New-York daily tribune., 1865-10-02
I'm, BLiIR,S REPLY TO MIR. HOLT

ment In support Of this revoietionMa ~ h nenne of the
.S""S sro basts IN the Government and wiui.g en-
rased In the late Rebellion TO suoVers I b.ve enter
Clsrksve to substanta,e no,nS .1v Of tie Rebel
Hon that tie masses Of the South never We,s oyIa I've
the Government. and that mo no asersion of popular
a. .ouuu -, - now 40 audaciousy proposed by some ci
she ambitious men who have atineu ,aint,cn,rv
Rebellion and who In iDltslon :; % 70 naIe nse of
headers in other countries are seehng The nub
go 1sscerafed feeling. the military ahe Ho
~ daht and fears OF disorder created y .he ai
40 1 r,e thom 70 establish consoldapeu OF hpciei
70 enao.c @ snS ,etoip and extend their power over
~ annn.rv maintained tbat the masses OF tue SOUTH
snd have been true in their feelings 10 the int.u
Ee any ,beir iatbers and have never been aiienateI
80 them even BY Slavery, which has been he eNs'
leverage by which they had been drawn into the seo
hon. and that !" iss assigned to them
nv the Constitution which is essential 10 is ,.
ard hence there was no excuse iH t1e i;e al such
,nade IN subyert that instrument, made IKE oi SUI
9nt. On the specous ground Of necessity to secure
neece and public order but in reahty TO suseo ~
smbtop OF those in power and anxious 70 t | ~
r demonstrate II AT the people OF the South nad n0
nv their ceniuc justified such saDVersivn VI pH,E
liberty, pointed to the lacs h ,nr votes sanctioned
a. accession iuoyements-and demonstrated tnat Wv
Rahelion Nes the result OF conspiracy oiigihbt'ns IA
the psssiops connected with Slavery (Row forever eA
fneusLed) directed 10 secure the cohtIo, Vi lo, ~
nover In the country; that while thc Who'e PUP, P ~
the South (whom 1t was proposed 10 pro.eiioI ISrai
80 nartes to The conspiracy, that II was not cohcN
:" son,herp ncn but embraced many Northern men,
and was fosered by the Government itseii AZ the heu
ofwhieh was son o ~ mn that great Northern
common wealth. / showed that tois man hau OPEN! I; a
Bis message TO Congress, sanctioned 'hc heuugI nI
~biIe his subordinaes North and South, had afneu
snd disermed the G0yernmeDt-and lmentiOneo hmois
others of bs subordinates as contributing 20 inc result
bessrs Stanton and Holt, who now hoid nisn aiu ~
eratve pOsit OBS, ana ere ih his i"'oi WIN Wv
iutionsts OF the NORTH u..o,. roo+
Mr. Holt has recently replied to the alegations eer.
ing him. complaining OF them as an and
f,,.vf f,urs
DENYING that his purpose in the oets adited was 10
aid the Rebellion. AS TO the attack beng
AZ Mr. Holt means TO say that he has never gwen NE
snx neIsonal offense willingly admit it, There has
never been the slightest personal oiiense gwen NE D!
lr Holt ard there IS put one p ,hat snecb Wits
Nhom nv personal relations are not enreiy aheapie
AS to Mr. Holts mO'ices or those OF his associates
did not fall within the scope of my argument TO ana we
or define them NV only object was TO show that he
and those with whom he shared the power Of the Gov
ernment when the Rebellion was developed pr6e'cony
aided and abetted it In fact created It, both 10y WHAT
they did and In what they refused 10 do ana hs ue
fense so far from weakening this position verlies end
eopfrms it, although it may satisfy some tHat N.Y. Eo OF
did not share in the reasonable designs Oh some OF hs
associates under whose influence and rover nc ae'eu.
beg NV readers TO keep tire object OF my argument IN
view willie considering what Mr.. bolt SAYS IN exenua-
tion Of his conduct and viewing it IN its most favorable
aspect and then say whether IT does rot complete ne
demonstration Of the theory uIon wlich ask amnesty
for the people Of the South. Nj ask Tor any man oil
them is the same indulgence received by Mr. bolt.
will consider first what he says IL relation 10 the
specifications admitted to be tue.
