(CONltiat&D PROM pimp PAGN.)
their nursing, as . a fated institution. If the
extinction of slavery is the object of the Abo
litionists, they are now about to triumph. In
ttwenty-seven years after ita organization, we
find the Emancipation Proclamation of Prod
dent Lincoln issued, and now, in 1864, we have
the leadera of the Democratic party say that
slavery is dead, and its echo will soon reach us
from the rebel capital.
A. new era is rapidly dawning upon us. In
less than five years we will find South Carolina
—the first of our erring sisters—a free State,
with free schools, free press and free men. Our
whole country will then be free. We will soon
become a united, a happy and a prosperous
peo e le, firmer than ever in our Unita, happier
in our intercourse, and • more'lresperous 83 a
nation. %Yes, we will figaireleecotne powerful;
yea, a mighty nation. eVe will again assume;-
and control supremacy upon the seas, and be
not only respected abroad, but Jeered by every
other nation. The ,time ie. nearing rapidly,
when old insults moat be blotted ont and old
scores squared tip with .Componnd interest.
Let England and France beware ! revenge is
ours, and we will have. it.
Now, I will make a charge against the iifeme
°credo party. I charge the responsibility of
the election of Abraham Lincoln upon the De
mocratic party. You went down to Charleston
in May, 1860, in your majesty. - You went,
down there with the , intimation of making re
nomination that ~would"sweep the country
with victory perched upon your shoulders.
You had it in your power; you had but to de
clare your , wiliand the thing. would have been
done. That convention nominated Stephen A.
Douglas. He was regularly nominated by the
hard labor of his friends and the permission of :
his enemies. Why? For the simple purpose
of bringing a dissolution of the Union speedily
upon us. They permitted Etephen A. Dou
glas to ba nominated with the expectation and
intention of running a second candidate. A
,
portion of the convention bolted, set up in
Baltimore for themselves, and norninated.John
C. Breckinridge. Two Democratic candidates .
were now regularly in the field. Fearful; how
ever, that even under these circumstances, Mr.
Lincoln might not be elected, they run the old
fossil, Bell, as a third candidate. Those three
candidates running . against Ur. Lincoln divided
np.tbe Democratic strength, and insured his tri
umpheat election. We find that Mr. Douglas
received of the popular vote one million three
hundred and sixty five thousand nine hundred
and seventye3ix votes; Mr. Breekinridieze;eight
hundred and forty-seven thousand nine hun
dred and fifty-three votes; making a total of
two millions two hundred and thirteen thou
sand nine hundred and twenty-nine votes cast for
those two Democratic candidates. Mr. Lincoln
received one million eight hundred and fifty
seven thousand six hundred and ten votes,
leaving him three hundred and fifty six thou
sand three hundred and nineteen votes in the
minority. Mr. Bell received five handred and
ninety thousand six hundred and thirty-one
votes, which, added to the Democratic strength,
for it properly belonged to it, footed up two
millions eight hundred and four thousand five
hundred and sixty votes, leaving Mr. Lincoln
nine hundred and forty-six thousand nine hun
dred and fifty votes in the minority. Now, I
say that the Democratic party is responsible
for his election. And if Mr. Lincoln's admin
istration does not come up to Democratic
views, they have nobody to thank for it but
themselves. Lientecant General Scott, Com
mander-in Chief of the American army, seeing
ovident!and unmistakable signs of an attempt to
dissolve the Union atter the election of Mr. Lin
coln,wrote some suggested views of precaution to,
prevent the anticivated disruption, which he
submitted to the Secretary or War and the
President of, the Celled Statee. ;That" letter
Was submitted .on the 20th of October, 1860,
from which I make the following quotation:
•
"From a knowledge of our Southern popu
lation, it is my solemn conviction thatelbeire is
some danger of an early act of rashness Pfelime
Wary to secession, namely, the seizure of E 0111.13,
or all of the following poste: Forts Jackson and
St. Philip, on the Mississippi. below New Or
leans, both without garrisons; Fort Morgan,
below Mobile, without a garrison; Forts Pick e
e 6 a Pensicola herbee, with an in
infficlinit garrison for one; Fort Pulaski, below
Savatenabewithorit a garrison; Forts Sumter
and 'Moultrie, Charleston• harbor,: the former
with' an insufficient garrison, and 'the 'latter
withotit any; and :Fort Monroe; Hampton.
Roads, without a stifficiebt garrison. In my
opinion, all these works should be immediately ,
so garrisoned as to make any attempt to take
any one of them, by surprise 'or coup de main,
ridiculous.
"With the army faithful to ils allegianoe, and
the navy probably equally so, and with a Fed
eral Executive, for the next twelvemonths, of
firmness and moderation, which the country
has a right to expect—moderation boing an
element of power not less than firmness—there
is good reason to hope ; hat the danger of se
cession may be made to pass away without one
conflict of arms, one execution or one arrest
for treason. lam ell solicitude for:, thst safety
of the Malon."
Those views were submitted by General'
Scott to .the Secretary of 'Mar 'and to Mr. Bu
chanan. Have we any evidence that they, were
acted upon? We had nothing - to expecti from
John B. Floyd, the Secretary of War; hut we
bad some expectations from. Mi. Buchanan. Is
there any evidence in thellistory of this rebel
lion that a single attempt was made to garri
son a single one of theee forts by the Adminis
tration of Mr. Buchanan,.untli after it was too
late to accomplish the pirrtiose suggested in the
"views?" True, the "Star of ,the 'great," with
four officers and two hundred and fifty men on
board, was sent to Charleston harbor, which
place it reached on the 9th of .Tanuary, 1861.
but the enemy was prepared for them, and
opened a masked battery. from Morris "Island
and the guns of , liferntrie upon her. She
having no-guns to reply,. sy#B .filrepd to retire,
svithont' reinforcing Major' Antiersoh in Fort.
