The Portland daily press., 1865-06-30
The Duke of Argyle versus the Earlgof
Dalhonsia


The Earl of Dalhousie, in the General Az
sembly Of the Free Church, lately held in Ed
inburgh,made characteristic speech in which
he expressed many erroneous views and made
many grave mistakes in relation TO our war.
he totally denied that the origin of the war
had anything to do with slavery. In his opin-
ion it arose from the evil passions of mem
from the Intensity ofparty feeling. The Duke
OF Argyle has answered the noble Earps speech
in sharp pungent letter published in the
Scotsman, in which he gives clear and lust
account of the origin of the rebellion and
traces its history with remarkable accuracy
Argyle is anxious to set public opinion of
England right on this subject that there may
be better understanding between the two
countries and more correct knowledge Of each
others characters.
The Duke of Argyle says:
ut is very easy to say, as my noble friend
does, thai the war arose out of the struggle
of.party against party Ofcourse it did. But
what were the questions on which the two
parties were divided?a What were the splat.
forms Of political principle on which they
were respectively organized? The war arose
out OF the election OF Abraham Lincoln as
President of the United States. The slave
States seeded because of that election. But
why was Abraham Lincoln so obnoxious to
then? fortunately the reply to these cues
! tions is not matter of opinion but of fact,
Z Neither does it belong to that class of facts
which have to be inferred or gathered from the
speeches OF individual men. The Republican
platform on which Mr.. Lincoln was elected is
- Ia. IL n Il -
ever read it, he could not possibly have spok-
en- as he is reported to have spoken. Buthow
many are there in this country who have ever
read it, or who have ever heard of il, or who
have thought it necessary to make any careful
inquiry whatever upon the cause and the sori-
gin of one of the greatest events in history !?
Does my noble friend know that, out OF the
II paragraphs into which the Republican or
Lincoln platform was divided, no less than one
third were devoted to direct aud emphatic
declarations OF anti slavery principle? 1t is
true, of course that the abolition of slavery
within the slave States was not contemplated !;
and this for the very sufficient reason that the
constitutional powers of the President and
Co gress did not make even the discussion of
such measure competent. Bnt, on every
one question connected with slavery on which
the President and Congress could act, Mr..
Lincoln was pledged by his platform to meas
ures adverse to the interests of slavery. One
ofthese questions was the restriction of slavery
within its existing limits, its non-extension,
itsEexclusion from the great territories Of the
Republic. Nor was this although this was
the main question in dispute. In dealing with
this question, and in laying the basis If = firm
er and more organized resistance to the ag
gressions OF the slave party, principles were
laid down which cut very deep indeed-down
even to the very roots of the peculiar institu-
tion.' ~ ba 9,a
Argyle perfectly understands the whole his
tory of the rebellion and thinks 1t is unjust to
the South, as well as to the North, to affirm
that the slave States involved this country in
civil war for no Ineligible reason, or on &C.
count Of differences of opinion, or Of interest
| which was not estimated. No, slavery was
| the sole cause OF the bloody strife, and the
slave States did not even pretend to deny IT.
That was the rock ahead and on that the I'm.
ion was sundered for awhile.
81 The Duke well says:
sit is, indeed, by Gods mercy, visibly ex.
tended to the United States, that now the rap.
| ids have been passed the vessel of that great
! State has reappeared, not bottom up a
| wreck upon the waters, but sound snd whole
with the black reels OF slavery already far
down in that horizon of the past to which in
the history ofnations there is no return.
he gives the following reasons for writing
this letter to the Scotsman, which, will com
mend themselves to every good and intelligent
mans conscience.
have written this letter for prac teal pur-
pose. Societies have been formed in this
country called sFreedmen's Aid Societies. for
the purpose OF helping the American people
to deal with the heavy burden which for a
time will be cast upon them by the sudden
abolition of slavery. There mustbe period
Of great difficulty to them, and of distress to a
large number Of the negroes. A colored pop
ulation of 100000 has to be provided for I'M
der conditions of labor wholly new. 1t true
that such call for charity as this is entirely
independent logically of any opinion on the
origin or causes of the late war.
But 1t is impossible that the hearty sympa-
thies of the people Of this country can be en-
listed as they ought to be in support of this
demonstration Of good feeling towards Amer
lea If they believe that the people of the Uni
ted States have been actuated By nothing bet
ter than EVIL passions or by political interests
In which there were ne elements ofmoral value.
Even those who refuse to consider the avowed
object which the Slave States had in striking
for independence ought to admit that there
was something better than EVIL passions in the
struggle Of the Northern States to put down
a claim which was Incompatible with their
continued existence as nation. Surely we
should remember that WIS have fought forless
1t is not many years since we were fighting
fereely-pouring out our best blood-for inter
ests infinitely less near and dear to us than
those involved to the American people in the
doctrines of Secession. aaalas 9nia
e =