The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-11-28
HON. ALEXANDER II. STEPHENS AND THE

CRISES.
AS we have now reason to believe Hon. AIexan
der IL. Stephens will be elected to the Georgia Stat
Convention, we give below copious extracts from .
speech delivered by him on the 18th instant
at Mllledgeville, showing his views on the presen
condition of our national affairs, and what course
ne will te likely to pursue in the Convention:
appear before you tonight at the request o
members of the Legislature and Others to speak O
matters OF the deepest interest that can possibly
concern US all OF an earthly character There i
nothlng-no question subject connected with thi
nte-that concerns free people so intimately a.
tnat OF the Government under which they live
We are now, indeed, surrounded by evils Sevel
since entered upon the public stage has the coun
try been so environed with difficulties and danger
tnat threatened the public peace and the very ex
lstence OF society as now. | do not now appear be
| fore you at my instance 1t is not to pratify
desire of my own that am here Had consulted
| my own ease and pleasure | should not be before
you; but, believing that it is the duty of every
good citizen to give his counsels and views when
ever the country Is IN danger to the best poiicy
to be pursued, am here For these reasons and
| tive hearing. \
do not, on this occasion, intend to enter into
the history OF the reason or causes of the embar-
rassmens which press so heavily upon US all at thi,
time. In justice to myself, however, must barely
state upon this point, that do think much of il
| depended upon ourselves. The CONSERVATION IN a,
has come upon the people is the result of sectional
election OF a President of the United States. one
whose opinions and avowed principles are in antag-
onism to our interests and rights and we believe il
carried out, would subvert the Constitution undar
which we now live. But are we entirely biameleas
IN the matter, my countrymen? | give it to you as
my opinion, that but for the policy the Southern
people pursued, this fearful result would not have
occurred. Mr.. Lincoln has been elected, doubt
States.
The first question that presents itself is shall tba
people OF the South secede from the Union in con.
sequence of the election of Mr.. Lincoln to the
Presidency of the United States? NV countrymeu.
tell you frankly, candidly, and earnestly, that
| DO not think that they ought. In my Judgment,
the election OF no man, constitutonally chosen to
that high Office, is sufficient cause for any State to
separate from the Union. 1t ought to stand by and
| aid still in maintaining the Constitution Of the
| country. To make point of resistance to the
| government, to withdraw from it because a man
has been constitutionaly elected, puts us in the
| wrong. We are pledged to maintain the Consti-
| tuition. Many of us have sworn to support it. Can
we, therefore, for the mere election of a man to
the Presidency, and that too in accordace with the
prescribed forms of the Constitution, make point
OF resistance to the Government, without becoming
the breakers of that sacred instrument ourselves?
| withdraw ourselves from it?
Would we not be in the wrong? Whatever fate
Is to oefa this country let it be laid to the
charge OF the people of the South and especially to
the people of Georgia, that we were untrue to our
national engagements. Let the fault and the wrong
IL all our hopes to be blasted.
the Republic is to go down. let US be found to the
last moment standing on the deck with the Consti-
tuition of the United States waving over our heads
| Applause Let the fanatics of the North break
the Constitution if such is their fell purpose Let
| the responsibility be upon them I shall sneak
presently more of their acts but let not the South
let US not be the ones to commit the aggression.
We went into the election with this people. The
result was different from what we wished: but the
| election has been constitutionaIIy held Were we
| to make point of resistance to the Government
and go out of the Union that account the record
would be made up hereafter against US.
4
My honorable friend who addressed Won last
/ night (Mr. Toombs), and to whom listened with
the protoundest attention, asks if we would submit
| to Black Republican rule? | say to YOU and to
| MIN, as a Georgian, | never would submit to any
b'acK hepuohcan aggression upon our constitution
| al rights. never would consent myself as much
as admire this Union for the glories of the past or
the blessings Of the present, much as it has done
tor the people OF all these States as much as it has
done Tor civilization, as much the hopes of the
| world hang upon it, | would never submit to ag
| gresson upon my rights to maintain it longer; and
| it they cannot be maintained in the Union stand
| ing on the Georgia platform, where have stood
from the time of its adoption, would be in favor
OF dlsruptlng every tie which binds the States to-
! gether.
will have equality for Georgia and for the cit.
| izens OF Georgia in this Union, or | will look for
new safeguards elsewhere. This is my position. a.
|
! the Union. That is what | am counselling with
| You tonight about. Can it be secured? In nv
| Judgment it may be, but it may not be but let us
do all we can, go that in the future if the worst
| ing our duty to the last.