Sumter. Is there any eiidence -that a Single
company belonging to the :United States cr
vice was placed in comma:ltd . & '•oriet of those
forts, as suggested by the views of General
Scott? The rebels give us their opinion of
those written "views" of General Scott. They
tell us that if theist: views had been.carried out,
"the southern confederacy would pot, and
could 'riot ' be in existence at this - hoar." If
James Buchanan had been faithful to' the con
fidence cf the people, and.the_splemn deities of
his position, the rebellion might have been
averted, and the country saved from the hor
hors of this bloody war.: , • ,
Ignore from a Richmond Onlim* on Jolha B
Floyd: _
"The plan invented by Grekike4l, &wit to stop
secession was, like all campaigns devised by
him, very able in its.detallii.land nearly certain
of general success. The Southern States are
full of areena's and forte, commanding their
rivers and atrategie points. General Scott de
sired to transfer the army of the United States
to these forts as speedily and quietly its p 0,261-:
ble. Had he succeeded in doing ro, revo'•ntion :
would have been paralyzed inthe whole South,:
and the submissionist party nrouldhavo,hein
organised . on a very different footing from What
we:now know. The Southern States could not
have cut off communication between the Gov
ernment and the forts without a great fleet,
which they cannot btiild for years, or take
them by land without one' hundred thousand
Men, many hundred milliorks of dollars, and
several campaigns, and many a bloody siege.
Had General Scatt been enabled to , get those
forts in the condition he, desire,cl themio be,
the southern confederacy would not ,ttcyr
eair-t.•
_
That was the opinion of the rebeK,ancl-they, l
had a proper appreciation of the -- !the
case. They knew as well as we conbil tell &rem
thatthe administration of Jeunesßnchanan never
acted upon the suggestions of fieneral Scott.
There wait no dieposition on the part of James
Buchanan, oron the part of his administration
to frustrate the designs of those hell-hounds of
treason. They wanted a dissolution • s of the
Union, and James Buchanan was their willing
tool. Hu permitted them to carry out their
desigos with scarcely an effort to restrain them.
The report of Col. H. K. Craig, Chief of Ord
tice, to the Secretary of War, Joseph Holt,
dated January 15th, 1861 ; shows the action of
i
the administration n the distribution of rifles
and musket ,to the Sauthcrn Sttqes during the
year 1860: '
"In compliance with your directions, I have
thelionor to repOrt thatop the 30th "day of
December, 1859, anon* was received from the
WarTqartment,- direating the trans fer ; of one
hundred and fifteen thousand mu: kets and rifles
.from the Springfield (Kass.) and' Wateyileit
(N. Y.) arsenals to" different arsenals at' the
ff"
Snu, orders were, given in obedience to these
instructions, and the arms were removed dur
ing -the past spring."
"They were distributed as follow;':
Charleston (S. C.). • 'arsenal, 17 000
North CAI - 01We " • 26.;928
Augusta (Ga.) ( 4 22 000
Monut_Vernon (Ala )' " ' 17 000
Baton Rouge (La:) " 31 940
In addition to there, there have been transfers
from the armories to different arsenals,- as the
exigencies of the, service demanded. for imtrie
diets issues to the army and to the States."
Those arms were all seiz:d by the rebel au
thorities, and the indfcations are that such was
the-intention of the Secretary of. War, acting
under the direction of the 'President.
The message of Mr. Buchanan, - sent toCon-,
greas on thekEtth of JanuarY, 143'60.• denied the
right of a State to. secede, but declared4,l - .at
the Federalgovernmeot had, ; ; no authority or
'power to ceerce a State. lie said Cm substance)
to the Statcs, "if you lee proper lo speeds: frtim
the Mike?, we will -not .raise our hinds
against you, or stretch out- the : strong
arm of the law to restrain you." Was. that
not offering a preedom to treason? The doc
trine of coercion is a ,ptincipie as old ,as ; the
- Government itself. Wetfind tint principle to
be the very embodiment ,of the proolannition
of the Father of his Country concerning the
Western Insurrection, dattd at Philadelphia on
the 2ith of September, 1794, -from -:-vrhibh I
make a quotation : - -
"Arid Ido moreover exhort all Individuals,
officers and bodies of men, to contemplate with
abhorrence the measures leading - directirer in
directly to-those crimes, - which produce this
resort-to military coercion; to check, itt their re
spective spheres, the efforts of misgu'dtd or
deigning•m-n to substitute their misrePresen
tation in the place:of truth, and their discon
tents in the place of stable Government. and
-to- call to mind, that, att the people of The
United States hay* been. permitted under the-
Divine favor, in perfect freedom, after solemn
deliberation, in an- enlightned age, to- tied
their own government,,so will their giatititde
for this inestltuable - blessing be' best distin
guished by firm exertions to maintain the Con
stitution and the laWs ."" '
old atitholity, and I &limit tabs very
good authority. . That same doctrine was pro
mnigated by Andrew Jackson_ in. his .famous
proclamatiou of nullification,dated December 10,
1832. It was then considered sound doctrine.
Nobody contested it. Nobody objected to it; anti .
nobody denied it,untilJameißuchanareproolairn
ed that the Federal Government had no rightor
power to coerce a State: t The debates in the'
second session of the thirty•sixth Congress show:
c3nclusively that those 'Sliders of the rebellion'
who, were in. the Congress of the United States.
had fully made up their 'minds to :take Ahab::
rtspective States out of the Union. ";They :did
'not wish the.papple to.,.aCt upon the-:question.
