Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1864-10-26


by one side only, would have borna r.
tile as Mr.. Lincolu's proclaua,i5n frseur
the slaves in the rear of The rebel ARM
inc Republican was dominant party
and IT would have been worse thar iols
10 attempt any adjustment that did uot
command their active support before tho
country The simple truth is, the psopl-
sition vas fairly rendered to the Reuuhli-
cans. as basis of peace and Union. and
BY them rejected.
In conclusion. you say "the chief oh.
Ject in aliuoing to this matter, il 10 show
that when, before the over, act of war
was committed, the South had the cleo
lion o! compromise or war, she, through
her highest dgni,aries. deliberately chose
war"
! am again indebted to you for the ai-
mission that the sdoptior ofihe coinpro.
mise would have averted war. But TO
concede the truth of what you allece
against the Southern members pray tell
US what the Republican members, did to
avert dissolution and war by q Just and
honorable settlement Of the sectional
controversy which they had helped 10
create. When did they vote for the Crit
tenden Compromise, o, advocate it, or
any other effective measure. la what
way dio they attempt to assusge popular
passion and prejudice. II what YOU
ailege against the Southern members ke
true, it only proves what often happened.
that the radicals Of both sections acted in
concert together to prevent concession and
compromise-it would only show tha. the
secession members acted rs bad as you and
your party. But how is chat argument to
avail you IN a contest with the Northern
Democracy. whose representatives ia
both branches exerted themsel7e. to the
utmest to avert dissolution aud war. bv
proper adjustment, In the same spirit in
which ltfe Union bad been formed. But
you know as we'll as | do that your ale.
CATION, as against the Southern N emhers
generally, is unjust. You know that
Messrs. Crittenden. Hunter and Powell,
Of the South. voted for the compromiae
in the com mittee of thirteen, and know
that Mr.. Davis and Mr. loombs pro.
posed 10 30 for it, if Messrs. Seward and
Wade, aud their followers, on the other
side, would unite with them. | know
this, for heard them make the proposi.
ton. You were present. in the Senate,
siataha 81 ttha S II thRif:Sda hRi s5
every member from tie South, including
those from the cotteu Sta'es, (Messrs.
Davis and Toombs) expressed their rsadi.
ness to accept the proposition Of my ven.
cradle friend from Kentucky, az Z ftgi
settlement Of The conrOvcrSey, i! rendered
and sustained BY the Republican mcu-
bcrs
Hence The sole responsibility of oar
| RI .,,E..
the way Of amicable adju,tmer. Is a
the Republican party. Now, G4.e,u
ifthese allegations we're untrue Why aid
you not rise in your place aVl contra
dict them! Why was ~ thatro Req"
lican member Of Tho Committee "t rni-
teen did sol Why was no, the Repac'.-
can party promptly vindics'ed agans
these sweeping allegati9a.2 Til
answer is, that no deiense CoilA so
made. Mr.. rugh subsequently s'a'ad p-
the Senate floor. Inst Ne. D4gi, bod t.'t
him that ne was wiling 10 "main,ao lr
, Union if that proposition c,uld recelra
the vote il ought to receive irou he
other side of tho chamber" Why sd
you neglect to deny that statement and
maintain that it was the Republican, ana
not the Southern pembsrs who were
willing 10 compromise and settle Mr.
Davis said tho same thing in substance
to me as did Messrs. Hunter, Bragg. Nal.
lory and others indeed, they all seenial
willing to accept it from the domiuan,
party, except lverson, Wigfall, aud
johnson Of Arkansas. and many Of them
were its daily advocstes. 1t was en-
dorsed by tho State of Virginia and was
the basis on which she invited the as
sembling of peace Conference. II was
endorsed by the Legislature of Ken
lucky and Maryland, and think by
that Of Tennessee also. was petitioned
for by larger number of otiizens from
all sections OF the country and OF al, par
ties. than any proposition ever before
Congress
1t is not necessary TO my present put-
pose to di cu,s the proposition itself, as
you conoede TO IL all the virtue | could
claim tcr it, but the reason the Southern
men preferred it to any other Of the many
pending propositions, was because il
took the common territory from under
the operation of the dogma on which
Mr. nc)ln had been elected, excluding
fla eho ders from the common territory
unles, " left slaves behind The
SuIreme Curt had decided agsinst the
right OF Congress, 10 interdict slavery
from the common territory but the
in coming party were pledged TO exercise
the au hority, Notwithstanding. Mr.. Lin
CON hid repeatedly made known his de
termination to stand by that position.
Tho South held that such decree or doc
trine rendered the Southern States
less than equal. in the Union, and that
they could submit to no such huplilia.
ton. One Of the great merits Of the Crit
tenden propositions was that IL waived
tho force Of that decree by an equitable
! partition Of the territory on tho line Of 80
deg. 80 min. North latitude, giving us
about 900 900 square miles of the territory.
and the South about 300, 900. our share
being more than any impartial umpire
could have awarded US, and il thus sp.
piled your principles 10 three-fourths OF
the territory acquired by 4 common blood
and treasure. but you we're not content
u But you know we went father and pre-