New-York tribune., 1885-07-05
DOUGLASS WAR DISPATCH.
EX-SENATOR LEARNED's "REMINISCENCES.
THROWING OFF THE DEMOCRATIC CoAT-sfhfhHN
A. DOUGLASS DILEMMA.

Mass "a n familiar figure about New-York. he lives
much of the time at the Fifth Avenue Hotel and Is en-
gagged in railroad enterprises. HIS home at Greennee
is one Of the finest places IN that State Mr. Learneu
was at ono time president Of the Ohio ana Mississpp
Railroad. and owned property worth several min1op
ollars. He Is still wealthy but has dropped aIe" VI
his millions in Central American and Mexican rairoau
schemes. He Is q man above medium height sVuhfe
and heavy set. with o big square, good-naurou OS
peculiarly marked face of Scotch type frngea WIN gray
side whiskers OF meager cut In conversation "''
Learned Is o genial companion. The writer sat down
with him o few days ago, when the subject OF war
"reminiscences was under discussion. Mr.. Learned.
chatting at nde emily but getting warmed 70 the
topic as he proceeded, made the following statements
There were two three incidents with which was
connected the outbreak OF the war-a chain OF circu
sances-whch as to look back over them, were
remarkable as matters Of public history was In
Canada when the War broke out, and had been away
from home for three weeks Coming across Suspension
Bridge heard the that the flag had been ired on
at Sumter. That tbe mistake those fellows made
one OF them. 1 had always been Democrat. But
said on goes this Democratic coat till this thinS Is
eettled.' got to NewYork and found message Irom
stephen A. Douglas, asking me to come to washington.
He had been guest my house In Massachusetts, ann
was quite Intimate with him. sent up to my house,
lived on Fibav in those days, opposite william e.
Dodge-for O change OF unen aud went on 70 tne
Capital
physician his wife and Catholic priest were there HIS
wife was n Catholic She was q beautiful woman, one
of the most beautiful her tine As the doctor went
away he said to Douglas Now no talking or excitement,
Senator But he was no sooner gone han DousaS hsh"
me to step into the library while he dressed saying lie
would Join me presently. tried to persuade MIN not 10
make the effort he persisted and WAS soon WITH me-
He explained that he had been preparing the dratt OF
bill for union business basis OF all the
American countries sort of zoHrercin for the United
States Canada Cuba. Mexico and Central America. he
proposed TO have offensive and defensive cohmerc"
alliance, all disputes to be LETT 10 conmerciai
tribunal 1t Ia singular fact that no mention Oh this
project OF Douglass has anywhere come under my eye III
print. presume it smothercd In the excitement OF
the perod and never saw light Douglas said to me-
have desired read this paper to sona friend VINO
will crcise II canidly aud mcrcilcssly III need De-
have read papers written by you on dnereht
subjects and tho estimate have formed OF the character
your mental orSanzaon induced me to SEND Tor you
~The paper he held was q voluminous one. He was
rcadlng and discussing its points when telegrar
message was brought In. He read II. aud Immediately
began TO emphatic language In denunciaon or the
telegraph system and the liberties II permitted 10 pe
taken with public He got angrtcr as lie rrocccdeh
and 1t was difficulty that :manaeed to ger IN an
inquiry a. to what the matter He read thedspatch
| rs follows.
-.Do you approve and sustain Lncolns war policyi
| Missouri will not.
.IsaId would not answer slch dispatch, and he re-
Joined:
| "This Ia the penalty OF being public man. 1t Is
from editor OF the leading paper IN ot. LOUIS
| cannot refuse answer
@IIc wrote n reply which he read 10 mo. VIII not at
[ tenn to repeat ii II politicians dispatch. |
| v,nlIn.t send r said. Mr. Douglass face clouded
and he raised himself up rs lie said impcriously:
81 was not aware that had sent for you 10 crclse
| my tolegraphc dispatches
posSihi who IL
Turned ON me and demanded TO know why would not
sond tho message protested that. having blundered
once In saying would send II. did not proI ose to
blunder again. said angrily that lao would not send
rel iy until had explained TO him my opinion chen
said In substance:
Senator the entire Democratic party OF the country
IA waiting to hear from stephen A. Douglas. Your con-
,tucnts in Illinois arc resting in your ability to
meet the emergency OF the hour. But II you sond that
Dispatch the OF every friend you have In the North
will sink II seems impossible that man born In
Vermont should vaslato or be unsound on this great
question
said he: Il am as sound any In this country.
And I replied: Yes, Senator; but unfortuna tely
your dispatch II not.
lie protested again. AMI taking up the paper read his
dispatch with punctuation and emphasis that were
suiccnt to give II the true ring But told him plainly
that the telegraph wires would not puncuate or en-
phasize or transmit the tones Of his voice; that the
WAYS; that II OF Do you ride toto wn to-day
character. That the sentence which VIC used to
have In the old school books exercise TO ho W
many different meanings 1t could be given by different
emphasis. took his dispatch and read 1t with my own
emphasis putting a contrary construction It. He
.,d: That docs read blanked equyoca as you read It.
He tore 1t up and another which he read aloud
bur ont laughing. and when he turned me inquir
inely explained that was laughing at his ability to
write second dispatch that was worse than the first
| Then he said somewhat petulanty, Well, am Ill my
head Is perhaps not clear Sit down here and write
what you would send. sat down and wrote these
worls ,., 1, 4, ,,,., .ou,o ~, ..,,,,
my country and my country under all circumstances
| and I'm every contng gency. Individual policy must be
read il carefully and Signed his name to It, and
sent il away Senator, sneeestcd. they may garbc
New. York; It has from me now. You can do as
you please he said went 10 the telegraph office and
scut copy OF Simeon DraI cr, the old auctoncer,
ho va. chairman the Union Defence Committee. It
was 40 aio night that he only got Into one paper
aris was on the 18th OF April, 1851. frcmaned long
enough IN Washington to talk over the situation quite
eWhy no one can fully realize the situation here
do who see and all sides. We may have our heals
reterning North to do what / could To hurry tho
| tropps 10 Washington Douglas was ON perfect good
fuIiv In their views rs to what should be done. But
D0ngIas told ac had the greatest difficulty In making
district OF Colum sla Nine OF ten OF the residents
there only waiting orders To seize tho oihce of he
povis When Douglas represented this TO Lincoln, the
latter would not believe IT, But Douglas sent Tor oLo
and another Sf the e see until II thS s resident
| saw the real situation. 49,
There one as Se 20 ougn s g g. Ie s sa pnpe that
cleared all doubt In Illinois, and caused monster Union
nouelas lie go up from his sick bed. went aud
spoke while yot suderng from dpthera, and never re-