Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-11-03
indianapolis, October 90. 1864
Coed old Letter from stephen A,
Douglas.
WASHINGTON. February ?, 1861

ARLINGTON, FeoFuHIN = lool.
To The Memphis Tenn Appeai
MEssRs. EpIroRs:--l have this morning read
with amazement an editorial in your paper OF the
30th ult in which you assume that am favor
ing the immediate Withdrawal of the remaining
States from the Confederaey ~ peace measure.
TO avert the horrors OF civil war. and with the
view OF reconstruction on constitutional basis. y
implore YOU by all those kind relations which
have so long existed between Us, aud which
still cherish with so much pleasure and gratitude,
10 do me the Justice promptly TO correct the un
accountable error into which You have been led
In regard 10 secession, whether viewed AS Il gov
eFnmental theory. matter of political ex
pedency, have never had but one opinion. nor
uttered but one anguage--hat of unqualified
opposition. Nothing can be 90 fatal to the peace
OF The country, so destructive To the Union ana
of all hopes OF reconstruction. a. the secession
OF Tennessee and the border States under exist
ing circumstances. You must remember that
there are disunionsts among the party o,dcrs az
the North. a. we'll a. the Souih---men whose hos
tty 20 slavery is stronger than their fidelity 20
the constitution. and who believe that the disrup
ton of the Union would draw after it, as an in
evitable consequence, civil var, serylle insurrec-
ton. ard. finally. the utter determination of sla
very in all the Southern States. They are bold,
daring, determined men; and believing, as they
the great bulwark OF slavery on this continent
aud that the disruption of the American Union
involves the inevitable destruction Of slavery,
and is an indispensable necessity TO the attain
ment of that end. they are determined to accom-
pish their paramount object by any means with
in their power For these reasons the Northern
dsunionists, like the disuniOnists OF the South,
are violently opposed to all compromises or con
sttutional amendments. or efforts at Cancellation
.nl -.
preserved.
They are striving To break up the Union under
the pretense of unbounded devotion 10 il; they
are struggling TO overthrow the Constitution,
while protesting undying attachment to IL, and
willingness to make any sacrifice To maintain il;
they are trying To plunge the country into civil
war as the surest means of destroying the Union,
upon the plea of enforcing the laws and pro
tectng the public property Ii they can defeat
every kind of adjustment compromise by
which the points at issue may be satisfactorily
settled, and keep up the irritation, so as 10 induce
the Border States to follow the cotton States.
they will feel certain of the accomplishment of
their ultimate designs. Nothing would crafty
them much, contribute etfectuaiy TO
their success. IA the secession OF Tennessee and
the border States Every State that wi,hdraws
from the Union increases the relative power of
Northern abolitiOnists to defeat a satisfactory
adjustment, and TO bring on war, which sooner
or later must end in fnal separation and recog-
milton OF the independence of the two contending
sebtions
IT. on the contrary. Tennessee. North Caro-
lima and the border States. will remain in the
Union. and will unite with the conservative and
Union loving men of all parties in the North, in
the adoption OF such a compromise rs will be
alike honorable safe and just the people of all
the States, peace and fraternsl feeling will soon
return. and the cotton States come back and tie
Union rendered perpetual Pardon the repeti-
ton; but it cannot be TOO strongly impressed
upon all who love our country, that secession
ana war will be the destruction not only of the
present Union, bot will blast all hopes of re-
construction upOn a constitutional basis
trust YOU will do me the Justice TO publish
this note in your next issue.
! am very truly your friend.
5. A DOUGLAS,