was 

 was 

 Cha 



DOUGLAS, STEPHEN A. 



upon the posture of affairs. This letter is ren- 

 dered more valuable by being the expression 

 of his sentiments in a form which he did not 

 anticipate would be given to the public ; at the 

 same time it was probably one of the last let- 

 ters from this distinguished man : 



CHICAGO, May 10, 1861. 



MY DEAR SIR : Being deprived of the use of my arms 

 for the present by a severe attack of rheumatism, I am 

 compelled to avail myself of the services of an amanu- 

 ensis in reply to your two letters. 



It seems that some of my friends are unable to com- 

 prehend the difference between arguments used in favor 

 of an equitable compromise, with the hope of averting 

 the horrors of war, and those urged in support of the 

 Government and flag of our country.'when war is be- 

 ing waged against the United States with the avowed 

 purpose of producing a permanent disruption of the 

 Union and a total destruction of its Government. All 

 hope of compromise with the cotton States was aban- 

 doned when they assumed the position that the separa- 

 tion of the Union was complete and final, and that 

 they would never consent to a reconstruction in any 

 coutingencv not even if we would furnish them with 



blank sheet of paper and permit them to inscribe 



eir own terms. Still the hope was cherished that 

 sonable and satisfactory terms of adjustment could 

 agreed upon with Tennessee, North Carolina, and 



e Border States, and that whatever terms would 

 prove satisfactory to these loyal States would create a 

 Union party in the cotton States which would be pow- 

 erful enough at the ballot-box to destroy the revolu- 

 tionary Government, and bring those States back into 

 the Union by the voice of their own people. This hope 

 was cherished by Union men North and South, and 



as never abandoned until actual war was levied at 



lharleston, and the authoritative announcement made 

 by the revolutionary Government at Montgomery, that 

 the secession flag should be planted upon the walls of 

 the Capitol at Washington, and a proclamation issued 

 inviting the pirates of the world to prey upon the com- 

 merce of the United States. 



These startling facts, taken in connection with the 

 boastful announcement that the ravages of war and 

 carnage shpuld be quickly transferred from the cotton- 

 fields of the South to the wheat-fields and corn-fields 

 of the North, furnish conclusive evidence that it was 

 the fixed purpose of the Secessionists utterly to destroy 

 the Government of our fathers and obliterate the United 

 States from the map of the world. 



In view of this state of facts there was but one path 

 of duty left to patriotic men. It was not a party ques- 

 tion, nor a question involving partisan policy ; it was 

 a question of Government or no Government, country 

 or no country ; and hence it became the imperative 

 duty of every Union man, every friend of constitu- 

 tional liberty, to rally to the support of our common 

 country, its Government and flag, as the only means 

 of checking the progress of revolution and of preserv- 

 the Union of the States. 



am unable to answer your questions in respect to 

 the policy of Mr. Lincoln 'and his Cabinet. I am not 

 n tneir confidence, as you and the whole country 

 ought to be aware. I am neither the supporter of the 

 partisan policy nor the apologist for the errors of the 

 Administration. My previous relations to them re- 

 main unchanged ; but I trust the time will never come 

 when I shall not be willing to make any needful sacri- 

 fice of personal feeling and party policy for the honor 

 and integrity of my country. 



I know of no mode by which a loval citizen may so 

 well demonstrate his devotion to nis country as' by 

 sustaining the flag, the Constitution, and the Union, 

 under alTcircumstances, and under every Administra- 

 tion, (regardless of party politics, 1 ) against all assail- 

 ants, at nome and abroad. The course of Clay and 

 Webster towards the Administration of General Jack- 

 son, in the days of nullification, presents a noble and 

 worthy example for all true patriots. At the very 



DRANESVILLE. 



281 



moment when that fearful crisis was precipitated upon 

 the country, partisan strife between Whigs and Dem- 

 ocrats was quite as bitter and relentless as now be- 

 tween Democrats and Republicans. The gulf which 

 separated party leaders in those days was quite as 

 broad and deep as that which now se'parates the De- 

 mocracy from the Republicans. But the moment an en- 

 emy rose in our midst, plotting the dismemberment of 

 the Union and the destruction of the Government, the 

 voice of partisan strife was hushed in patriotic silence. 

 One of the brightest chapters in the history of our 

 country will record the fact that, during this eventful 

 period, the great leaders of the opposition, sinking the 

 partisan in the patriot, rushed to the support of the 

 Government, and became its ablest and bravest defend- 

 ers against all assailants until the conspiracy was 

 crushed and abandoned, when they resumed their for- 

 mer positions as party leaders upon political issues. 



These acts of patriotic devotion have never been 

 deemed evidences of infidelity or political treachery, 

 on the part of Clay and Webster, to the principles and 

 organization of the old Whig party. Nor have I any 

 apprehension that the firm and unanimous support 

 which the Democratic leaders and masses are now giv- 

 ing to the Constitution and the Union will ever be 

 deemed evidences of infidelity to democratic principles, 

 or a want of loyalty to the organization and creed of the 

 Democratic party. If we hope to regain and perpetu- 

 ate the ascendency of our party, we should never for- 

 get that a man caiinot be a true Democrat unless he is 

 a loyal patriot. 



With the sincere hope that these my conscientioos 

 convictions may coincide with those of my friends, 

 I am, very truly, vours, 



STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS. 



To VIRGIL Hicox, Esq., 



Chairman State Democratic Committee. 



Torpor of the liver and constipation soon en- 

 sued, followed by a jaundiced condition which 

 still more prostrated his nervous system. A 

 wandering and delirious state accompanied his 

 illness more or less to its fatal close. The sal- 

 vation of the Republic was uppermost in his 

 thoughts by day and by night. His own con- 

 dition, the imminent peril of his death, his com- 

 plicated affairs, gave him no concern. Almost; 

 his last coherent words expressed an ardent 

 wish for the honor and prosperity of his conn- 

 try by the defeat and dispersion of her ene- 

 mies. 



DRANESVILLE is 17 miles west of Wash- 

 ington, in Fairfax County, Virginia. A skir- 

 mish took place in its neighborhood on the 26th 

 of Xovember. The First Pennsylvania Cavalry, 

 under Colonel Bayard, were ordered to proceed 

 to the village, and arrest certain citizens who 

 were openly and actively aiding the Confed- 

 erate cause. Having accomplished this object 

 without meeting any of the Confederate force, 

 except two picket men, who were captured, the 

 party set out on their return, when a fire was 

 opened upon them from a thick pine wood a few 

 miles from the village. The wood was imme- 

 diately surrounded, and four were captured, and 

 two killed, of the hostile force. Another con- 

 flict took place near the village on the 20th of 

 December, which was a sharp affair. Its success 

 was so complete in favor of the Union troops 

 that much credit was bestowed upon them. 

 A brigade of General McCall's division, under 

 the command of General E. O. C. Orde, having 

 been ordered to advance in the direction of 



