Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-10-06
C9uld the War have been lyeFted By C0mpra-
misc

partizans that the Republican majority in the
lower House Of Congress during the session
of lS6o-6l, might have ayerted the war by a
compromise. That they did do all that hon
orable men could do in that direction is new
ertheless a matter Of history. Here are some
of the propositions of compromise offered by
them
/. Mr.. Anthony, Of R. /, Republican, pro-
posed in the Senate Jan Is. 1851 that New Mex
leo. including Arizona, and thus covering all the
territory then really in eispute she uld at once be
admitted as State, with such constitution as
her people should see fit to frame although Slavery
was recognized and protected therein by existing
territorial law. He intimat ed that he was author
ICED by other Republican Senators to make this OF
fer as compromise, to be sustained by them II 1t
were acceptable to the other side No Democrat
accepted 1T so it fell to the ground.
2 Gov. Seward proposed, in the select commit
OF thirteen the crisis, appointed that winter
On motion of Mr. Powell OF KY, ciiiatory prop
sifions, providing against any future amen dment
OF the constitution adverse the safety and perpe-
tuity of slavery. and STIMULATING that Congress
should pass an efficient law providing against the
armed invasion of any state or states Ga la john
BROWN, and Furnishing all persons implicated there
in. All the Republican members voted for this
proposition, all the theirs against ltso 1t was de-
feated.
B Mr. Corwin, from select committee of thirty
three, reported to he House Jan Il, 1S6I several
conellatory propositions, requiring the fan hi
execution of the Fugitive Slave law, the repeal OF
all state enactments inconsistent Herewith, the
rigorofs performance of every federal obligation
by the several states, and the stern repression of
all inTaSions or raids by citizens of one state,
whereby the peace and security OF another were
lmperled. The House passed this-yeas 1876, nays
4 MIR Corwin further proposed Joint Resolve
initiating an amendment of the Federal Constitu-
ton, whereby it should be rendered impossible to
so amend it thereafter confer on Congress any
power over Slavery in the States. This passed the
HOuSp-YpaS yyaS in
by the Senate-Yeas, q; Nays, l2-though rldi-
cued by Senator Mason, of Virginia, as 90 only one
plank OF the Chicago Republican, platform"
B. The State of Virginia having proposed con-
ferer of the States by delegates at Washington,
most CT the States which had not seeded were re-
presented therein. 1t convened Feb. 4th, and va.
rious proposals looking to eonciliation were sub
mitt ed, considered and acted on. Among others,
the State OF Kentucky, through her Legislature,
having urgently recommended Convention of the
States, like that which framed our Federal Consti
tuition, Gov. II. s. Baldwin. of Conn, submitted
resolve approving and urging such Convention,
which voted downfall the Democrats and
90 Conservatives" opposing it. Mr.. Amos Tuck, Of
N. H, renewed the propos ton, and it was again
voted down-ll States against, to for it-eYery
I" ConseiVative'' delegate opposing it, and
Kentucky herself, uniting Gas before) to vote it
down.
Many of the Southern Democrats declared
that no concessions could be named that
could induce them longer to remain in the
Union, nor will any one claim that anything
less than the absolute reputation of the
cardinal principle upon which the American
people elected ABRAHAM LINCOLN, to-wit:
that slavery should not be legalized in the
territories of the United States, would have
contented the south. To such surrender of
principle no honest man could consent. Leg
islation Of that kind would have been legis-
lation at the dicta ion of master.
No more perfect justification Of the course
of the Republicans in refusing to abandon
this principle, sanctioned as it is by the JEFF.
fersonian ordinance of 1897, is needed, than
the example Of HENRY CLAY, the great Amer
lean statesman. Though STAKEHOLDER him
SELF he refused to vote for the extension of
slavery into the Territories. When in 1850,
JEFFERSON DAVIS in the United States Senate
demanded that the right to hold slaves in all
territories lying south Of the line of 36o 30
should be recognized, Mr.. CLAY responded:
q Sir, coming from Slave State, as I do, [ owe
it to myself owe it to truth, l it to the sub
jec that no earthly polger could induce me
to cote for Specifc measure for the introduction Of
aHey achere 1T had not eriSted either South
or orth of that line. Coming, as do, from
Slave State, it is my solemn, deliberate, and we'll
matured determination that pOoCeT-1ao earthly
p0aCeTShGU compel me TO U0te for the p0SitjUe intro
auction Of Slar@y, either South or North Of that
line Sir, while you reproach, and justly, too,
British ancestors for the introduction of this in
stitution upon the continent of America, am,
for one, unwilling that the postery of the present
inhabitants of California and New Mexico shall
proach as for doing just what we reproach Great
Britain for doing to us.''
No intelligent man who studied the action
of the South in 1860, and for years previous,
will believe that the Republicans, by any con-
cessions Imaginable On the subject of slavery
could have induced the secession leaders to
pause in their mad attempt to break up the
Government. They had long plotted the dis
solution of the Union; they had long dream
ed of an independent Southern Confederacy,
with slavery as its corner stone, which should
ultimately absorb Mexico, Cuba and Central
America for thirty years they had been con-
spring for its realization. Therefor it was
that they made the election of LINCOLN the
preteXt for secession. Their plans were ripe.
They did not fear any interference with their
institutions They had large working ma
jority in both Houses of Congress. Mr.. LIN
coin would have been powerless, if he had
possessed the inclination, to do anything that
would have jeopardized the security of their
system of slave labor. They wanted separa-
ton and independence Nothing less would
satisfy them.
They believed the Northern Democratic
leaders could so control the Democratic par
ty at the North and divide public sentiment
here that coercive measures for maintaining
the Union would be wholly impracticable.-
Hence all concessions would have been idle
Had the Republicans in Congress consented
to a dishonorable and humiliating surrender
of their principles, had they been guilty of
the infamy of betraying their constituents by
voting for measure which HENRY CLAY de-
clared no earthly power could induce him to
support, they would have found they had sac
rifced themselves in vain, and incurred eter-
nal ignominy, without in the least contribu
ting to the preservation of their country.
The Spirit of MeClellan's Supporters.
The blatant treason that was the conspicu-
Gus element in the speeches of the Demo
cratic leaders at Chicago, was not more