The secession of the:. Southerh , States . watt
accomplished by movement of the,people: It
was a preconceived and. *ragged. purpose on
the-part_ ot prominent,: public men, cherished
until tlie.favorable hour BO o old .cOn for ite exe
' cation. -T-j:Ley assumed pontrotOf the . !ooPle,
and fOrced iheirStatee tO,pass'oidinances of se
ceselon. ` t his time Selected for. this purpose was
the election of left. Tbe plan - m.3l3th
intoctrectitiOn. Isritheutirod to 'the forms of
law or the ntimbers of the. Union men.
The reasohs given by the Southern Senators in
Congreas for and'ln justldeatien of ;the acts of
theirreepectiieStates.-are as.varied'as they are
interes'ing, to show that those alleged reasons
were - mere pretexts,' and that their settled 'put-
Peso 'awl, the establiAireat 0 r a - Southey:lL con
fedfiracy at all hazards. ,
Mr. Ulicgman, thefenateir from North Caro
lina; Bald, during the debate uPOrr the Presi
dent's :message': "A man has been elected
becluse he has been and is hostile to the South.
It is this that alarms our people, and I anffree to
say; as I have . sithi; 'on the Stump this summer
repeatedly, that if that, election were mot re
slated, either now or at some other.day not far
distant, the Abolitionists would`succeed in
abolishing al:ivory - all over the South.
"Therefore-I- maintain-thatour true policy is
t.4. ll keet Able issue or 4bainel, end 3-hope It:will:be
done. If we can maintain our personal safety,
let..us hold, oa to .the present Government, tf
not, we - must take bare - of 'Ourseivhe at all ha/l
ards. I think this is the feeling-- ; that prevails
in North Carolina.", ; • .
...Mr. Brown, tha€enator.from Mississippi, very
eurphatically declared the intention of his
• State to secede in consequence of the triumph
of principles which he alleged were humiliating
and degrading, to his people. He would agree
;remain in the Union provided the North
would reverse their expressed principles. " All
we ask is that we may allowed to depart. In
Peace. Dik•Yon•Pieam to say that that Is not to
he allowed us, that we shall neither have peace
,ip the - Hahn, hot allowed the poor, boon of
'Seeking it oat of the Union? If that behpur
"attitude, wit is inevitable. We feel, as every
citizen not blinded by minion and by
prejudice must feel; that in this trans a ction
14pre139*4eiiply.aggrisvgd;, that-the a 06303 fi'.1
Wing WrOngs of-years have fioally culminatea
in. your triumph—not-the triumph ofAbratiarn
Linoolia, not: our - individual triumph—bikt in
the triumph of prinefples to submit to which
would .be the deepest degradation, that a -free
people ever sAbmitted to. We cannot calmly,
quietly,—with all the dignity which I can sum
mon, I say• to you that we will not submit."
" Things have reached a crisis, and that crisis
can only be met_in one way effectually, in my
judgment, and that is for the Northern people
to review and reverse their whole policy upon
the subject of slavery.. The Southern Statekdo,
not expect .that they are going to do it; and
having. deßpaired of that reversal of judgment
and-that chauge:of conduct; they are proctleding"
in the only mode left them to vindicate their
rights and their honor." :
Air. Iverson, Senator from. Georgia, justified
the right of a State to secede on the tip
prehensicn merely of oppression or tyranny
" You talk aboutconoessions. You talk ab s ont
repealing the pere!irial liberty bills 88 a.canoes-. 1
'lion to the South:::' Repeal them all, to-miler-A
row, sir; anctit_wetild not stop the progresi of
this revolution: It is not your personal lib
erty bills that we dread. Those personal lib
erty bine are obnoxious to us, not on account
of their practical operation, not because they
prevent -us from mlaiming - mar fttgitivirdifvee,
but as an evidence of that:deep-seated, Wide
spread hostility to our institution; which must
sooner or later, end in: , this "Union in their
extinction.. :That is the. reason we = object tn.
your persenai-liberty bills.— It is not because
that in their practical operation they eves' do
any harni.: It is not - the personal liberty-bills;
it is mob laws that we fear:, exlitenoe
and action. of the public sentiment of -the
Norihern.States that are, opposed , to thiiirasti
.4REl - Of !lawny, And are determined to break
use all 'the of the Yeiteral
tgvernment, as well as every other power lit
their hands, to bring about its ultimate and
speedy extinction. That is what we appre•
hand, and what, in part; moves us to look 'for
security and protection in secession a: d a
Soutbern Confederacy."
Mr. Wig&ll, the Senator -from Texas de
clared the intention of Ills State to sect-ill in
consequence of the election of Abratuito Lin
coln:
"We simply say that a man who is distaAeful
to ns has been elected; • turd we choose to con
sider that as a sufficient ground for leaving
the Union, and we intend to leave the Union.
Then, if you desire it, •bring us back. When
you undertake that, and have accomplished it,
you may be like - the man who pnrchascd the
elophant—yon.,.may.find it rather difficult to
decide what you will:do with the animal."
The whole tenorottbe speeches of both Sen•
ators and Representatives from the. South, de
livered in Congress during its short efe,lon,
shows a preconcerted plot to establish a new
Government to.suit n their own. peculiar views.
Although they gave different reasons in jueti.
fication of the right of:Sfeel3fiioll, their real ob
ject in taking • that ."course was to keep them
selves in power. The rapid growth of the pop
ulation of the North, as exhibi.ted by the census
of 1860, convinced them that the reins of
power in the National Governnient bad dropped
from thera,•-witnno probability of their return.
They, who had controlled the Government
since its establishment, felt the approaching
loss of power most keettly,land could not con
ceal the chagrin they. - felt at the astonishing
prosperity of the North, while they were slowly
pursuing the even tenor of their ways.
