The Great Conspiracy | Page 3

ALONE--DOUGLAS'S VARIOUS SPEECHES
REVIEWED--THE REAL QUESTION BETWEEN REPUBLICANS
AND DOUGLAS MEN AND THE BUCHANAN MEN--JACKSON'S
VETO OF THE NATIONAL BANK CHARTER--DEMOCRATIC
REVOLT AGAINST THE SUPREME COURT
DECISION--VINDICATION OF CLAY--"NEGRO
EQUALITY"--MR. LINCOLN'S CHARGE, OF "CONSPIRACY
AND DECEPTION" TO "NATIONALIZE SLAVERY,"
RENEWED--GREAT JOINT DEBATE OF 1858, BETWEEN
LINCOLN AND DOUGLAS, ARRANGED
CHAPTER V.
THE PRESIDENTIAL CONTEST OF 1860-- THE CRISIS
APPROACHING.

HOW THE GREAT JOINT DEBATE OF 1858 RESULTED--THE
"LITTLE GIANT" CAPTURES THE SENATORSHIP--THE "BIG
GIANT" CAPTURES THE PEOPLE--THE RISING DEMOCRATIC
STAR OF 1860--DOUGLAS'S GRAND TRIUMPHAL "PROGRESS"
THROUGH THE LAND--A POPULAR DEMOCRATIC
IDOL--FRESH AGGRESSIONS OF THE SLAVE POWER--NEW
MEXICO'S SLAVE CODE OF 1859--HELPER'S "IMPENDING
CRISIS"-- JOHN BROWN AND HARPER'S FERRY--THE
MEETING OF CONGRESS, DECEMBER, 1859-- FORTY-FOUR
BALLOTS FOR SPEAKER--DANGEROUSLY HEATED
CONGRESSIONAL DEBATES ON SLAVERY--THE
DEMOCRATIC SPLIT--JEFFERSON DAVIS'S ARROGANT
DOUBLE- EDGED PRO-SLAVERY'
RESOLUTIONS--DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION,
CHARLESTON, S. C., 1860--DECLARATIONS OF THE
MAJORITY AND MINORITY REPORTS AND BUTLER'S
RECOMMENDATION, WITH VOTES THEREON--ADOPTION OF
THE MINORITY (DOUGLAS) PLATFORM--SOUTHERN
DELEGATES PROTEST AND "BOLT "--THE BOLTING
CONVENTION ADJOURNS TILL JUNE AT RICHMOND--THE
REGULAR CONVENTION BALLOTS AND ADJOURNS TO
BALTIMORE--THE BALTIMORE CONVENTION-- "THE
AFRICAN SLAVE-TRADER A TRUE MISSIONARY"--MORE
BOLTING--DOUGLAS'S NOMINATION FOR THE
PRESIDENCY--THE BOLTING CONVENTION NOMINATES
BRECKINRIDGE--THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION AND
PLATFORM--NOMINATIONS OF LINCOLN, AND
BELL--COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE FOUR RIVAL
PARTY PLATFORMS--THE OCTOBER ELECTIONS--THE
SOUTH PREPARING GLEEFULLY FOR
SECESSION--GOVERNOR GIST'S TREASONABLE MESSAGE TO
S. C. LEGISLATURE, NOV. 5--OTHER SIMILAR UTTERANCES
CHAPTER VI.
THE GREAT CONSPIRACY MATURING.

