The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1865-10-11
Rasnonsihilitv of the War.

We give abstract Of passage from the volume
of Hon, S. S Cox, enttE Eight Years in Congress-
1.-THE vote on the Crittenden compromise is under
stood From the frequency of inquiries since the
war, to this vote, the people were eager to know
upon whom to fix the responsibility of It's failure
may as we'll be stated that all other propositions,
whether of the peace convention or of the border
States project, the measures Of the committees,
were com paratiYely of moment for the Crttenden
compromise the only one which could have ar
rested the struggle. 1t would have received larger
vote than any other It would have had more effect
in nodeTating southern excitement Even Davis,
Toombs and Others, of the gulf States, weald have
accepted it. have talked with Mr. Crttenden fire.
ouently on this point Not only has he confirmed the
statement of Douglas and Pugh, aud the speech of
Toombs himself, to this effect, but be said it so
understood in the committee.
/ will not open the question, whether it was wise
then to offer accommodations; it may not be profta-
bic now te ask whether the millions of young men
whose bodies are manned, or whose bones decay
ing under the sod of the SOUTH and the heavy load of
public debt under which sweat and toll have their
compensation in black liberty. Nor will | discuss
whether the blacks have been bettered by their pre-
ciptate freedom; passing, as so many have, from
slavery, through suffering and starvation, to DEATH
There is no comfort in the reflection that the negroes
will be exterminated with the determination of slavery.
The real point is, could not this Union have been
made permanent by timely settlement instead of being
cemened by fIaternal blood and military rule? By
an equitable partition of the territory this was posi-
ble We had then 200, 900 square miles The
Crttenden proposition would have given the north
goo OF these square miles, and applied the Chicago
doctrine to that quantity 1t would have left the re-
naming fourth substantially to be carved out as free
slave States, at the option Of the people, when the
States were admitted. This proposition the radicals
denounced. Notwithstanding the then president elect
was in a minority OF q million of the popular vote
they were determined, Mr.. Chase wrote to Ports
mouth, ONO, from the peace convention to use the
power while they had it, and prevent a settlement
1t has been stated to rid the republicans OF the odium
of not averting the them that the northern mem
bers rendered to the southern, the Crttcnden COM
promise, which the south rejected This is untrue
Ii was rendered by the southern members and rorth
ern demeerats to the republicans. They in coniunc
ton with some half dozen recusant southern senators
rejected it. 1t was voted upon but in the house
ghen it received eighty votes against one hundred
and thirteen. These eighty votes were exclusively
democrats and southern Americans, like Gilmer Vance
and others; Mr. Briggs, Of New York, was the only
one, not democrat who voted for it, He had been
an old wing, aud never republican. The republican
roll, beginning with Adams and ending with Wood
ruff was a unit against it. Iutermingled with them,
was one southern acknowledgement Hindman-who
desired no settlement.
The plan adopted by republican members to defeat
it, was by amendment and postponcmcnt. On the
18th and 18th of January, they cast all their
against its being taken up; and the 10TH when it
came up, Mr.. Clark, Of New Hampshire moved to
strike it out, and insert something which he knew
would neither be successful nor acceptable The vote
on Carks amendment was 25 to 3;seycry Eye being
a republican, and every "no except Kennedy and
(Americans,) being democrats.
When this result announced, universal gloom |
prevailed. The people favored this compromise
Petitions, by thousands of citizens, were showered
upon congress, for its passage Had it received ma
ory only they would have rallied and sustained those
who desired peace and union. One more earnest ap-
peal was made to the republicans. General Cameron I
answered it, by moving a reconsideration. His mo-
lion came mp on the 18th, when he voted against his
own motion. 1t was carried however, over the votes
Of the republicans although Wigfall voted with them
When it was again up on the ID of March, 1861,
he southern States were ali gone; even then, it was
defeated by vote only But, that OCCASION all
he democrats for, and the republicans against
t. The truth is, there was nothing but sneer5 and
kepticisn from the republicans, at any settle
nent. They broke down every proposition. They
oo1 the elements of Cancellation out of the peace
convention, before it assembled Senators Harlan and
Chandler especially active in preparing that con
ention for failure. If every southern man and
orthcrn democrat had voted for this proposition it
rould have required some nine republicans for the
equisite two-thirds. Where were they? Dreaming
nth Mr. Seward ola sixty days struggle or arranging
or the division of the patronage OF the adminisra
on. The only southern senators who seemed against
ny settlement were Iverson of Georgia. and Wigfau
Texas. If other testimony were wanting | would
SIX a'supenson Of Judgment until those facts better
nown to southern men, transpire The intercourse
bout to be re-established between the sections will
Emulate the proof. 1t will then bring to light many
cts-shoWing that while president Buchanan was ]
orklng for the peace conference; while Virginia had
cen gained to side, with her ablest men there
then in the cabinet those who not only en-
1uraged the revolt, but foiled by letter and speech
lie efforts of the Unionsts at Washington and at
edmond Those who sought to counteract the
themes of secession, were themselves checkmated lev
en- now in authority.
Whether therefore, you consult the public record
go behind its veil, and consult those who knew the
ements at work in social lie and in the committees
ne leading fact always stands stark and bold before
~, that, with the aid of handful of secessonists
,r Sc the whole bodyo republicans were as presi-
ent johnson described senator Clark when he de- {
ated the Crittendcn resolution by his amendment, i
acting out their policy" In the light of subsequent
ents that policy developed; it was the destruc-
on of slavery at the peril of war and disunion or
senator Douglas expressed it, "a disruption Of the
Mon, believing that it would draw after it. as an in.
liable consequence, civil war; servile instructions,
3D. finally, the utter determination Of slavery in all
e southern States"
Micro TEooPs.-We clip the following from one of :
II city exchanges: I