Their long cherished idea of .a Southern con-i'
federacy, in the event of their loss of prestige
inthe scveral departments of the Government,
was now about to he- realizrd. They looked
neon the people of the North as only a merce
nary and cowardly race, and wrought them
selves up to that pitch of belief, that the North
was susceptible of bearipg, almost any insult or
indignity which they mighi choose to impose
upon theni. They 'scarcely conceived of any
fight in the Northern people; they belieVed that
the chivalry of, the country was, concentrated
in them, and' in them alone, and believed that
they could recede with impttnity and contempt
nouslY, and boastingly — fteWri, down any at
tempt at restraint or oppokition.
The acknowledgments of the leaders of the
rebellion in South Carolina, , who precipitated'
and dragged the Palmetto State out of the
Union, are both interesting and important to
show their long settled determination to set up
for themselves.,
I will make several quotations from the
speeches delivered iq their State convention in
the month of December, 1869. .
Mr. Parker said: "This is no spasmodic tflort
that has come suddenly-.upon us, - but it has
ben gradually culminating for a long series of
years,.until at last it hae come to that point
when we may say the _matter is entirely right."
Mr. Inglis said: ~'Moat of us have had this
matter Under consgeration for the last twS . nty,
years, and I presume. we hive by this time:ar
rived at a'decision. uporrthie:subject."
Mr. Keitt said: "Sir, we are, performing a
great act, which involves hot`ohly the stirring
present, Int embraces the•whole great future
of ages to comet I have been engaged in this
movement ever since P entoted• political, life.
I amcontent With what hati been done to=day,
and content with what will be done to morrow.
We have carried the body of this Union to its
last resting Plane,
and ao.w.we will.drop the
11:g over its grave."- '
Mr. lahett said "Tbe secession of South :
Carolina is not 'the event 'of a day: It is not
'anything prodUced'by 'Mr. Lincoln's election,
~or by the non-execution of the,fugitiva slava
law. It has been a matter which has been,
gathering head ler thirtyieare. The election ,
of Lincoln and'Hamlin was the last straw on
the back of the camel. Bat it was not the
orily•one. The back was nearly broken before.
The point upon which.Ldiffer.from my__friond
le this: He says he thought it expedient for us
to put this - great (Mention' before the world
upon this simple matter of wrongs on the ques
tion of slavery, aryl thap question turned upon
the , fultitlinSlaie law. -- NOW,In regard to the
fugitive slave`li*, I_myself doubt-Its constitu
tionality, Suer dou bted it on the' floor of=the
Senate, when was a member of that body.
The . States, acting in their sovereign capacity,
should be responsible for the rendition of fu
gitive Slaves. That was our best warily."
Now, this - State called its convention and
pawed an ordinance of 'eession. And Ism free
to admit, sir, that a State, or people may be
entitled to the right of revolution under jus
tifiable circumstances. I acknowledge the right
of revolution_ It is a sacred right. Xis a
right uppn which our government is based.
Oar forefathers rebelled against the mother
country, bet their rebellion was founded on good,
substantial and aufficient reasons. The mother
country, usurped rights WhiCh did not belong to
her, she , became tyrannical, despotic and
_promotive; her burdenstbecame unbearable, and
her oppressions 'unendurable. Did the South
, haie the Same "right 'fo complain'? 'Had the :
South the.-right`to ciOniplain of Any , actions; or
the general Government? Were they justiriod
in taking steps for,•thercarrYing out of their
long threatened purpose! Were they justifi
able in beginning 'these proceedings? Were
they insffering under the power of the General
Government such Oppressions and suzla wrongs
as justify the sacred right of revolution ?
There is no; evidence of snob wrongs`and
. oppre7siona—judglog them hy their own de
.clarationg; there was no cause' for Such rashness.
Did: they fear the srpedy infliction of such
%stodge , and . oppressions as Would justify the
right of revolution 4 I ask the question on
the forced presumption_ that. a mere appre
hension of wrom ard oppieselons ca n .
justify revolution.' Did they fear and sip
prebend these wrongs I and were their fears
just and well founded? True, a Northern Pres
ident was elected, the representative of the Chi
cago platform, but he-was no radical, andsthey
lhad no right to &alums that he was either a
tyiant or a despot. , Why, dr, they had not
trkid'Abritham Lincoln; and, sould not - fell of
what material. he was •inade.- They• did not
know what would be the action otitis Adminis
trationlbot they madly rushed their Staten out of
the Union on the presumption , -or:assumptioh
that 'Abraham Linedlii 'Was • &lig , to destroy
their liberties; was going to oppress them; was
_going to make_tbern suffer indignities 'and
wrongs beyond endurance. They had no right
to make this violent assumption.
Suppose the South did entertain fears of
wrongs, and apprehend destruction to the, in
stitution of slavery,lt wars. 'no justification of
rebellion ; but suppose it to:be a ierstificaffon,
the Federal Government has always been ready
fo comprcimise in her difficulties with any
State, Lble,compromised . With :South Carolina
in 1832. Suppose the - General Government
meditated' evil against the South, of which'
there was not the remotest sign, its hands;Would
have been tied Ary_ths, Action of nearly half
the voters in all the Northern Sta:esoo,ulalit:ctarie
action of ell the voters in the SOntfign i .! L e
Besides this,: they controlled the Witt , .ar ea,
Senate and Supreme Bench, and .* • ''"l. States
terms to the President. -
under the adirrinistrati,„ Ab raha m , and
7L a n n r i n d tf : e s
a p bo w ia r
Ekuoy,yehdet
endued
d i h i
e r tu - a d ete : d a n a t :::; :oept
afrtiphi h is
t sin
m eAit t
14 :
mn
that - i l l li e b a
dst tr in ttr it t i c
tiobe zli nid ,
e ti r t e led to the sacred-right or-rwevciul
wes•rto formal declaration-oil? or-revel a t ion .,.
auwvebthileYantehtgir:UtnitSol3;:eaTilfkl'wLertegf alitil:sidetualeynirarlast:tub°lrr:rio!teriltittieidio_e9r-fiffi;
416,04nu:tchitetts:7017:4
s O t t. ' a t c h t e :. gta a l e
s o ta f
t h esp e oa r m p tae r nr o shi ns tyi Lne p7i ; a t i
dr e eg i t t h i ar iss ed ui th re s ad
tp `aarlc l i
otinu:n:
greatest folly ever ensnin.
