The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1864-07-20


On the I'd of February. 1861, Senator
Douglas wrote letter to the Memphis Ap
peal, in answer to an editorial in that paper.
This letter evinces the Senator's remarka.
bic political sagacity and foresight, and is
we'll worthy of reproduction at this time.
Mr.. Douglas wrote:
MEssRs. EDITORS II have this morning
read with amazement an editorial in your
paper of the 3Oth ultmo, in which you as
sulne that am "favoring the inm ediate
withdrawal of the remaining States from
the Confederacy as peace measure, to
avert the horrors of civil war, and with the
view of recon nStruction on a constitutional
basis" irpplore you by all those kind
relations which have so long existed be-
tween us, and which | still cherish with so
much pleasure and gratitude, to do me the
justice promptly to correct the unaccounta.
ble error into which you have been led.
In regard to secession, whether viewed
as a governmental theory, or as matter of
political expediency, l have never had but
one opinion, nor uttered but one language
that Of unqualified opposition. Nothing
Cdu oS ~ iuNoi W RSdSS VI tIS 'souhtiy y
so destructive of the Union andl all hopes
of reconstruction, as the secession of Ten.
nessee and the border States under existing
circumstances. You must remember that
there are d>urionlsts among the men who Sc
hostility to slavery is stronger than their
fidelity 20 the Constitution. and who be-
lieve that the disrnp,inn of the Union
would draw after it, as an inevitable conse.
quence, civil war, strvilc insurrection, and
finally, the utter determination OF slavery
in all the Southern States. They are bold,
daring, determined men, and, believing, as
they do, that the Constitution Of the United
States is the great bulwaIk Of slavery on
this continent, and that the disruption Of
the American Union involves the inevitable
destruction of slavery, and is an indispen
sable necessity to the attainment of that
end, they are determined to accomplish
their paramount object by any means with
in their power.
For these reasons the Northern diSun-
ionists, like the disunionists Of the South
are violently opposed to all compromises
| or constitutional amendments, or efforts
at Cancellation whereby peace should be re-
stored and the Union preserved. They are
striving to break up the Union under the
pretense Of unbounded devotion to it; they
are struggling to overthrow the Consttu
ton, while protesting undying attashmen,
to it, and a willingness to make any saCri
fee to maintain it; they are trying tc
plunge the country into civil war, as sures
means Of destroying the Union, upon thu
plea Of enforcing the laws and protecting
the public property. If they can defea
every kind Of adjustment or compromise
by which the points at issue may be salts
factorily settled, and keep up the irritation
so as to induce the Border States to follow
the Cotton States, they will feel certain 0
the accor plishment Of their ultimate de
signs. Nothing will crafty them so much
or contribute SO effectually to their success
as the secession Of Tennessee and the Bor
der States. Every State that withdraw
from the Union increases the relative powe
of Northern abolitionists 70 defeat salts
factory adjustment, and to bring on was
which sooner or later must end in fins
separation and recognition Of the indepen
| dence Of the two contending sections.
II, on the contrary, Tennessee, Mort
Carolina, and the Border States will re
main in the Union, and will unite with tn
conservative and Union loving men Of a
parties in the North, in the adoption .
such compromise as will be alike honor'
BILE, safe and just to the people Of all tt
States, peace and fraternal feeling will 500
return, and the Cotton States will con
back, and the Union be rendered perpetua
Pardon the repetition but that cannot
too strongly impressed upon all who 10,
our country, secession and war will be Il
destruction not only Of the present Uric
! but will blast all hopes Of reconstructio
upon constitutional basis.
lam, very truly, your friend,
S. A. DOUGLAS.