Year: 1861

pable of fighting any longer, they will make
a treaty of peace, and that treaty be one
OF separation. The history of this world
does not furnish an example Of war OF
sections, or between States OF the same nation,
where the war ended in reconciliation. Such
a war always ends in treaty of peace, and
final, eternal separation. | don't understand
how man can claim to be friend of the
Union, and yet be in favor of war upon ten
millions of people in the Union. You cannot
cover it up much longer under the pretext of
love for the Union. Now, the question must
be met, and whatever concessions | am called
upon TO make, choose to make voluntarily,
before blood is shed, and not afterward- No
man has more pride of country than have.
1t hum5les my pride to see the authority of
the Government questioned but we are not
the first nation whose pride has thus been
humbled. Republics, empires, and kingdoms
alike, in all ages, have been subject to the
same humiliating fact. But where there is q
deep seated discomfort pervadng ten millions
of people, penetrating every man, woman and
and child, and involving everything dear to
them, it is time for inquiring whether there is
not some cause for this feeling. If there be


Just cause for it, in Gods name let us remove


it Are we not criminal in the sight of Heaven
and posterity, if we do not remove the just
cause? If there is no cause, and yet they be-


ieve there is, so much the greater the necessi-
ty for removing the misconceptions Are you
so elated with the pride Of your recent triumph,
Or pride of opinion, that you cannot remove an
uniounded apprehension, when it is rushing
ten millions of people into disunion, and break
ing up the Government of our fathers, and
leaving us, hitherto proud Republic on earth
to become a by-word among the nations? L
still entertain the hope that this question may
be adjusted although the indications are that
blood will be shed and war will rage before
gentlemen will appreciate the crisis through
which we are passing. | don't think my nerves
are any weaker than ordinary, nor do | think
there is much courage in shutting the eyes in
the face of danger, and saying you do not see
1.-THE atmosphere is full of it, l have deter
mined that will do all that is in my power TO
rescue the country from such dreadful fate.
But | will not consider this question of war
till all hope of peaceful adjustment fails Bet
ter, thousand times better, that all political
armies be disbanded and dissolved. Better
that every public man now in existance be con-
signed to retirement and political martyrdom,
than this Government should be dissolved,
and this country plunged in civil war. ! trust
we are to have no war platform. l can fight
for my country, but there never was politi-
cal platform that | would go to war for. |
fear if this country is to be wrecked, it is to be
done by those who prefer party to their coun-
try. Party platforms, and pride of opinion,
and personal consistency are the only causes in
the way Of satisfactory adjustment of this
difficulty. l repeat that, notwithstanding the
gloom and the dark clouds which overhang
everything, I do not despair of the Republic,
and will not despair till every effort shall be
| found to be of no avail.