'ratted by a 'great and prosperous people. But
undue prosperity begets luxury and restlessness,
and grave deeds- artroften committed withcut
reflection or reason. Posterity will censure
the act of teceesion, for the reason that the
seceding States, in their several conventions,
Made no demand for the redress of grievances,
but madly—yea, blindly—precipitated a revolu
tion. To stand justified in the eyes of the fu
ture, and before the scrutiny of civilization,
we should demand redress of a convention
of all the States."
Seven of the seceded States met in.joint con
vention, adopted a form of, government, and
styled it the "Southern Confederacy.". They
afterwards issued a bill of rights, and declare
lion of wrongs, but there was not the slightest
excuse in those allegations which will justify
their actions in the eyes of the world. . The
great Union speech of Alexander H. Stephens,
delivered before the Legislature of Georgia, at
their 'special request, on the 14th of November,
1859, , contains the holiest sentiments of an un
'prejudiced, heart, the prophetic words of wis
dom, and the calm; dignified ,, and statesman
like advice of a - great leader arid a pure patriot.
•
"I look upon this country, with our Institu
'tionv, as the Eden of the world, the paradise
of the universe. It may be that.oetrof it we
may become greater and More prosperous, but
I am candid and sincere, in, telliog you that 1
fear if we rashly evince passion, and wittet.nt`
sufficienfcitite, shall take that step, that.n
stead :of becoming , greater or more peaceful,
prosperous and• happy—lnstead of becoming
gods, we will become deroons, end at no dis
tant day commence cutting one another's
throats...Thie fa my apprehension. Let us,
therefore whatever wade meet these difficul
lie 4, great as they are, like wise and sensible
men, and,consider them the fight of "all the
consequences which may attend our action.
Let ns see Brat, clearly, where the path of duty
leads, and then we not" fear to tread
therein." He. , then proceeded to meet
and reffite the = popular argument in fa
vor of scansion in these direct and plain
worde:. "Tina first.nuestiort,that presents itself
is, shall, the , people of the,. South secede from
the Union in tenisehittence of the election of Mr.
Lincoln to the Presidency of the United States?
My countrinieh! I tell' You: frankly, candidly,'
and"earnestly, thatdo not think that they
ought !• In my jedgment, the election of no
M 411; constitutionally chosen to • that high,
office, is iufficient cause for any State to EePa-•
rate from.. the. Union. It ought to •stand by
and aid still in maintaining the Constitution of
the country,. To make a pcint of resistance to.
the flovernment,.to withdraw from it because
a man has been constitutionally, elected puts us
in the wrong. We'are pledged to maintain the
Constittrion. lathy of us hive sworn to sup
port it. Cen we, theref me, for the mere elec
tion of a man to the Presidency— and -that, too,
in accordance with the prescribed forms of the
Constitntiner•-make a point oft resistanCe to
, .
the Government , Without becoinite thebreak
era of that .sacred instrument ourselves, by
withdrawing ourselves from it ? Would we not
be in the - wrong Whatever fate is to befall
this country, let it:never belaid• to the charge
of the people of the South, awl. especially to
the people,of Georgia, that we were untrue to
our national engagements. Let the-fault and
.the wrong rest upon Others. If all our hop a
are to be blasted, if the Republic is to go
down,. let us be formid to.'t.he last moment
standing on the deck„. with the Constitution of
the. United States waving saver .our heads. Lot
the fanatics of the North break the. Constitu
tion, if.euoir Is their fell purpoie. Let the re
sponsibility be upop.,, them; ..but, let not the
South—let as; not be.._the. oneetto commit the
aggression. We.werit into the election; with
tbia people.- The aresult .was different lrom'
What we wished; t.
_but .b.e election hart been
oonstfttiOnalli held. Ware we to mere a.
points:A reeishinc.e_to - the Government and go.
out of the Union on .Ahat account, the record
would, be made uprh .!'
ereafter against res
Houre l peeeed *Oily during which &crowded
and 'icharmed audience listened to those con
vincing.argaments mad this burning eloquence
in favor of the Union and allegiance to the go
vernment. None buta•patriot could use such
words, if...we are .tec,be charitable in believing
that he meant what he said.- The South, how
ever, became fired with a blind- seal for her
cherished, zights i .end with a biltexhatred to
wards her supposed wrong-dos rs: She charged the
North with a base infringernentof „those .rights,
and declared that ; submission to'their dicta
tion,wonid tie &amicable degradation, to which
death itself was far more preferable. Although
the Union demonstratinne in. Georgia were:nu
merous, and the U.nion sentiment respectable,
the msd contagion fired their feelings,, com
pelling them te -
anbanitto the torrent of pas
sion with:which they were assailed. The calm
and manly eloquence of Stephens was soon for
gotten amid the avalanche of exedterneut which
folloieed, and he himself was swept away .in
the popular. current. In his blindnera he-;for
got his manhood, and permitted himself to:be- .
come second in tke infaznies.of an unholy
bellion, Ls the shoe! space .of three months he
not only became s '4o4Yert to the doctrines he ,
so ably opposed,. but his promotion was . as,
rapid as his conversion, and be b came the Vice
Protidentofthe sotallerillouthern Confederacy. -
The UUlenita his view, is now dissolved, the
past ; is forgotten, the future spreads a glorious
vision before hilt eyes. In hie, new,poeition he
promegatca g„new . dontrine, and like all new
converts, endeavored to "ont•herod Herod him
self."
