Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1874-12-24
[CoMMUNIcArED.
NEAR LEoNARDrowN, ]
Dec 10Th 1874

Messrs. Editors Il see that Mr.. Jno.
n. Graves i'll replying to my communi-
cation of the 23rd ult. has been pleased
to style the same as asanonymous. Isup-
posed that all the initials of my name
signed in their regular order would
Lave been Il sufficient guarantee against
any such construction being put upon
il, but as he seems to have taken diff
fercnt view, will inform him that for
his especial benefit he will find that
my present communication is rid of that
objection. He seems, however. to know
who | am, for in speaking of the re-
suits of the late war he sarcastically
states, that "he thinks it more than
likely that wv. +. p" has something
to remind him of what followed scces-
sion" alluding, suppose, to the wound
l received in the Southern service. l
will inform Mr. G. that consider that
wound most honorable scar, and
would not exchange it for the highest
honor in the gift of the Black Republi-
can party.
MIR. Graves is very generous in not
wishing to bear too heavily upon the
patience Of the Editor, and therefore
concludcs to ''notice only few of my
objections to his article" The true
reason is most probably to be found in
the fact of his inability to controvcrt
them, and So he contents himself hv as
scrting that | have '.stultiticd mvsclf
bv making assertions that have not the
slightest foundation to rest upon" He.
however, finds space for some personal
allusions. l would remind Mr. c. that
mere assertions do not 60 for facts; and
personalities are but poor substitute
for argument, and l will prove, that
in more than one instance III his attempt
t. answer my objections to his commu-
nication, be has stultiiied himself aud
falsificd the facts of history. Mr..
Graves states in reply to my PROPOSE
tion, That the Democrats exhausted
every measure to prevent 4 rupture, and
it was only when the Republicans had
refused all guarantees for an equality
IF rights i'll the Union that the Sout h
res"rted TO separation" that the Dem
ocrats exhausted nothing, not even the
spleen and venom with which they are
now boiling over" What then must be
said IF the compromise resolutions pre-
scnted bv Mr.. Crittenden, of Kentucky.
by which the South offered to give up
more than thrce-fourths of the terrific
rial domain belonging to the United
States: !: Every Democratic member vo-
ted for the Crittenden peace resolutions
and every Republican member voted
against them, Senator Hale. of New
HamY Yshire. declaring that this con-
troversy will not be settled here" Was
that nothing? But the Democrats did
not stop here. Mr. Clemens, of Va.
introduced resolution in the House Of
Representatives to submit the Critten-
den peace resolutions to the people of
the United States. This created a great
tiutter among the Republicans. and was
promptly voted down by them. Here
again every Democrat voted to submit
the matter to the people and every Re-
publican voted against it. Was that
nothing!
But the Democrats did not stop here.
Senator Douglas, after the Crittenden
plan had failed, introduced n PROPOSE
tion Of his own. which was also voted
down by the war-wishing Black Repub-
leans. On the defeat of his PROPOSE
tion Senator Douglas addressed him.
self to the Republican side Of the House
and said: III YOU of the Republican
side are not willing to accept this nor
the proposition of the Senator from
Kentucky. Mr.. Crit,euden, pray tell US
what YOU are willing to DEF" Rece;v-
ing no response, Senator Douglas point
ed to the side of the Senate Chamber
where the Black Republicans had their
seats and exclaimed with great energy.
You want war :" And SO they did
want war; every act proved they mean.
to force war upon the South. Was that
nothing :
But this was not all the Democrats
did to save the Union and prevent the
horrors of war. When every other ef.
fort had failed. the noble old State Of
Virginia came forward with PROPOSE
tion of her own, to call Convention of
one or more Commissioners from each
State 10 see if they could not devise
some plan whereby the Union might be
saved. Seven of the Southern States
Immediately sent their r.ac. commits