FHs: He admits writing tie letter 10 the "emlfeht
divine" dated 30h of November 1850. He denies,
however. that il was intended for publication ana
charges that knew this fact ON these points be put-
Dishes letter from Thomas p. TIor, then ard Eow Lis
clerk who saws: Mr. Holt told him the letter was con
fdeptia and ,hat he et:ed public and thst
De- Trroto tad me snhseonentIy OF this IIott never
made any such statement To me. Ine letter was pup
ished and there never was any public oi In
criminal prosecution rrois testimony On the point he
makes If any believed him, might be available Bat IL
ts besides the issue when the question is not asto Mr.
Holt private motives In publishing the letter. whler
are now Sor the first time disclosed, hut what IS th'
character the letter ITSELF emu its objects and inhu
ence upon the public considered IN connection wlth th
state the country at tie date OF ts pbcaton ON.
his position. On this issne 10 fair.rnnded man vii
deny that choractelzed it trnly in saying y that
tie truth of this allegation that lie dd dare 10 sub
NIT the text itself with the diseugehuons gloss whc
ne gives Of il TO the readers ol Lis defense Here
1.-THE people of the North (ssys NJ HolO have beer
taught tEey responsible icI the domestic Institution
OF the South aud that fhey be faithful GOD only b,
tsg pniatbfnl TO the compact they nsdw ther fellow
books of some len Of the fr states end which are coHfseGly
Aaaeless vioaon Of tho Federal Constitution in poiI
vital her We have here PrseI,ed rom YER to
year the hUuang spoe Gle Of free and sovereign States
g. solemn act Of legislation lgaisag the ne Of tle'
csGse TIE SUBJECT of the dcpicsbe cline chances be
.aye instead of horse OF bas Of sS2ds e. Ai'eT much
ca1se have yet faint hesitaf7g hope ,t the North viii
wreck complete. Bot the sc@ must ne prompt If the
free states viii sweep the Liberty bi From tLeH codes Pro
viii afford the same rerose safety southern homes
property enjoyed by those the North the impending tragedy
Insy yet b. averted trt not oMeypise.'
Mr.. Holt would now have ms believe that this letter
wes only crafty piece Of diplomacy and that by de.
Houncing the peop!e who had elected Lincoln President,
thieves, peiUrors incols Of incendiIism ond mur
ser by poison. he meant only 10 alarm the fears Of the
North fvr the UIion and induce them TO repeal tie
personal liberty bills and take tie wind ont Of the sails
Of e conspird0r" But the fIst place this version is
Inconsistent with The umpon thai the letter
fdeDtia He could not frghien the people without let
linz hpU0 Ine in a nd N a MIA
fhough be required the repeal Of TIE liberty bills that
far from oil be required the Indispensable eOnd
lion Of his continuing to be Union man. He demand
ed exactly what those be now terms "cOBspiratOrs
demanded no moie and LO less VIZ; that the O. free
States should propose convention of States and offer
guarantees which will afford the repOse and safe.
~ 10 Southern homes aud property enjoyed by those In
Che North Is was the stcreotyped form in whehthe
cons,...."s demanded tnu, s ~. reone Of The North
sIouG abandon he Ir.ncipe for which they ma con.
tended that Slavery WIS sectional and submit 10 put
Slavery On tie footing Of "er property. This the
prneipie deelde' against them in LiDcolns eiecf.on
snd upon ,. Holt and his associates perfectly well
<bas.slCod was staked not merely the extension and
ferpeGity OF Slavery ard the consequent possession Of
fheGCyeInment by those who controlled that institution
but involved necessarily the vacation Of the election Of
1ncon and the present concession Of the Government
90 those whose principles 'rgequred 10 be recognized
by the proposed Convention This was the aim Of Mr.
Fos associates and bis letter proves beyond question
that be shared their feelings, and now forced TO
admit that lie labored in confidential w0y TO aid them
in consumnnating their purpose by alarming the North
into submission by threats Of civil wor which he now
says indeed, be never intended 10 execute But his
letter became public, and nc acluesced in It's pubca
ioD and therefore. in its being used merely in ter
at the North but as fire brand q, the South and
thus il became pledge Of his IOnor man, of his
great talents orator. and OF the Of his high
position in the Government 10 the Rebellion.
i rejoice that circumstances enabled him 10 break