Senator Douglas' Letter

On the2duf February, 1862, Senator Douglas wrote a letter to the Memphis Appeal, in answer to an editorial in Ihat papor. This letter evinces the Senator' j remarkable political sagacity and f o re sight, and s well worthy of a reproduction at this time. Mr. Douglas wrote : Messrs. Editoks : - I have this morning read with amazement au editorial in your paper of the ÜOth uit., in whicli you assuuie th.-.t I am " favoring the itnmediate withdrawal of tho roniaining States from the Confederacy as a peace moasure,to avert the horrors of oivii war, aud witli the view of reoonstruction ou a constitutioual basis." I imploro you by all those kind relations whic'n have so long existed between us, and wliicb I f-till chorish vvith so nmch pleasuro aud gratitude, to do mo the justice proisiptly to correct tho unaccountable er.or iuto whieh you have beeu led. In regard to aecessiijn, wholher viowedas agovernmental theory,or as a matter of poliüual expediency, [ iuive never had but one opinión, nor uttered but one language- tluit of unquulified oppositiun. Nothing can be so fatal lo tho peace of the country, so desiruot'.ve of tha Union and of nll hopea of reconstrucüon, as the seees.ion oí Tennetsee and the Border States ánder exístthg eircumstnnees. Yon must remember thut there are disunionists ain-ong trie party leaders at the North, lie well as al the South- men whase hoatilky to slavery is stronger than tlieir üdelity to the Constitution, and who believe that the disruption of the Union wonld draw after it, as an inevitable con.-equence, civil war, í-ervile insurrect&n, and finnlly, the irtter exterininntion of slüvety in al! the S ■utliorn States. They are bold, darinft dotennined raen ; and beüeifíng as tbej do, that the Constitution of the United States is thé bulwark of slaVdry on this continent, and thnt tt.e disruption of the American Union involves inevitable destruetion of sl-ivery, and is an indispensable r.ecessity to tho uttainment of that end, tbey aro dcterrüined to aecomplish their paramount objeet by any mean within their power For these reaswis Úe northren disunioni.-te, Üko the disuuionists of the South, are violently opposed lo all compromises or constitutional amendments, or eítorts nt concilialion whercby peace jshould be restored and the Uuion preservod. They are strivir.g to break' up the Union under the pretenso oí unbounded devotion to it ; they are struggling to overthrow the constitution, whiie professing attachment to it, and a willingness to make any sacri fice to maintain it ; they are Injing to flunge the country into acitul War,an the sarei means of deslroying tho Union, upon the plea of enforoing the Iaw3 and protecting tho publie properly." If they can defeat every kind of adjust ment or couipromise by which the points at issue may be satisfaetorily settled, and keep up the irrüation, .so as to induce the border Sutes to foüow the Oottoa Satos, they wíl! feel certain of the accomplishmont of feheir ultímale designa. Nothing will gratify thern so much, or contribute so fcffectuilly to their suocess, na tho secessionof Jennessee and the border Stares. Every State that withdrawe from the Union increases the relaíive power of northern abolitionists to defeat a satisfaclory adjustinent, and to bring nn a war, vvhieh sooner or later must end ín final ept e&tion and recognition of the itíd'ependence of the two contenling sections. If, on the conlrary, Tenneseí', North Carolina, and the Border States vvill remain if) tho Union, and will imite witli the concervative and Union loving rnen oí al! parte in the North, in the adoption of such a compromise as vvill be alike honorable, safo and just to the people of tho Statee, peace and fraternal feeling víill soon return, and tho Cotton States will como back, a;id the Union be rendered perpetual. Pardon the repetition ; but it oánnot be too strongly impressed upon all who lovt our country, secession and war wil! be the destrüctidn not onlv of the present Uuion but vvill blast ají hopos of icconstruotion upon a copstitutio'rial basis. I aui; very truly, your friend,