The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-11-06

King said to me: Colonel Pickerin
had been talking to me about a pr'
ject they have tor q separation of til
States and a Northern Confederacy y
and he has this day been talking of
with General Hamilton. Have yo
heard anything of it at Washington
l said l had-much-but not fror
Colonel Pickering. Pickering an
gress, were not very friendly well
said Mr.. King, Il disapproved of thi
project and so l told him; and so,
am happy to tell you, does Genera
Hamilton After events seemed t,
show that Mr.. Hamilton gave tait
and comfort, to the movement.
Governor Plummer, who represent
ed New Hampshire in the United
States Senate, elected as Federalist
at the time Louisiana was acquired
wrote to Mr.. Adams, after the denia
of Otis and other Federal leaders, il
which he acknowledged that at tn.
time named QS03-4) he, Plummer
was disunionist, in favor of forming
separate Government in New Eng.
land that he was consulted on such 6
plan by Federal members of Congress
from New England, but then on re-
turning home, he found a great ma.
jority of well informed Federalists Of
his State entirely opposed to the pro.
ject, and from partial and timely in
quires,' he concluded nearly similar
state of things existed in Massachu.
setts. This letter he gave Mr.. Adams
liberty to publish.
Governor Plummer kept a dairy,
and after his death it was published
with sketch OF his life by his SON
in which, under date of November %,
1906, it states that in company with
Timothy Pickering, James Hillhouse
"a leading member of Congress from
Connecticut), he dined with Aaron
Burr; that Hillhouse 'unequivocally
declared that it was his opinion that
the United States would soon form
two distinct and separate Govern
ments : that 'Mr. Burr conversed very
freely on the subject and that the
impression made on his (Plummer's)
mind was that he (Burr) not only
thought such an event would take
haf >
should
Mr.. Hillhouse subsequently denied
the statement of Mr.. Adams, upon
which Plummer rejoined and charged
that Hillhouse, after Nat dinner at
Aaron Burr's, complained that New
England had no influence with ami
mated tone, The Eastern States must
and will dissolve the Union and form
a separate Government of their own
and the sooner they do it the BETTER
In Washington City, Timothy Pick
ering informed Plummer that he
thought the United States too large,
and its interests too varied for the
Union to continue long, and that New
New York, and, perhaps,
Pennsylvania might and ought to
form a separate Government He
then paused to await PIummer's reply.
Plummer simply asked him if the di-
vision of the States was not the OBJ
ject which General Washington most
pathetically warned the people to op-
pose? Pickering replied: 'Yes, the
fear of that was a ghost that for a
long time haunted the Imagination of
that old gentlemam.'
Mr.. Pickering was living when
these disclosures were made. Fond
IS he was of controversy, and deeply
IS he hated John Quincy Adams, he
made no denial of the truth of the
charges. The proof he knew was
against him.
At tho time this disunion feeling
was drawing to head, and almost
'eady for ifs 'over act.' Mr.. Josiah
Quincy made speech in Congress,
January IA, 1911, in which he said that
if the bill creating State in the Lou.
siana purchase was passed, am COM
'elled to declare it as my deliberate
opinion that If this bill passes the
ponds of this Union are virtually dis
olved, that the States which COM
rose it are free from their moral obli-
cations, and that, as it will be the
light of all, so it will be the duty of
ONE, to propose definitely for sepa-
ation-amiably, if they can, violent.
y if they must
Mr.. Quincy was called to order by
Ir. Poindexter. Mr.. Quincy repeated |
he remarks in still stronger language. !
The Chair decided Mr.. Quincy out of
rider, but on an appeal to the House
he decision was reversed and Mr..
quincy was allowed to proceed. He
vas confident that dissolution of the
Union was soon to become fixed |
act.
There is good reason to believe that
be Federal leaders looked upon war
With England as means to bring
bout the disruption. They taunted
be Administration of Mr.. Madison
With submitting to 81! sorts of outrag-
s and indignities, and openly charg-
d that it could not be kicked into q
7ar. When war, on the 18th of June,
Sl2, was declared, they raised howl
nd declared it was useless war,
ragged in the interest of Bonaparte.
hey rejoiced at American reyerses-
eld by resolution that it was unbe-
oming moral and religious people
D rejoice at victories over the enemy;
7hile, in New Hampshire, a Federal
own was illuminated on the reception
f the news of the surrender of De-