There these same hills, rich in ore same rivers,
same valleys, and plains, are as they have been
since they came from the hand of the Creator; un-
educated and uncivilized man roamed over them for
how long no history informs u.s.
1t was only under our institutions that they coult
| be developed. Their development is the result o
the enterprise OF cur people under operations o
| the Government and institutions under which we
| have lived. Even our people without these never
| would have done it. The organization of society
has much to 90 with the development of the natura
resources OF any country or any land. The institu
tons OF people, political and moral are the matri5
IN which the germ of their organic structure quick
| ems into ilte-takes root and a develops in form
nature and character. Our institutions constitute
the basis, the matrix, from which sprinp all our
characteristics of development and greatness
Look at Greece. There is the same fertile soil, the
same blue sky, the same inlets and harbors thu
same Lgean; the same Olympus; there is the same
land where Homer sung, where Pericles spoke; it il
in nature the old Greece-but it is living
Greece no more. Applause.
Descendants of the same people nhabit the coun
try yet what the reason of this mighty difference
| In the midst of present degradation we see tht
| glorious fragments of ancient works of art-tem
pies with ornaments and inscriptions that excit,
wonder and admlratiou-the remains of a once
high order of civilization which have outived tht
| language they spoke-upon them all lcbabod is
written-their glory has departed. Why is thi
| so? l answer, their institutions have been de
stroyed. These were but the fruits of their form
| government, the matrix from which their granC
| development sprung, and when once the institu
tIons OF people have been DESTROYED, there is N
earthly power that can bring back the Promet hea
spark to kinde them here again, any more than il
that ancient land of eoquence, poetry and song
! Applause.
The same may be said of Italy Where is Rome
once the mistress of the world? There are th
same seven hills now, the same soil, the same ma
tural resources; nature is the same; but what ruiz
OF human greatness meets the eye of the travelle
throughout the length and breadth of that mos
down trodden land Why have not the people o
that Heaven-favored cline the spirit that animate
their fathersH Why this sad difference
1t Is the destruction of her institutions that ha:
caused 1t; and, my cOuntrymen if we shall in Al
evil hour rashly pull down and destroy these insti
tutions which the patriotic band of our fathers la
bored so long and so hard to build up, and whic
have done so much for US and the world, who ca
venture the prediction that similar results will no
ensue? Let us avoid it if we can. l trust the spir
it is amongst us that will enable us to do it. LIE
US not rashy try the experiment for if it fails as
did in Greece and Italy and in the South America
Republic, and in every other place, wherever iber
ty once destroyed, it may never be restored to
again. Applause. i
look upon this country with our institutions
the Eden of the world the Paradise of the universe
II may De lndG out OF IL we may become gt cate
and more prosperous but candid and SINGER
in telling you that fear if we rashly evince pas
sion, and without sufficient cause shall take tha
step, that instead of becoming greater or NOR
peaceful, prosperous and happy-instead of be
coming Gods we will become demons, and at M
distant day commence cutting one anothers throats
This is my apprehension. Let US, therefore what
ever we do, meet these difficulties, great as the
are, like wise and sensible men, and consider the1
in the light of all the consequences which NAV at
tend our action. Let us first clearly where th
tread therein.
/ say the same; said it then; say it now, if Mr.
Lincoln's policy should be carried out. have toL
you that do not think his bare election suffcien
cause; but if his policy should be carried out in VIC
lation of any of the principles forth in the Geor
gia Platform, that would be such an act of aggres
sion which ought to be met as therein provided for
If his policy shall be carried out in repeating O
modifying the Fugitive Slave Law so as to weake
its efficacy, Georgia has declared that she will i
the last resort disrupt the ties of the Union, and
say so too. L stand upon the Georgia Platform
and upon every plank, and say it those aggression
therein provided for take place, say to you an,
the people of Georgia, keep your powder dry anC
let your assailants then have lead if need be- IAN
plause. | would wait for an act of aggression
This is my position.
Now then my recommendation to you would bt
this In view of all these questions OF difficulty LEI
a convention of the people of Georgia be called, tt
which they may be all referred Let the sovereignty
of the people speak, Some think that the election
of Mr.. Lincoln is cause sufficient to dissolve The
Union. Some think those other grievances are suf
tcient to dissolve the same, and that the Legisla
ture has the power thus to act and ought thus tc
act. have no hesitancy in saying that the Legis
lature Is not the proper body to sever our Federal
relations, If that necessity shOuld arise An honor