Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-13

0 raper, anu signed. s X
1880 oc<>oSocoL
Political "Reminiscences.
Editor Courier:-
Fifty years ago, April IL, 1861, the
confederates fired upon Fort Sumter.
The man who can now definitely recall
that event to mind is an old man. And
yet how wildly it is recalled to mind.
There was not SO much news" to oc-
cupy Cor distracD attention then as
now. But most people seemed to gath
err something of the current of political
events, and formed decided opinions,
and, sometimes, expressed them
qualified, or unqualified opinions We
knew that in the previous election
Lincoln had been elected president.
but not by majority of the votes OF
the United States. His personal APP
pearance was learned from campaign
portraits or caricatures as long and
''lank," with smoothly shaven face.
Gle had not then grown Whiskers.)
He was Familiarity designated as ABE
Lincoln" or "Old Abe" and he was
not then so nearly deided as now.
! Seward and Case were more generally
known among republicans as leaders
l
| coin remained quietly at Springfield,
! saying little but doubtless thinking
| much. But the question of the right OF
secession no longer a theory but q
condition, confronted the whole coun-
try. 1t struck Buchanan first. He
denied the constitutional right Of Sc
cession, but also denied his right I'M
der the constitution to resist it by
force of arms. His cabinet went to
pieces. He was old and timid anx-
ious to hold on a few weeks more in
peace, so did little, satisfied no one,
and has been blamed ever since. In
, earlier life he had written or spoken
of himself as an "old functionary' in
office, and it was easy to shorten this
into "Old Func." The cotton states,
assuming the right of secession, acted
promptly. Within a few weeks follow
ing the election. South Carolina, ere
sumed her position among the nations
of the world as separate ana indie !
pendent state, under the, palmetto |
flag. But Major Anderson still foated |
the stars and stripes over Fort Sumter |
in Charleston harbor. However, the
secessionists in turn had him sur
rounded, short in supplies, and would
allow none sent to him. The situation
there would soon reach Crisis.
Georgia and the five gulf states soon
followed the lead of South Carolina
They formed the confederate states
government, with Montgomery it's cap
ital and Jefferson Davis it's president
AS such president, he has frequently
been regarded by many as the very
of slavery, secession,
rebellion and treason. The confeder-
ates seized all United States property
within its territory to hold it for
peaceable accounting, or defense in
case Of war. Possession is nine
points in law At.the north, there
was very small minority of demo-
Gratis who believed with the south in
the inherent right Of secession, and
who were opposed in principle to the
war throughout. Even Greeley, in
December, 1860, proclaimed in the
New York Tribune the right Of seces.
sion. Disaffected persons in New Eng
land during the war of 1872, John
Quincy Adams, before the Mexican
war and ultra abolitionisits like Will
liam Lloyd Garrison for years talked
disunion. The boot was on the other
leg then.
However, in January, 1861, republi-
cans were non-committal, as Mr. Lin
coin was. Senator Crittenden Of Ken
lucky, proposed in congress COM
promise measure, which consisted
mostly Of concessions to slavery in the
form Of proposed amendments to the
The border slave states
and northern democrats in congress
supported the measure. The republi-
can members, elated with success and I
assured Of future power would not
make such concessions Most mem
bers from the seeded states had re-
signed, or refused to vote, so the COM
promise failed Nevertheless the con-
viction remained with many northern
democrats that the civil war might, I
and should, have been averted by some I
compromise. And, whether secession
was right or not whether a COM
promise might have been effected or
not there were large number OF
northern democrats who thought then
that 1t were better to ''let the south
go with its niggers" than to resort to
civil war. And, as the federal govern
ment triumphed over the confederate
government by the war, the demo
cratic party has suffered obloguy for
democratic opposition to the civil war
ever since. And the first blow in the
war was struck at Fort Sumter fifty
years ago.
IN III. Griffith.