Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1864-09-01

the lecturer. This gives him an excellent q
opportunity Of learning public sentiment re
Last winter lectured before nearly hun
dred Of such associations all over the North b
from Dubuque to Baugor-and took ?
pains to ascertain the feeling Of the people. Y
found unaBiaous determination to crush I
the rebellion and save the Union at every I
sacrifice. The majority are Ia favor of Mr..
Lincoln, and nearly all ofthose opposed to I
him are opposed to him because they think
he does not fight you with enough vigor.-
The radical Republicans, who go for slave
suffrage and thorough con6scation, are those
who will defeat him, if he has to be defeat.
ed. Buff he is defeated before the people,
the House will elect worse mani mean
worse for you. 1t is more radical than he
is-you can see that from Mr. Ashley's re-
construction bill--and the eople are more |
radical than the House. Mr. Lincelu,
know, is about to Gull out five hundred
thousand more men, and can't see how
you can resist much longer but. if you do
you will only deepen the radical fe9ling Of
the Northern people,. They will now give
you fair, honorable. generous terms but
| let them suffer much more, let there be
dead man in every house, as there is now in
every village, they will give you no terms
they will insist on hanging every rebel South
Of. Pardon my terms. mean no Of
fense." A i.- ~ s-' ~
"You give no offence" he replied, smil-
ing very pleasantly, wouldn't have you
pick your words. This Is frank, free talk
and like you the better for saying what
you think. Go on. .l1-r,. ..
II was merely going to say that, let the
Northern people once really feel the war
they do not feel it yet--and they will insist
, on hanging every one Of your leaders"
well, admitting all you say, l can't see
/, how it affects our position. There are some
f things worse than hanging or extermination.
5 We reckon giving up the right Of selfgsv-
ernment one of those things"
D "By selfgovernment you mean .dlsunion
r Southern independence ?"
e "Yes."
> "And slavery, you say, is no longer an
f element in the contest"
3 mo it is not, it never was an essential
h element. 1t was only means of bringing
conflicting elements TO an earlier culmina-
y ton. 1t fred the musket which was already
capped and loaded There are essential dif
= ferences between the North and South that
}. will, however this war may end, make them
q two nations"
IS You ask me to say what thipk. Will
d you allow me to say that know the South
u pretty WE'LL and never observed those differ
l. ences ?" "a
h Then you have not used your eyes. NJ.
n sight is poorer than yours, and have seer
!? them for years"
,e The laugh was upon me, and Mr.. Benja
~ min enjoyed it.
t. "Well, sir, be that as it may, if under
pit stand you, the dispute between your Gov
lr ernment and ours is narrowed down to this
rn Union Or disunion."
Yes; or to put it in other words; inde
q. pendence or suLjugation."
Then the two governments are irrecor
cilably apart. They have no alternative bu
to fight it out. But it is not so with tn
u' people. They are tired of fighting an
a a want peacr and as they bear all the burde
u and suffering of the war, is it not righ
Is they should have peace, and have it on sue
- terms as they like?"
ln Il don't understand you. Be little II OF
,e explicit"
NJ Mr.. DAVIS REFUSES AN ARMISTICE
= "Well, suppose the two government
en- should agree to something like this To &
nd to the people with two propositions, 50
mt peace, with disunion and Southern indcpe-
W. dence as your proposition--aDd peace, wit
las Union, emancipation, no conhscation an
- universal amnesty as ours. Let the citze,
no of all the United States (as they existe
IN. two propositions at a special election with
en- sixty days If majority votes disuno
nd our Government to be bound by it, and
be let you 60 in peace. If a majority yo
is, Union, yours to be baund by it, and to sti
lat in peace. The two governments can Gu
IN. tract in this way, and the people, thong
ire con titutionally unable to decide on pea
Eat or war, can elect which of the two propos
lid tions shall govern their rulers. Let Lee al
AN Grant meanwhile agree to an armistice.
This would sheath the sword and if on
re. sheathed it would never again be drawn
is this generation.
me The plan is altogether impractcable.
If the South were only one State it mig
as work but as it is, if one Southern Sta
or, objected to emancipation, it would multi
a the whole thing for you are aware the pc
,ile pie of Virginia cannot vote slavery out
The South Carolna, nor the people OF Sou
for Carolina vote it out Of Virginia"
a But threetourths OF the States G
es. amend the constitution. Let it be done
But that way--in any way, so that it be done
ey, the people. | am not statesman or
,ur politician. aud do not know Just how suct
ar plan could be carried out; but you get Il
tn idea-that the people shall decide the qu
our tion."
nor THAT the majority shall decide ir, y
i've mean. We seeded to rid ourselves of t
rule of the majority, and this would subj'
in us to it again"
But but the majority must rule finally, ell
on, or with bullets or ballots"
me II am not so sure of that. Neither CT
yed rent events nor history shows that the n
ave jority rules or ever did rule. The contra
tle- think, Is true. why, SIR, the man W
rem should 20 before the Southern people wi
uld such proposition which implied that t
son North was to have a voice in determini
no the domestic relations Of the South, cot
not live here to-day. He would be hang
and to the first tree, without judge or jury"
do ALLOW me to doubt that. l think it me
my likely he would be hanged if he let t
and Southern people know tho majority could
mid rule" replied, smiling.
hes, 81 have no tear of that" rejoined \
! Of Davis, also smiling most good humored
nil II give you leave TO proclaim it from sv,
our house-top in the South"
ali But seriously. sir, you let the major