Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1865-09-01
gailg Gmpire.
The Republicans and the war.

Bne HepuDICAnb anu tne war;
The following extract from the forthcom.
ing book of Hon. s. s. Cox shows how per-
sistently the Republican opposed everything
like compromise at the beginning of our
troubles in 1861. They no more wanted the
question settled without war than Toombs and
Sldell
1t has been slated, to rid the Republicans Of
the odium of not sverting the war when that
was possible, that the Northern members ten
dered the Southern the Crittenden compro-
mise, which the South rejected. This is un'
true. 1t was rendered by Southern Senators
and Northern Democrats to the Republicans.
They, in conjunction with some half dozen |
recusant Southern Senators, rejected it. II was
voted upoon but once in the House, when 1t
received eighty votes against one hundred
and thirteen. These eighty vJtes we're ex-
casivey Democrats and Southern Ameri-
cans. like Gilmer, Vance and Others Mr..
Briggs, of New York, was the only one lot
Democra who voted for it, He had been an
old Whig and never a Republican. The Re-
publican roll, beginning with Adams aud end
ing with Woodruff, was unit against it lu-
termingled with them was one Southern ex'
tremist, General Hindman, who desired no
settlement. There we're many Southern men
who did not vote, believing that unless the
Republicans, who were just acceding to pow
err, favored it, its adoption would be delu'
sIon
Tie plan adopted by the Republican SEN
ators to defeat it was by amendment and post
pouement On the l4th and 18th Of January
they cast all their votes against its being ta-
ken mp and, on the 10th, when it came up,
Mr.. Clark, of New Hampshire, moved TO
strike it out aud insert something which he
knew would neither be successful nor accepta-
BILE, The vote on Cark's amendment was
25 to %, every AYE" being Republican,
b. and every mo" except Kennedy and Critten.
den (Americans), being Democrats. On this
occasion, six Southern Senators, including
Benjamin and Wigfall, did not vote. They
could have defeated Mr.. Clark motion. 10
reference to this vote, we have the testimony
OF President johnson in speech on the ex-
' pulsion Of Senator Bright January 81, 1865, TO
this effect
II sat right behind Mr. Benjamin, and am
not sure that my worthy friend (Mr.
lLatham) was not close by when be refused 10
vote and | said to him, Mr.. Benjamin, why
do YOU not vote Why not save this propo
r siuon, aod see IL we cannot bring the country
s. toit? He gave me rather an abrupt an
swer, and said no would control his own
Ie actions without consulting me or any body
n, else. Said /, "Vote and show yourself nu
honest man." As soop as the vote was taken
be and others telegrarhed South, we cAnnoI
get any compromise
Doubtless the rest Of the six Senators ha6
the same sinister motive for their retlcence II
voting and readiness ia telegraphing But
"a their recreancy does not excuse the body o
"a A., 4 NkaN
a since the collapse Of the rebellion, they arr
80 anxious to be excused only write thu
( facts of history not t. justify or condemn.
When this result was announced, Nniversu
gloom prevailed The people favored thi
| compromise. Petitions by thousands OF citi
zens were showered upon Congress for IL
passage. Had it received a majority only
they would have rallied and sustained thos
who desired peace and Union. One NOR
earnest appeal was made TO the Republicans
General Cameron answered BY moving re
consideration. His motion came up agai
on the 18th, when he voted against his owl
motion. 1t was carried, however, over th
! votes of the Republicans, although Wigfa
voted with them When it was up again o.
the I'd of March, 1861, the Southern State
nearly gone even then it was lost BY on
vote only But on that occasion all the Den
ocrats were for, aud all the Republican
against it, Tho truth is, there was nothin
but sneers and skeptcism fIom the Republ
= cans at any settlement They broke dow
every proposition. They took the element
ofconciliation before it assembled. Senator
Harlan and Chandler were especially ActV
~ in preparing that convention for failure.
es, II every Southern man and every Norther
I'D Democrat had voted for this proposition,
would have required some nine Republican
for the requisite two-thirds. Where wer
they2 Dreaming with Mr.. Seward of q sixi
ave days struggle, or arranging for the dvsio
30, of the patronage of the Administration. Th
70 only Southern Senators who seemed again
as5 any settlement we're Iverson and Wigfal
Ma that no mas will challenge if he will refer
,rS' the Globe (lst part, 35th Congress, p. 27C
. for the testimony Of Douglas end Pugh, an
to Mr.. Biglers Bucks county speech, Sep
us l6, 1868. The latter knew it to be true, whe
. Of be said that
cry "When the struggle was at its height
Georgia between Robert Toombs for sece
sion and A H. Stephens against II, had tho
men in the Committee Of Thirteen, who a
now so blameless in their own estimatio
- given US their votes or even three Of theI
Stephens would have defeated Toombs al
all secession would have been prostrated.
pays heard Mr.. Toombs say to Mr.. Douglas that I
result in Georgia was stAked on the action
the Committee Of Thirteen. If il accept
""' the Crittenden proposition, Stephens wou
ling, defeat him If not, be would carry the Sta
rove out by 10000 majority The three vol
from the Republican side would have CARR
il at any time but Union and Peace in
balance against the Chicago platform vi
n