"The' feundations.of our new Government are
laid; ittLoornetatone.rests.Dpon.thegreat truth
that the Rgru is Defocus's} ~to the 'white man;
that slavery, sntiordkpttiOrt to the superior
race; is his patural and normal condition. - This
stone which was, rejected, by the , first bUltiters
is become the elitet stone of the.eorner In our
new edifice. ''But *Der uril that .A.Wkauder
H. Ettepheekbas repented . of his follY, and re
turned to. private -life, a wiser if not a better
man. I hope,..This is so. , } - icaroely believed
him to be a sincere rebel against the United
,
States Goverittnent.
Mr. Lincoln s. el ected, And.on the 4th day=
of March he assumed the duties And responsi
bilities Of the 'higirfanntlittur
by a giatful.' fAcqiie: 7:Was Aloralitien - 4 4 10i ol*.
the great tirant; - ,.tite - great ttemper,theutto
.4lequt%__,69"_,l,V.l.4l"it4ged ibutultll4 dt
the "AquAThultra9o44 uf Ab Was
raham ,LIA. , * I
acts pi* tyrant t Ad Mr tiac4a:- „....Plll the
of:hostility !iiMnEkt .tke, poi - . 4 P e n's•Aiar
13outh? Wity;'ete hath - ts`;...cation of. the
begged of hie erring. teratb.: - , PrittAddreal he'
alleg i ance, an d ki ri • :en to return to their
for Put offen ces ; p _dared them fall pardon
- 1 1 0 .
~verything the Republican'
I k: o l B , N T 4 a :o f. - , .erything the lovers of peace
the simtlgo.-! --Juldcio r every thing- the.people of
lato
_loved the Union coUld Ilb, in
oqu4s er 'ftsi „or, misguided brethren and entreating
. to tett:Qv:to their-olieglince, was freely
..ared _.and_kindly urged. Theybegged- and
entreated them not to array themselves In
o p en hogility, against the Goveromeift:•'But
they heeded' Lot tharypice of warning, and Abe'
fervent prayereand Admonitions, but carrieidout
their matured designirwith a steady seal and
I unremitting energy'ruthy - of.a better rank,.
The 14at. evidece which we have,.•or at
least that ishichliira_ not be contradicted, of
the emollient. dlepealtitia -of Mr. Lincoln, is
ch)ritsined In the languaase of the rebels them,
aeleee tend their o'wn selumisledgmenbt of the
libienay,O.l. his Administration towards them..
I, quote front' the'dlplomatio correspondence of
idiastra—rancey, Macon .:”.t...gestremmixds€lo4o.:
era from tke,,axiftdeFattuat.4o49 . to Rngland,.
with Lord John Rumeß,
t he British Idint•ster
for Foreign Affairs: daed,'A.Mgriet 1860.
nearly a month after. Ails firatibattle
. _
"Waite frozik ". 9l Witkatthelda,vsalueled be
•Steiated that ge;Aideit to o fibitti. — "Tbe very
patty in power has proposed to guarantee sla
very forever in the States, if the South. would
but remain in the Union. Mr. Lincoln's mes
sage proposes no freedom to the slave, but an
nounces subjection of his owner to the will of
the Union—in other words to the will rf the
North. Even after the battle of Bull Bon,
both Watches of the Congress at Washington.
pasted resolutions that the war is only waged
in order to uphold that (pro-slavery) Constitu
tion, and to enforce the laws, (many of tbem
pro-slavery,) and out of one hundred and sev
enty-two votes in the lower House they re
ceived' all but two, and in the Senate all but
one vote. As the army commenced its march,
the commanding General issued an order that
no Slaves should be received into or allowed to
follow, the camp. The great object of the war,
therefore ; as tow ofteially announced, is not
to free the slates,but to keep him in subjection
to his owner, and to control his labor through
the legislative channels, which the Lincoln
Government designs to force upon the master.
The undersigned, therefore, submit with confi
denee that as far as the anti slavery sentiment
of England is concerned, it can have no sym
pathy, with the North."
The Administration of Abraham Lincoln pnr
sued an unparalleled policy of leniency towards
the South, offering them every inducement
which love, duty and self sacrifice could make
to return to their allegiance, and erj the
privileges of a free and beneficent Government.
He was willing to recognise the : .institution of
slavery against the expressed principles of the
'Republican party, as specified in thelChicego
platform. Yes, he and the 'Republican party
in Congress yielded to the doctrine of "popular
sovereignty," although in direct conflict with
their espoused and known principles—they
granted permission to the people of — the new
Territories to carry slavery: into them, and if
they desired, to perpetuate the-evil. -
Was that not slelding a point? Yes, it was
backing down from a hotly contested and, no
bly won 'principle, and all appease the South.
and prove to them our love for the Union. Wee
this not exhibiting a generous magnanimity ?
What more could they, ask ? The peace con
vention made them every tender which patriot
ism and noble impulses could dictate, but they
scornfully turned their backs upon these pro
positions.
The men of the Republican party love their
country and they were willing to make anycon-
Ceaßions which reason, justice and generosity
could dietste in order to preserve the 'Union.
But the rebels refused to return, and only be
came the more hostile and more violent in re
turn for the expressed generosity and proffered
concessions. • There was no cessation in their
exhibitions of the Most venomous hatred to
*rude the .old.-stars and stripis, and why?