LINCOLN'S ELECTION ASSURED--SOUTHERN
EXULTATION--NORTHERN GLOOM--"FIRING THE SOUTHERN
HEART"--RESIGNATIONS OF FEDERAL OFFICERS AND
SENATORS OF SOUTH CAROLINA--GOVERNOR BROWN, OF
GEORGIA, DEFIES "FEDERAL COERCION"-- ALEXANDER H.
STEPHENS'S ARGUMENT AGAINST SECESSION--SOUTH
CAROLINA CALLS AN "UNCONDITIONAL SECESSION
CONVENTION"--THE CALL SETS THE SOUTH
ABLAZE--PROCLAMATIONS OF THE GOVERNORS OF THE
SOUTHERN STATES, FAVORING REVOLT--LOYAL ADDRESS
OF GOVERNOR MAGOFFIN OF KENTUCKY--THE CLAMOR OF
REVOLT SILENCES APPEALS FOR UNION--PRESIDENT
BUCHANAN'S PITIFUL WEAKNESS--CONSPIRATORS IN HIS
CABINET--IMBECILITY OF HIS LAST ANNUAL MESSAGE TO
CONGRESS, DEC., 1860--ATTORNEY-GENERAL JEREMIAH
BLACK'S OPINION AGAINST COERCION--CONTRAST
AFFORDED BY GENERAL JACKSON'S LOYAL
LOGIC--ENSUING DEBATES IN CONGRESS--SETTLED
PURPOSE OF THE CONSPIRATORS TO RESIST
PLACATION--FUTILE LABORS OF UNION MEN IN CONGRESS
FOR A PEACEFUL SOLUTION--ABSURD DEMANDS OF THE
IMPLACABLES--THE COMMERCIAL NORTH ON ITS KNEES TO
THE SOUTH--CONCILIATION ABJECTLY BEGGED FOR--
BRUTAL SNEERS AT THE NORTH, AND THREATS OF
CLINGMAN, IVERSON, AND OTHER SOUTHERN FIREEATERS,
IN THE U. S. SENATE--THEIR BLUSTER MET BY STURDY
REPUBLICANS--BEN WADE GALLANTLY STANDS BY THE
"VERDICT OF THE PEOPLE"-- PEACEFUL-SETTLEMENT
PROPOSITIONS IN THE HOUSE--ADRIAN'S RESOLUTION, AND
VOTE--LOVEJOY'S COUNTER-RESOLUTION, AND
VOTE--ADOPTION OF MORRIS'S UNION RESOLUTION IN
HOUSE
CHAPTER VII.
SECESSION ARMING.

THE SOUTH CAROLINA SECESSION CONVENTION
MEETS--SPEECHES AT "SECESSION HALL" OF PARKER,
KEITT, INGLIS, BARNWELL, RHETT, AND GREGG, THE FIRST
ORDINANCE OF SECESSION--ITS JUBILANT ADOPTION AND
RATIFICATION-- SECESSION STAMPEDE--A SOUTHERN
CONGRESS PROPOSED--PICKENS'S PROCLAMATION OF
SOVEREIGN INDEPENDENCE--SOUTH CAROLINA
CONGRESSMEN WITHDRAW-- DISSENSIONS IN BUCHANAN'S
CABINET--COBB FLOYD, AND THOMPSON, DEMAND
WITHDRAWAL OF FEDERAL TROOPS--BUCHANAN'S REPLY--
SEIZURE OF FORTS, ETC.--THE "STAR OF THE WEST" FIRED
ON--THE MAD RUSH OF REBELLIOUS EVENTS--SOUTH
CAROLINA DEMANDS THE SURRENDER OF FORT SUMTER
AND THE DEMAND REFUSED--SECRETARY HOLT'S LETTER
TO CONSPIRING SENATORS AND REBEL AGENT--TROOP'S AT
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL--HOLT'S REASONS THEREFOR--THE
REVOLUTIONARY PROGRAMME--"ARMED OCCUPATION OF
WASHINGTON CITY"--LINCOLN'S INAUGURATION TO BE
PREVENTED--THE CRUMBLING AND DISSOLVING
UNION--THE NORTH STANDS AGHAST--GREAT DEBATE IN
CONGRESS, 1860-1861--CLINGMAN ON THE SOUTHERN
TARIFF-GRIEVANCE--DEFIANCE OF BROWN OF
MISSISSIPPI--IVERSON'S BLOODY THREAT--WIGFALL'S
UNSCRUPULOUS ADVICE-- HIS INSULTING
DEMANDS--BAKER'S GLORIOUSLY ELOQUENT
RESPONSE--ANDY JOHNSON THREATENED WITH
BULLETS--THE NORTH BULLIED--INSOLENT, IMPOSSIBLE
TERMS OF PEACE--LINCOLN'S SPEECHES EN ROUTE FOR
WASHINGTON--SAVE ARRIVAL--"I'LL TRY TO STEER HER
THROUGH!"--THE SOUTH TAUNTS HIM--WIGFALL'S
CHALLENGE TO THE BLOODY ISSUE OF ARMS!
CHAPTER VIII.
THE REJECTED OLIVE BRANCH.
THE VARIOUS COMPROMISES OFFERED BY THE

