Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1866-08-01
rhe Northern War.CIoud.

The Northern War.Cloud.
We find in the New York Times, of Tues
day last, a very remarkable letter from tn
editor, Hon. Il. ]. Raymond, dated Washing
ton, July Is. The revelation which it make
of deliberate purpose to resort TO arms BY
the Radicals, if necessary to maintain thei
supremacy in the Government, is not differ
ent from what has been long believed OF them
and what the speeches Of Boutwell, and 9th
ers in the late caucus sufficiently confirm
but the allegation has not before appeared on
such competent and responsible authority. Mr.
RAYMOND also discloses the fact that the toorh
| of preparation for this prensd'tated ctui! sOa'
has already been commenced and he informs
the country that under the operation OF the
previous questions, and without other explana
tions than had been given to the faithful in
private and confidential conversations, reso'
luton has passed the House for disarming the
Federal Government, organizing the mil1tla
of the Radical States and distributing among
then, t,uo. thirds Of the arms, ordnance ana
ammunition belonging to the country. This
preparation for war was made with all the
secrecy and ce!erity of stolen march. Per
haps these developments may serve to explain
General Shrman's recent declaration that q
bigger fight was approaching than any VIC
have yet passed through. The following ex.
tracts from Mr.. Raymond's letter will be read
with interest:
You may have noticed the passage in the
House, a few days since, of q resolution offer
ed by General Paine, of Wisconsin, calling
on the States to organize, discipline and
equip their militia, and directing that two
thirds of the arms, ordnance and ammunition
now under custody Of the General Govern
ment be distributed among the States, the dis
tribution among the loyal States to take place
Immediately, and that among the States late
ly 10 rebellion to be postponed until further
orders. The resolution came up from the
Committee on Military Affairs and was push
ed to VOTE without debate Or delay, under
the previous question. 1t attracted as little
attention in Congress as it has in the coun-
try, and the public will doubtless receive With
incredulity the assurance that it was inter-
ded, by those who secured its passage, as the
first step toward preparation for anothar civil
war. Although no debate was had upon 1t,
members were urged to vote for it by direct
conversational. appeals on the floor on the
part of the few who were privV to Its intro
duction. Some were told that it was neces.
sary to enable the Southern loyalists to pro-
tect themselves; others that it was simply a
matter of detail in the War Department; 9th.
ers that the arms must be taken out OF tho
hands of the President; and others that 1t
was proposed at the instance of the Secretary
of war. An appeal was made by Mr.. kasson,
OF Iowa, to allow debate upon it, as 1t seem
ed to be matter of Importance, but this wa;
refused.
Most of the leading and rejecting Radicals
in Congress take this view of the political llI-
ture: il the fall elections result in the choic.
of Northern Democrats enough to constitute,
when added to the members from the Soutt.
ern States, majority of the House, they as.
sumo that this majority, thus constituted,
will claim to be the Congress, and will act
accordingly, aud that they will be recognized
by the President as the body to which he
will send his message, and whose sessions be
will, if the necessity should arise, protect by
military force. They assert, on the other
hand, that the Union members from the 10y
al States-if they constitute majority from
those States-will claim to be the only legal
Congress, and will, if necessary, invoke an
insurrecticn of the people to maintain them
in that position. They do not in the leas;
conceal their purpose, in the event of such q
collision, to appeal to force, and to "drive the
rival Congress, with the President aud his
Cabiuet and supporters, into the Potomac"
TO use the language of the abiest and most
sincere of their number. If you will recall
the remarks Of Mr.. Boutwell,, Of Massachu-
sctts, in last weeks first caucus you will see
this movement clearly Observation-Disclosures
ayowed. lie declared his belief that an issue
of force was rapidly approaching, and that we
must be prepared to meet it. He acts, aud
all who co operates with him in these mea-
sures p.oftss to act, undcr the apprehension
that the President intends to resort to force
that he means to disperse the present Con
press on lis reasscmbling in December, If it
re uses to admit the Southern members ana
Mr.. Farus Torth ascribed to Mr. Seward tue
declaration that this Congress should never
re-assemble unless the Southern members
were admitted in support of this belief. L
need scarcely say that Mr.. Seward never made
anv remark of the kind, nor that the project
ascrbed to the President is purely an inycn,
ton. or at best the crazy dream OF political
nightmare. But in either case it serves the
same purpose. 1t covers and is held TO JUS
tify the determination to arouse the North,
and prepare for a resort to force upon the as
semblny Of the Furtieth Congress in extra
or in regular session. and this determination
is ayowed. Aud the resolution to which l
have referred for an organization OF the u1lli-
tin and distribution Of arms in tho Northern
States is the initial step to its execution.
/ do not propose to comment upon the re,
suit of such a movement. 1t is obvious that
if any such contingency should arise, the war
wouid net be sectional as was the last; 1t
would be war of political parties and neigh
borhoods. Not only have the great body OF
the Union party in Congress no sympathy
with these views aid PURPOSES, but they arc
in the main ignorant and iucredulous OF their
existence. That the extreme Radicals enter
tain them, however, there is not the slgt-
test doubt, aud we know, from the experience
Of secession in 1861, how few men 1t some
times requires 10 plunge great party Or
great nation into war.
The Union party must not forget that the
Philadelphia Convention is due entirely 10 It's
own failure to comprehend aud meet tho no
cessites of the hour. When the war was
over and the rebellion suppressed power!ol
public sentiment, pervading all partles, oe,
mandcd the prompt restoration OF nasio"a!
action under the Constitution and in accord
ance with :. fundamental principles OF the
Government. 1fthe Union party had respon.
ded to that sentiment, which was very pow
errul in ranks-ifi it had co operated, wish the
P President, res who did comprehend and sympath,.
;zo with i t-and had made the restoration of
union, peace and concord the first object of
is si endeavors, i. would have broadened its
own m foundations and left neither motive nor
excuse for any such movement as that which
.Ao -, foot If Conoress had. two months