Because-it is the emblem of universal liberty:
In the progress of the war it became a self
evident fact that the institution of slavery was
the rootrof the evil; and was the ruling cause
and:certain curse of the rebellion. To cure an
evil you must remove the cause, and to crush
the rebellion you must kill slavery. The ad
ministration has discoverd thenoverign remedy,
although they were long in making that dis
covery, and since- entreaties, delays and con
cessions have riled, they have at .last applied
the great panacea, freedem to all men. Abraham
Lincoln' has proclaimed freedom and universal
liberty- to the bondman and the slave. lie
smote the chains which bound them; and loosed
the links which held. them fast. Yes, slavery
is dead, - and we *ill bury it so deep in the
dspths of oblivion that plummet can never
sound it; and doubly doomed be he, who will
strivikto raise it from its tomb and , everlasting
resting place.
&fore taking my seat, Mr. Speaker, I feel
compelled to -reply td . the gentleman from
Philadelphia, (Mr. &sant) who very unkindly
.ungenerously and unjustly, made a false charge
against my cpuititnency; and but for Mutt at
tack, my lips 'would — have been sealed In this
discussion.
Ile charged my cenatituents with base In
gratttode, sordid venality and despicable in
humanity. He said, ' the Philadelphia militia,
and the New York and 'New 'Jersey soldiers
who were passing through to assist in repelling
the rebels, were charged twenty five cents for a
glass of water." "This was in the loyal county
of Danphin." . Iwk the gent:errant from Phil
adelPhla if he has a personal knowledge of that
alleged fact? If not, who is hie author? or does
be base the charge upon floating rumors? I
give the gentlemen au opportunity to ex
plain. If he witnessed the het let him say so.
he knows the anther, I demand his name,
and it is his duty to ditalcsie It. If he has acted
entirely upon -rumors; he is guilty of general
iridiscretionv and has behaved . diseonrceously
and unkindly towards myself. I make this ape:-
sonality, and hold' the gentleman responsible for
the charge. I demand e retraction, and will
draw my own conclusions of his motives in re- -
fusing to comply.
When the rebals invaded our State last June,
and while Elsrtisbutg was .threatened with
atieek add, in imminent danger of capture,
brave itien. 'from Philadelphia, gallant men
from Nair Jersey, resolute and whole-settled •
_men from New York, came here by thousands
to our merle, to protect as in our property and
'in obi. homes; _tont on their' tack came a hcet
-of camp-followers, leech-like cortnorants, who
took every adtrantage of the unsettled state of
eff drat° kenos: upon the noble soldier.
These sealiwags, wbo were all from abroad,
made impelsitions in this 'town and in this
county; hitt never a citizen of Harrisburg,
never a citizen of Dauphin county could or
would show either disrespect or inhuman
treatment to, those gallant men who cam:, I
to our relief That there were impto - V t i ons
practiced upon , the soldiers, there 4 . „; no dotsl
- not bY ' t i ny Of Tr"; constitne- -J * l
tot of these
Pie nioment the
impositions calr.-a to the notice rsecakly
of this city, these thieving sce'
rested, and they received 1). ...undrel-s-- p olice
werWaT- •
richly deserved, E verl , ~te, punishment they
duty dictated, but, r -cannon which not only
geeted, l;isdly,enerotus hospitality erg-
we proudly loaa- given those soldiers whom
era Our hi. , --ed...upon as: our brava delend
them, sui.l , ,uses we.e,cheerfully opened to
geoe lo - . they were extendM 'a hearty and a
ries as welcome, and •the comities and luau
+. of our tables Were freely lavished upon
--nem. The - very Idea of •any citizen of Harris
barg,,or of the county of Dauphin, charging a
soldier*r an eleinerit which is as flee and al-
Moslem abtmdfint as . the air we breathe, is not
only'- ridiculous, bat eminently preposterous..
Why, sir,. the people of, Harrisburg, in their
anxiety tacontribute not only to the comfort,
brit to the' convenience of , the soldiers, opened
their hydrants, nu:ached their hose to-thewater
plugs, and-filled-pails and tubs with water, and
stood , thenkin thostreets, all well supplied , with
cups , for the accommodation of the passingeol
dier. women and children in this county,
with ecarcelynneiception, vied with each other '
in contributing to the wants of the soldier*, and
expressing their thankfulness to there.
We do not boast ,of this—it *as our bounden
duty, for we owe these 'Men a"debt of everlast
ing gratitude for nobly Volunteering to our
rescue in our time of need, and we would be
worse than beathenif we had not acknowledged
this in -r heartfelt . and whole-souled red
proCitiee.- Whit the citizens of Harrisbtlig
impose upon the (soldiers who came to risk
their lives to save us and our property? I say it is
not, true; and if the gentleman insists upon the
charge, I brand it as false asErebrus."
Ihave the honor,•Kr. Speaker, of 'represent
ing whigh:minded, an honorable and ail intel
ligent oonstitnency. Yea, such a constituency
as, any gentleman. upon this floor might well
feel prea__444s; represent. _'l win. not allow false
ImPulatiOnl; 'of such an abomitatbre charac
ter— to :*-liV-Lhertied: against therm . I :am
ham to,nsepreisent. Ahem, and I, 111/14- 7 116-
charge that duty to the best of szlyahnitA, ,aed
I will defend them from aril 'ant' evil - rialto
Imputation which will,or might stigmatise them
as a people. My constituents are not able, air,
to commit so mean, so ungenerous and so n z _
manly an act ; their characteristics an mbls,
generous and patriotic. Mr. Speaker, I might
with Some degree of propriety, if I rr=i- di,
posed t.. 1 exert -is , it, rt.t4i..te upon tee z
tleman from Pirilaleiphi:t. ": might spiral: t i
the violation of tLe saccrity of the hearti:::;,, L ,
and I might speak of the dtspoilation of mir t i
private property. YtEt, I bad some of bin c;
stitency under my command, and had I t! - ei.t.,i
those men with the rigors of milisart
pline, he would now have sonic of his consib_
vents at least disgraced for hb- , _ iiy j uc r,
ment taught me that raw militia should n‘:t
be subjected to strict military disciplines,
so I placed these men on light dotics,
the hospitals, and when their term of ser-dc€.
