The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-09-03
The Copperhead Programme of 1869.

The Copperhead Programme OF 1862.
The following official correspondence of Lord
Lyons with his government was written in
the darkest hour of the war for the preserva-
ton of the Union. Mcclellan had just been
defeated, disgraced and dismissed; the South
ern army were threatening an invasion of the
North; the ocean was illuminated with the
light of our burning commerce, fired by Brit
ish pirates; rebel victories in the field had been
followed by copperhead political victories in
New York and other northern States. 1t was
at such a time as this, that these allies of the
rebels sought foreign aid to restore them to po-
itical power. Having failed in consequence of
the success of our armies, they now have the
impudence to ask the people to entrust them
with the government which they were ready to
place under foreign protectorate
LETTER OF LORD LYONS TO EARL RUSSELL
RESPECTING MEDIATION.
-Fat WASHINGTON, November II, 1862
In his dispatches of the 18th, and of the oath
ultimo and OF the 18th instant. Mr. Stuart re-
ported to your Lordship the result of the cleo
lions for members Of Congress and State Off
GERS whcn nave recently taken place in sever
al OF the most important States of the Union.
Without repeating the details, it will be sutfi-
clent for me to observe that the success OF the
Democratic, or (as it now styles itself the Con-
sentative Party, has been so great as to mani
fest change IN public feeling, among the most
complete that has ever been witnessed, even in
| this country,
| On my arrival at New York on the Sth inst
found the Conservative leaders exulting in
the browning success achieved by the party in
tnat state. They appeared to rejoice, above
all, in the conviction that personal liberty and
freedom OF speech had haan secured for the
| principal State OF the Union. They believe
that tine government must at once desist from
exercising in the State OF New York the extra.
ordinary (and as they regarded them) illegal
and unconstitutional powers which it had as
Sumed. They were confident that at all events
after the first of January next, on which day
| the newly elected Governor would come int
ofhce, the suspension OF the writ of hGbeas cor
pas could not be practically maintained. They
seemed to be persuaded that the result of thu
elections would be accepted by the Presiden
| as declaration OF the will of the people; tina
he would increase the moderate and conserva
tive element in the Cabinet; that he would seel
| TO terminate the war not to push 1t to extremi
ties; that he would endeavor to effect recon
| cli1atlon with the people of the South, and re
nounce the idea OF aubjugating or exterminat
ing them.
On the following morning, however, intelli
gence arrived from Washington which DASHED
the rising hopes of the conservatives 1t wa
announced That General Mcclellan had beef
dismissed from the command OF the army of tn
Potomac, and ordered to repair to his home
| that he had, in fact, been removed altogeJhe
from active service. The General had been re
garded as the representative of conservativ
principles in the army. Support of him ha
been made one OF the articles of the conserva
tive electoral programme. His dismissal wa
taken as sign that the Pre- sident had throw
himself entirely into the arms OF the extrem
radical party, and that the attempt to carry GU
the policy OF that party would be persisted il
The irritation OF the conservatives aG New Yor
was certainly very great; it seemed, howeve
to be not unmiXed with CONSERVATION and de:
pondency. } .4
SEVERAL OF THE LEADERS OF TIL
DEMOCRAIIC PARTY SOUGHT INTEE
VIEWS WITH He, botn before and after th
arrival OF the Intelligence Of General McCle
lan,s dismissal. The subject uppermost
their minds while they were speaking TO M
was naturally that of FOREIGN MEDIA
IION between the North and the South
Many of them seemed to think that this med
alton must come come at last, but they appea
ed to be very much afraid of its coming tC
soon 1t was evident that they apprehende
That premature proposal of foreign intervel
ton would afford the radical party means
reviving the violent war spirit, ana of thus d.
feating the peaceful plans of the Conservative
They appeared to regard the present momel
as peculiarly untavorable for such an offer an
indeed to hold that it would be essential I
the success of any proposal from abroad that
SHOULD BE pEFEsnED UNTIL THE CONTROL o
-A4D LANDS OF THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY
Il gave no opinion of mine on the subject.
dld not say whether or no myself though
foreign intervention probable or advisable. B,
listened with attention to the account give
me OF the plans and hopes of the conservatiy
party. AT the bottom thought perceive
a desire to put an end to the war, EVEN AT tn
RISK OF LOSING THE SOUTHERN STATES AL
TOGETHER, but 1t was plain that it was nc
thought prudent to avow this DESIRE Indee
some hlnts OF 1t, dropped before the electio OF
were SO Ill received that a strong declaration i
the contrary sense was deemed necessary h
the Democratic leaders,
AT the present moment therefore. the chief
OF tne conservative party call loudly for NOR
vigorous prosecution OF the war, and reproac
the government with Slackness as well as witt
| want OF success in its military measures. Bu
they repudiate all idea of interfering with tn
| institutions OF the Southern people or of wac
ing war of subjugation OF DISCRIMINATION
Ihey MAINTAIN That the object of the militar,
operations should be to place the North in
position to demand an armistice with homo
and ERECT The armistice should (they hold
be followed by convention, in which suc]
changes OF the Constitution should be propos
ed as would give the South ample security OF
the subject of its slave property, and would en-
able the North and the South to reunite an,
| to give together in harmony. The conserya
| tives profess to think that the South might b.
Induced to take part in such convention
and that restoration of the Union would b.
| the result. -
| The more sagacious members of the art,
must however, look upon the proposal of :
| Convention merely as last experiment Il
| test the possibility of reunion. They are nj
| doubt well aware that the more probable con
sequence of an armistice would be the estab
| lishment of Southern independence but they
perceive that if the South is SO utterly alienat
| ed that no possible concessions will induce il
TO return voluntarily to the Union, it is wise,
to agree to separation than to prosecute q cru
el and hopeless war.
1t is with reference to such an armistice as
they desire to attain, that the leaders of the
conservative party regard the question of for
eign mediation.