Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-04-14


Of the American people, Irrespective OF party.
Even as late as December 1860, after Mr. Lincoln was
elected aud after the preliminary steps Tor secession had
been taken the paper having the largest any
in the Republican party and having more influence than
any other in the formation Of Republican opinion declared
that could why " three millions 81 COLO
nists could separate from the British Crown IN 1o mat
five millions of Southernsrs could not separate from US in
1861 have been much puzzled as the distinguished
Republican editor Mr. Greeley, to fnd looking at u as
revou ionary right, the difference in position
Ought to shrink from the application oil doctrine
to ourselves which we have been willing TO apply to
other nations such Austria Russia and Spain; II we
do what will be the judgment OF impartial history How
much better il would have been for and Tor the cauae
OF Democracy throupho the globe. What splendid
tribute it would have been to Rephbucan government
if had parted peace with dissatisfied sister states
as Mr. Everett recommended as late M ioo'
sustained by such leading Republican Journals as the Gin
cnnat Commercial New York Tribune, Indianapolis Jour-
nal, Chicago Tribune, New Haven Connecheut) falla-
dunn, Columbus Journal an! Salmon r Chase. now Sec
ret4ry the Treasury and many others OF that school
What in monarchcal countries had required long and
bloody war; would have been accomplished by Democratic
principles and Republican sense OF justice what speh
did proof il would have all rded OF tho capacity OF Inc
people for selfgovernmen What valuable lesson 1t
would have conveyed to the whols civilized word Inc
fact that we could rise superior to ali preJucices and
and have conquered ourselves would nave Deeh
the highest triumph that we had ever achieved
regret much Mr.. Chairman, az any gentleman upon
this aor that of sister States should nave desired
to cut asunder the eamehs that bound he 70 u.s. NONE
sacrifice to induce them to return to their partnership
with u.s. but still recognising the truth OF the doctrine
taught by the fathers the Republic aud 30 iairy ex
pressed by Mr. John Quincy Adams that our do'erhment
was after all in the heart it would be BETTER severe as
would be the pang OF regret TO part 10 raner
than TO hold sovereign States pinned 10 us D Tue
as Mr. Greeley expressed it in 1861 .WnaG advance
have we made m the science and principles OF government
MIR Chairman if we cannot rise above the Austro nus
sian principles Of holding subject provinces by the power
of force aud coercon3 What becomes " INC
IF
After ALL Mr. Chairman il is not the extent OF territory
which should be the object of our desires Better sacr
fee tenths Of the territory than destroy our re-
publican form of government. What our peopie desired
In 1861 aud which honored though regarded as ms
taken the preservation of the Government ana 1ne re-
tentiou of jurisdiction over the whole territory ney
were rightly willing sacrifice every material cohsaera
ton for that purpose Land is nothing, Mr. Chairman
compared to liberty We existed as Republic when The
mouth of the Mississippi held by foreign lower
when had nothing west OF thss Ivet' maen 10 t
was held against us and could exist again II oy the
of heaven should be curtaed 70 our ola
territorial dimensions. For fifteen millions OF doars we
purchased the whole of that immense lerroy anu we're
it hundred thousand times US valuable us presefVauoh
would not be worth our admirable form OF government
Pride of territorial possessionss avulgar ana low
national greatness Russia a0d even Chna Can VIC WIN
us ia that but who would not rather reside IN one o Tue
Cantons Of Switzerland in Great Britain than IN tnose
O Juntries2
1t not in the extent Of territory that we possess, but
the in which govern 1t that renders US re-
spectacle Many gentlemen seem rather 10 TOOK 10 he
quantity than the quality. Al Republics nave Deen ue
sroyed by the thirst Of territorial aggrand cement ano ne
lust of conquest The great object OF our uovernlen
should be develop and cultivate the internal resources OF
those friendly TO its jurisdiction rather than to extend IL
hostile and sovereign people 1t IS IN that character
that true patriotism s to be cultivated ana true naona
glory found Especially should all Republics cultivate the
arts of peace since it is the power that freq Gov
ernments are commonly overturned. The charge mas
been made that Democracy is turbulent warIke aad az
Qressve but if it is terrible misconcepton OF It's
he
pf armed collisions An eminent poet has said-Lord
Byron-that was game which II the people were
wise, kings and princes would never play at Inc vene
rable Dr. Franklin, at the close of his Industrious career
That there was never good war or DAD
pe3ce" ,
We have made, Mr.. Chairman, by this war, eight mil
lions of bitter enemies upon the American continent
While time shall last the recollection OF this bloody strife
will never fade from the memories OF the people
North and South, but will be hauded down to the
latest generation The words Shiloh Antetam, Gettys-
burg Nun frees borough Richmond, Vicksburg and Fort
Doneson words Of division and dsunon aud will serve
to bring up emotions of eeroa hate If it were true, as
was alleged BY distinguished Senator from Ohio (Mr
WAnE0 in speech in Portland in 1855, 6 that he be-
eyed that two nations the earth hated each other
as much as the North and South how much true Is
the remark after they have been arrayed In such
bloody 1t is the object of the sword cut and
ceave asunder but 10 unite What union Is there
between Russia and Poland, between Austria and Hun
gary between England snd Catholic ireland, where the
sword and the bayouet for centuries have been employed
Instead of comforting national strength they are sources
Of weakness TO that hold them in subsection and
which would this day be stronger without them than with
them
Mr. Chairman these lessons of history are full OF warn
ing ana example Much better would it have been for US
in the beeinuinq-much better would be for US now
to consent to division Of magnificent empire ana cu-
yae amcsbe relations with estranged brethren than
to seek to hold them to by the power OF the sword
Here LEI me advert the yet perfectly garing
and apparent error that part with jurisdiction over
eleven States involves the destruction OF the Government
The statement of the proposition demonstrates us ABSURD
ty Az well might say, who had farm OF Two nun.
bred acres p land that he had lost hs lite Deco 10 al OF
it because, by misfortune ne had parIe6 WIN n
In losing the South function OF our Government
over s surreadered 1t remains over us as completely
sovereign as it ever did -
Here let me saw the experience OF my individual be-
lief that il had been understood in the North as in the
South that by the terms of the Federal compact State
had right TO secede from the Union this disruption would
never have occurred Had the North so understood the
matter there would have been upon it's part
from the exercise of extreme measures and DEERE not
IN press ts Southern sisters to the wall that would ever
have maintained the Conederacy unbroken 1t was the
of the idea Of the consodatonists IN the North
that the Southern States had right TO and Wcud not
csd, that tempted them and that fatal policy that has
the Conederacy 1t said that no contederacy
can exist by recognition OF this principle but such was
not the view OF the fathers Of our Government IL was not
the view of Jefferson aud Madison in their immortal reso
uton OF 1898 and 1909 1t has been said Mr. Chairman,
that It would make conederacy rope OF sand but 30
is strange that the Southern Contederacy, where u Is
recognized should hold together through such bloody
az we have applied to it for the las three yesrs
i ia strange rope { sand that endares all that
But to return Mr.. Chairman. As will be Judged per-
haps by the tenor Of these remarks am reluctantly and
despondngly forced to the conclusion that the Union Is
la i all