NORTH--"THE CRITTENDEN COMPROMISE"--THE PEACE
CONFERENCE--COMPROMISE PROPOSITIONS OF THE
SOUTHERN CONSPIRATORS--IRRECONCILABLE ATTITUDE
OF THE PLOTTERS--HISTORY OF THE COMPROMISE
MEASURES IN CONGRESS--CLARK'S SUBSTITUTE TO
CRITTENDEN RESOLUTIONS IN THE SENATE--ANTHONY'S
MORE THAN EQUITABLE PROPOSITIONS-- HIS AFFECTING
APPEAL TO STONY HEARTS--THE CONSPIRACY
DEVELOPING--SIX SOUTHERN SENATORS REFUSE TO VOTE
AGAINST THE CLARK SUBSTITUTE--ITS CONSEQUENT
ADOPTION, AND DEFEAT OF THE CRITTENDEN
RESOLUTIONS--LYING TELEGRAMS FROM CONSPIRING
SENATORS TO FURTHER INFLAME REBELLION--
SAULSBURY'S AFTERSTATEMENT (1862) AS TO CAUSES OF
FAILURE OF CRITTENDEN'S COMPROMISE--LATHAM'S
GRAPHIC PROOF OF THE CONSPIRATORS' "DELIBERATE,
WILFUL DESIGN" TO KILL COMPROMISE--ANDREW
JOHNSON'S EVIDENCE AS TO THEIR ULTIMATE OBJECT
"PLACE AND EMOLUMENT FOR THEMSELVES"--"THE
POWERS OF GOVERNMENT IN THE HANDS OF THE
FEW"--THE CORWIN COMPROMISE RESOLUTION IN THE
HOUSE--THE BURCH AMENDMENT-- KELLOGG'S
PROPOSITION--THE CLEMENS SUBSTITUTE--PASSAGE BY
THE HOUSE OF CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
PROHIBITING CONGRESSIONAL INTERFERENCE WITH
SLAVERY WHERE IT EXISTS--ITS ADOPTION BY THE
SENATE--THE CLARK SUBSTITUTE RECONSIDERED AND
DEFEATED--PROPOSITIONS OF THE PEACE CONGRESS
LOST--REJECTION OF THE CRITTENDEN COMPROMISE
CHAPTER IX.
SLAVERY'S SETTING AND FREEDOM'S DAWN.
THE LAST NIGHT OF THE 36TH CONGRESS--MR.
CRITTENDEN'S PATRIOTIC APPEAL-- "THE SADDEST
SPECTACLE EVER SEEN"--IMPOTENCY OF THE BETRAYED

AND FALLING STATE--DOUGLAS'S POWERFUL
PLEA--PATRIOTISM OF HIMSELF AND SUPPORTERS-- LOGAN
SUMMARIZES THE COMPROMISES, AND APPEALS TO
PATRIOTISM ABOVE PARTY --STATESMANLIKE BREADTH
OF DOUGLAS, BAKER AND SEWARD--HENRY WINTER DAVIS
ELOQUENTLY CONDENSES "THE SITUATION" IN A
NUTSHELL--"THE FIRST FRUITS OF RECONCILIATION"
OFFERED BY THE NORTH, SCORNED BY THE
CONSPIRATORS-- WIGFALL AGAIN SPEAKS AS THE