Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1861-06-13

party, and ofa large majority of the Re
pub,icsn presses and party, only six weeks
ago. They were mine; I voted them re
peatedly along with every Democrat and
Uuiou man in the House have see;
nothing to change, much to confirm them
since; especially in the secession, Within
the last thirty days, of Virginia, Arkansas
North Carolina and Tennessee, taking with
them four millions and half of people
immense wealth, inexhaustible resources
five hundred thousand fighting men, and
the graves of Washington and Jackson.
shall vote them again.
Waving the question of the doubtful
legality of the fist proclamation, of A7ri
18th, calling out the militia for ''tnrer
MONTHS" under the Act of 1895, will ye'
vote to pay them, becsuse they had no mo
tive but supposed duty and patriotism to
move them and, moreover, they will have
rendered almost the entire service required
of them, before Congress shall meet. But
the audacious usurpatiou of President Liu'
coin, for which he deserves impeachment,
in daring, against the very letter Of the
Constitution, and without the shadow OF
law, to "raise and support armies" and to
''provide and maintain q navy" for three
or FIVE years, by mere executive proclama'
ton, will not vote to sustain or ratify-
never. Millions for defence; not man
or dollar for aggressive and offensive war.
The war has had many motives for its
commencement; it can have but one result,
whether it last one year or fifty years
final, eternal separation, disunion. AS for
conquest and subjugation of the South,
will not impeach the intelligence of any
man among you, by assuming that you
dream of it as at any time or in any way
possible. Remember the warning of Lord
Chatham to the British Parliament: "My
Lords, you cannot conquer America" A
public debt of hundreds of millions, weigh
ing US and our posterity down for genera
tions, we cannot escape. Fortunate shall
we be if we escape with our liberties In
deed, it is no longer so much question o.
war with the South, as whether we onr.
selves are to have Constitutions and Re
publican form of Government hereafter II
the North and West.
IN brief, ! am for the Constitution first
and all hazards; for whatever can nov
be saved Of the Union next; and for peace
always, az rcsenrial to the preservation o
either. be,, whatever any one may think
of the We, one thing, at least, every @.e
of liberty ought to demand iuexorably, tina
| it shall be carried on strictly subject to thu
& astiso5ion.
| The peace policy was tried it arrested
sec, >>ion, and promised restoration of the
Union. The policy Of war is now upor
trial in twenty days it h"s driven foul
States and four millions aud half of peo
pie out of the Union and ioto the Coufed
eray of the South. In Il little while onge'
it will drive out, also, Two or more States
and two millions or three millions of peo
pie War may, indeed, be the policy of the
Fast, but peace is necessity to the West
would have volunteered nothing, gen
tlemen, at this time in regard to this civi
war; but, as constituents, you had a righ
to know my opinions and position; ane
briefly, but most frankly, you have nrm
My only answer tc those who indulge i:
slauder and virtuperatioo, was given in tn
card Of the l7th of April, herewith enclo
sed. Very truly,
c.. l.. VALLANDIGHAM.