Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1864-09-02

we have no foreign debt, be none tho poorpr.
But It as worth something; it has the solid
basis OF {. large cotton crop, while yours rests
upon nothing, and you owe all the world
/ As to resources: We do not lack for arms
or ammunition, and we have still a wide ter.
ritory from which to gather supplies So,
you see, We are not in eXtremities. Bot il
We werc,--if we were without money, with.
out food, without weapons,--if our whole
country were devastated, and our armies
crushed and disbanded, could we, without
giving up our manhood, give up our right to
govern ourselves? Would you not rather
die, and feel yourself man, than live, and
be subject to foreign power?"
:" From your stand point there is forcc in
what you say" replied the Colonel Hui
we did not come here to argue with YOU, MIR.
Davis. We came, hoping to find some hon.
oTablc way to peace; and am gricved 10
hear you say what you do. When have
seen your young men dying on the battle.
field, and your old men, women, and chill.
drcn starving IN their homes, | have felt
could risk my life to Saye them. For that
reason am here aud | am grcvcd, grieved
that there is no hope"
know your motives, Colonel Jaqucss,
|
do more than am doing? | would give my
poor life, gladly, il it would bring peace ah,l
good will TO the two countries but it would
not. lt,is With your own people you should
labor. It is they who dcsolatc our homes,
burn our wheat fields, break the wheels Of
wagons carrying away our women and chill
drcn, and destroy supplies meant for our sick
and woGnded. At your door lies all the mis-.
cry and crime OF this war and il is y lear!
ful, fearful account"
80" Not all Of it, Mr.. Davis. admit Gear.
ful account, hut it is not dE at our door. The
passions Of both sides are aroused. Unarmcd
men arc hanged, prisoners arc shot down in
cold blood, by yourselves. Elements OF bar.
harism are entering the war on both sides
that should make us--you and me, as Chris.
tlan mcn-shudder to think of. In Gods
name, then, let us stop it. Let us do some.
thing, conccae something, to bring about
peace. You cannot expect, with only four
and half millions, as Mr.. Benjamin SAYS
yon have. to hold Oh, forever against twenty
millions"
Again Mr. Davis smiled.
do you suppose there are twenty mill.
ions at the North determined to crush us ~
II do,--to crush your government. A
small number of our people, n very small
number, are your friends, ,-SeCcssionists. .-
ntie rest differ about measures and caudi.
dates, but are united in the determination tc
sustain the Union. Whoever is elected in
November, he must be committed to ygor.
Gus prosecution Of the war"
Mr., Davis still locking incrcduous, re.
markcd,- 5.... l Pc .,,, 49, ,
1t is so, Sir. Whoever tells YOU other
wise deccivcs you. Think know Northern
sentiment, and | assure you it is so. You
know we have system of lyccum lecturine
in our large towns. At the close of ,hcsC
lectures, it is the custom Of tho people &c
come upon the platform and talk with the
lecturer. This gives him an excellent oppor.
tnnity of learning public sentiment. Las,
witcr | lecturcd before nearly a hundred OF
such ASSOCIATIONS, all over the North. from
Dubuque 70 'tingor, -.Gnd ! took pains to
ascertain the feeling Of the reublc. = found
n unanimous determination to crush the Re.
b3llion and save the Union at every sacrifice
The majority are in favor of Mr.. Lincoln
ana nearly all Of those opposed to him arc
opposed to him because they think he does
not light you with enough vigor. The raGi
cal Republicans, who 60 for slave suffrage
ana thorough confiscaton, are those who vii
defeat him, 1t he is defeated. But If he rs
defeated before the people, the House will
elect worse man II mean, worse for you
IL is more radical than he is,-you can sc,
that from Mr. Ashley's Reconstruction Bin
and the people arc more radical than the
House. Mr.. Lincoln, | know, is about ,c
call out five hundred thousand more men
and can see how you cqJ, reSis, much long
cr; but if you do, you will only deepen the
radical feeling of the Northern people. They
will now give you fair, honorable, generous
terms; but let them suffer much more, lc,
there be dead man in every house, MS there
is now in every village, and they will give
You no terms, they will insist on hanging
every Rebel south 0f -. Pardon my
terms. ] ir.ian no offence"
You give no offence" he replied, smiling
very pleasantly. :" I wouldn't have you pick
your words. This is frank, free talk, and
| like you the better for saying what you
think, Go on .',. - Il,
! was merely going to say, that, let The
| Northern people once really feel the war;
they do not feel it yct,--and they will inss,
on hanging every one of your leaders"
well, admitting all you say, can't see
how 1t affects our position. There are som.
things worse than hanging or extcrnina,ion
We reckon giving up the right Of sell. gov
trn'nent one Of those things" :.
by self government you mean disunion
Southern lnlcpendcaao - ..-. ." .I.
YES" s.. .. .a.n ....
And slavery, You say, is no longer an cl
emcnt in the contest" -
| "No, 1t is not, it never was an essential
element. 1t was Gnly a means Of bringing
other conflicting elements to an earlier cul
minaiion. 1t fired the musket which was
already capped and loaded. There are essen
tial differences between tho Mor.j, and the
South that will, however this war may end
maze them two nations"
You ask me TO say what think Will
you allow me to say thatrI know the Soutl
| pretty well, and never observed those d Ter
enceg"i '.'' 1893
Then you have not used your eyes Nv
sight is poorer than yours but have seen
them for years"
The laugh was upon me, and Mr.. Bcnja.
min enjoyed it.
Wen, Sir be that as II may, If under
stand you, the dispute between your govern.
mcnt and ours is narrowed down to this
Union or Disunion." r.
Yes, or to put il in other words rnde
Pcndencc or Suljugation.n -.
Then the two governments are ifrccon.
eilably apart. Thoy have no alternative but
to fight il out. But il il not so'wi!h the peo
pie. They are tired ofsfght.hg. and wan,
peace and as they Bear all the burden and
| suffering Of the war, Is it not right they
should have peace, and have it on such terms
| as they leei9
don't understand you. BE little more
cxplicit"'
'Wch suppose the two governments
stould agree to something like this To 90
to tho people with two propositions: say,
Peace, with Disunion and Southern Indc
pendence, as your proposition. - and Peace,
with Union, Emanc patton, No Contiscation
and Universal Amnesty, as ours Let the
citizens Of all the United States las they cx.
istcd before the war; vote YeS,' or 30 on
these two propositions, at a sprtial election
within sixty days. Ii a r,r;oiiiy vote Dis
union, our government u be bound by it,
and to let yop gain peace. III majority
votes Inion, yours to be bound by it, and to
stay in peace. The two governments can
In thia MI n. "a