The Constitutional. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1860-1861, 1860-10-06


npon by them-not by you You have
no voice in the matter. The Legislature
assumes that you cannot be trusted with
the care Of your own rights, and have ac-
cordingly placed you under Tia" guardian
ship of South Carolina, or any other state
which chooses 10 raise the standard OF
revolt. Upon the most important political
question which has ever arisen III the ms
tory of the world question involving
not only everything which is dear TO YOU
but the final solution of mans experiment
TO govern himself, your action Is made
dependent upon the action of others. lou
are not allowed even the poor priylI"g" OF
expressing preference. You must accept
the viii of others ms the law ct your con
duct, and obey the orders it PlcaS"s them
TO issue. In utter scom Of popular rights,
the Legislature further dccrccd that when
the Convention was called without con
sulting you, and it might be. against your
wishes. the choice of delegates 10 repro
sent Won should devolyc upon the Govern
or. No election is ordered. The Governor
chooses your members for YOU. lou are
treated ms so many bond smcn, To whom
the right of suffrage would be a dangerous
privilege. Under this arrangement, II
there could be found but one man IN tins
Congreg -ional District in favor of dlsunlon,
that man might be sent TO Atlanta, or
wherever the Convention met, and his
vote might take as out Of the Union and
involve us in all the guilt, and all the dan
gers Of treason. know this is an cX-
IRENE case but extreme cases are often
the best for illustration, and ! mention II
for that purpose, though ! doubt whether
any illustration can make the case strong
er than the plain mvarnishcd statement,
that, if Deputies assemble in Convention
for the purpose of forming Southern
Coniederacy at the bidding Of South Car
DINA, the people are not asked whether
they choose to be represented in that Con
vention, but the Legislature determines
they MaH be, and in order TO suarcss
every possible expression Of popular scnti-
ment they are denied the right TO elect
their members. A Secession Governor is |
clothed with despotic powcrs-commits !
treason in your name; and @lbjccts you
to its penalties without gazing You a
chance TO say eyes" or ono" in the pre-
misses.
From this we may iorm some idea VIII. +,
sort of a government these thinkers would !
establish for MS, If they could succeed in /,
destroying that one which has been handed !
down to us from our fathers. Ifthcy begin |
by denying us the privilege ofvoinG upon
so important n matter as dsuniOn, IT re-
quircs but little forccaste TO tell where they |
will end
IL was my purpose, also, to have com
mented upon the Military BIZ of the last
Legislature, which raises nm army Of eight
|, thousand men, and places it under the or
4 dcrs Of the Governor, at the same time tax
ing the people 100000 to carry out the
provisions of this useless, dangerous, and
anti-rcpublican measure, but have already |
exceeded the time allowed me bvt the terms
of the agreement between Mr. Morgan aud |
myself, and mustdefer that duty to another |
K occasion. At present | shall onl Y trcSpa--
4 upon his courtesy for enough TO ask If |
(. these laws and Legislative resolutions can
have any object but disunionl l. there
any possible necessity for them, or any color
Of Vropriety in them, if we intend to remain |
7 pea. 'iul citizens of this great and glorious
orol dblicl There is none, and can be none. |
p The object was dsunion, and arising out of
y that are questions which YOU must decide, |
PIT You would decide them rightly, m-
Irshackledby party, minAucnccl by passion,
f'and uncontrolled byprciudicc. Tosay norI-
ing OF common ancestiy-of common |
flame acquired and common perils cncoun- |
TERED iii the past, and in our own day To
Il do I
lentircly out Of view, lput to you as a
plain practical question of intelligent self |
dntorcst, what have you to gain by civil dis
Y sen7Ion There is no one among Won who |
b. disturbed by sinful dreams of kingly |
brown. You arc not longing for stars, and |
,,ilgar'ors, and titles of nobility. Nor on thc
! Dthef hand are your fortunes so desperate
h to make you look forward TO turmoil |
IeommotiOn and bloodshed as n mean, Off |
iiiecming them. There is not one man
lhm'n you who can lay his hand upon his |
,Sltaft and tell me of single governmental |
.Nyrievance from which he is now suffering. |
!. Except those which were inflicted upon YOU
1T the last session of your own Legislature |
n Poacc has spread her gentle wings above |
'ESoU. Plenty is around and about YOU |
h'nd IN all essential particulars You iarc as
rec a' thc wind of heaven which blowcth |
ihcle it listetlr. If YOU are prepared TO
r. Exchange all this tor the fevcrcd and trou-
lei excitement of civil war, marked Ivy |
'oeoroIs in every stage of its proc So, and
adnding in chains and slavcry' future ages
lexlust attribute the unspcakablc folly and
81 ickedness of the act to n mania growing |
pt ot the very excess Of happiness. If
ou are not prepared for that terrible change |
= on must at once absolvc yourselves from
VLSl connection with the party who are |
: bun. y draggingyouncarer andncarcrto the
a -ink precipice But be otdcccircd |
a'TnT Their false assumption of the ua.uc of !
ZEN t. They have tramplcd on all
i.,1.ich lie that name So dear E, YOU.
w Il u