Daily national Democrat., 1860-09-28

William l.. ancey's Testimony in Cour
Concerning the "League of Unite,
SOutherners.''
An alteration recently occurred at Mont
gomery, Ala, between Col. j. j. Seibels. ed
tor of the Confederation, and b. c. YaDcev
son Of Hon. w. L. Yancey. The matter wa.
investigated in Court, when VIM. L. Yancey
was examined as a witness. In the course o
the examination, says the St. Louis Bulletin
"a Breckinridge organ,) Col. Yancey gave
the following testimony in regard to the
League of the United Southerners.o which
was corroAorated by Col Williams the Pres
dent of the League:
Witness stated that he held in his hand a
paper which had been printed by order Of
the League in the summer of 1858. 1t was
an official copy Of the Constitution of the
League, and he read it as follows:
CONSTITUTION OF THE MONTGOMERY LEAGUE OF
UNITED soUruEENEEs.
Believing that theSouth is in need of some
efficient and organized mode of concentrating
public opinion upon public men and measures.
and Of influencing and gHidjng political par
ties, with a view to the Advancement and
protection Of her constitutional rights-and
that the want Of this has enabled all political
parties to sacrifice those rights to their own
necessities:
And believing further that it is the duty
of the South to use all proper means to main
tain her rights within the Union. with view
to being justified before the world in resum -
ing the powers she has delegated to the
General Government, in the event she fails
to obtain Justice in the Union, we organize
ourselves under the following Constitution:
ARTICLE l. This association shall be known
as the Montgomery LEAGUE Of UNITED
SOUTHERNERS.
ART. .. Its officers shall consist of Pres
ident, Vice President, Secretary and Treasu-
rer, who shall hold their offices one year. or
until their Successors shall be elected.
ART. 8. Election of officers shall be made
annually and by ballot
ART. 4. Any person may become a mem
Der of this League who shall pledge himself
to carry out its objects and shall sign this con
stitution.
ART. 5. The object of this League is, by
the use of proper means, to create a sound
public opinion in the South on the subject of
enforcing the rights of the South in the
Union. Among its primary ideas are |. No
more compromise of those rights, either in
party platforms or national legislation .. A
full recognition and maintenance of those
rights as paramount to the safety of the
Federal Administration or the success of
national parties. 8. The elevation to the
public councils Of the aJlest and purest
SOUTHERN MEN.
AIT. 6. This League will nominate no
candidate for any office, State or Federal
but its members are pledged to use all honor.
abe means to secure the nomination, ly the
respective parties to which they belong. OF
sound able and pure men of the Southern
Rights School
He was present when it was adopted
written it himself The League had never
any other constituion-it had never been
amended in any way. There was no idea or
design Of disunion about the League Irs
REAL OBJECT, AND THAT OF WITNESS, WAS TO PRE-
SERVE THE UNION AND CONSTITUTION. INTACT
AND INsEpARABLE There was no oath con-
nected with the League There was no Other
pledge than the act Of signing the consttu-
tion. There was no secrecy about 1t. Its
meetings were held only on public notice
the public attended-all its proceedings were
public, and were published in the papers at
the time. This constitution was published
in the Advertiser the next morning after ii
was udopted.
This League is the one alluded to in Yam
ceys letter 70 Slaughter which has been often
quoted