the West with us, and had
it not been for the frank, open-hearted
nature of the people, we should have
succeeded. 1t was not for their interest.
The New England States will make mo-
ney out of this war they will out of any
thing-but the West will loose Had
they gone with US they would have sup
piled US with all the necessaries Of life,
and got our cotton to have sent by way
of Canada to Europe.
Col. Wilcox.-Do you mean by the
West all that is termed that in our Ge-
ographies ?
Ed. Ruffin.-No; was only thinking
of Kentucky, Missouri, Indiana, Illinois,
and some of the territories. We counted
on those States FOR making our plan sue.
cessfuI. Some of the leading men were
for US.
Col. Corcoran.-Did you think Ste
phen A. Douglas a friend to your cause,
ever?
Ed. Ruffin.-Nol Whatever l may
have thought of him politically, | must
say be was one of our bitterest oppo-
nents-and conscientiously so, l think.
Had he joined the Knights of the Golden
Circle this war never would have been.
Col. C.-Why so? sir.
Ed. Ruflin.-Because we could have
peacefully done what we have done.
Col. Woodruff, Ky.-Do you regard
the people of the North as burden to
any ambitious designs ?
Ed. Ruffin.-Y Yes sir, they are white
livered race-you will see, they will de-
sire to compromise by the time they
have fought two years. The fact is, as
soon as this war begins to touch their
pockets-to interfere with their personal
comforts, then they will cry 'picaveP
know they said they would fight us
for years, but they will not-they cannot
stand defeats. Besides we have many
among you who are our friends-some
favor us from interested motives, some
from natural affinities, others from Gym