expired, I sent them home hotorahl:,and
credit to themselves. It comes with a b a r
grace from the gentleman from Phil: de'pii; a
to make chargzs against the people of
Dauphin county, when she has abandar.7.
reason to complain of some of his constituents
In addition to the virtues of the people al
ready expressed, I can boast of representing
patriotic community. My county tendett-.1
the.fi rat company of volunteers t t b.ra Gov er t
and has contributed both lamely and fretdy cf
men and means to crush this hcll-horn r.
lion. The city of Harrisburg is represented s e
nearly every Pennsylvania regiment, aid Iv
contributed more men to the army, in p , o_
portion to its tine, than any other town in th ,
Commonwealth. Why, sir, during the lt,t
raid, in addition to the thousands rf men wi icy
we have already con tribu t el ,and many of abeci
fill honorable graves upon almost every buts;..
field, Harrisburg contributed nine tnli com
panies of citizens, who fill, d the r fl-3 pit?, act
performed picket duty, and the county, iz
addition, furnished two regiments of militia,
yes, and'farnisbed them promptly. ite.id
all those organizations, almost every man :.n.l
boy in town who was able to carry a gen,
entered his receipt at the arsenal cn sattoday.
the 27th of June, for a musket and twill menu-,
including twenty rounds of nettricp s,
prepared then.seives to resist the capture cf
the seat of government and figbr fn its defence
to the bitter death.
After all Ench noble patclotian,, such gen
Brous' hospitality, and such manifec , raticns c.f.
gratitude, the silly charge of the gcstionya
from Philadelphia scarcely needs ate "II Tat .
At) Eelegrapk
SOUTHERN NEWS.
BaLxrx 4 •iE, March 2
Late Richmond papers have been received
at the American office, from which it appears
that the torpedo boat which sank the Unitcl
States steamer Housatonic must have also
been lost.
The Charleston papers of the 27th ultinr,
speak of having ascertained the cause of the
si ing of the Housatonic from capturedlan
kees. They had previously supposed that
the vessel was sunk in a storm, and only az
certabied that the torpedo boat had been suc
cessful ten days after the occurrence, which it
will be remembered occurred on the 18th.
The Torpedo was commanded by Lieutenant
Dixon, of Mobile.
FROM EUROPE.
WAIL., Sc e,
PORTIaVD, March 2
The steamer Damascus, from Liverpool on
the 18th ult., and Londonderry on the 19th,
arrived at this port this morning, at MI
o'clock.
The steamship Nova Scotia, from Portland,
arrived at Londonderry on the 18th ult.
An
. Attack on Duppel, by the allied forces
was inrrnirtent, but no news of its commence
ment had been received up to the time of the
departure of the steamer.
It is stated that the place is defended
forty thousand Danes.
ComanincreL—LrrEitroor. Carrox Mans - rT.
—The sales of cotton for the week amoulited
to 40,000 bales, the market being irregular
and prices lower, except for American,
which was unchanged and steady. The
sales on Friday were estimated at 4,000
the market closing quiet and unchanged.
LIVERPOOL BREAD IMICS Manswr.—Flotu
closed heavy, with a downward tendency is
prices. Wheat quiet, but steady. Corn dull
and unchanged. The circulars report pro
visions quiet and unchanged, with the excep
tion of bacon, which is easier.
The Manchester .Examiner believes that th.,
Government has determined to terminate
Galway steamship contract.
The Great Eastern was knocked
auction to the newly formed Grp'
S • %TaRl - 9 Company for twentyown al.
r _at Fasten
`Ave thonsaud
pounds sterling. The coro
had. previously purchased z iany, howeva,
old companyto the eater ' the bonds of the
pounds sterlire rebid of seventy thousand
above purc h ase ir u must be added to tad
claims to, have ..,oney. Another person
pounds at the, fr bid twenty-five thouse.a.l
sess i on of flap .action sale, and demands poi
.) vesseL
Prom California.
Sax FEANarsco, March 1
The steamer Pacific has sailed for th
northern coast with over a thous: nd passe r:-
gets, bound for the Idaho gold mints.
Itainigration in that direction overland ha.
also commenced on a large scale, consiclerm;
the earliness of the season.
Coal and crstshed sugar have declin ,
price.
The Sonora Democrat says that great un
easiness prevails' among farmers through )1t
the State concerning their crops. Very little.
grain hiS been planted, while we in Sonora
have been more favored with rain than other
portions of the State. Prospects here are
gloomy indeed.
The Legislature has passed a bill requiring
foreign insurance companies doing business
in California to deposit bonds amounting to
$75,000 for each company with the State
Treasurer.
Fire and Loss of Life.
Simms, March 2.
A fire broke out this morning about 2
o'clock in the Missouri Hotel, and spread so
rapidly that, many of the inmates only eared
tbeir lives by leaping from the windows. Five
persons are known to have been killed, among
them the wife and daughter of the proprietor
of the hotel, Mr. T. W. Greasham.
Several buildings on the west and ono
whole block east of the hotel were consumed-
Lou; estimated at $150,000, with little insu
rance. The fire was the work of an ince
dairy. •
A. Raideinticipated.
WA gaINGTON, Mirth 2,
The Alexandria Journal says: We would
not be surprised, within a day or two, to hear
of a raid on the wagon trains, on the Orange
and Alexander road, as well as in the neigh
borhood of Vienna, as a force of Moseby
guerrillas was Seen yesterday within 21 mites
of Fall's Church, watching the movement of
onr_trains. Moseby was alotLis in person.
_ Ililarsto.klo, Wis.
Mawaa March
Armour & Co.'s soar and candle factory
this city, was burned last evening. Lcs i
$20,000.