Delaware State journal and statesman. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1855-1870, 1861-02-05

sioh OF tue Republican party. from whose appre
hended designs the secessionists are for ruuninl
on and leaving behind them all they claim
After the events Of the John Brown raid, jus
one year ago, and the scenes through which vi
are now passing, let us never again have q wore
to say about the exctabiity Of the French, who
compared with us, are an mmoyable and unim
pre'sible race Of people.
Now, l believe | constitute a fair type oil
specimen Of what is the actual condition fevery
mon in the Southern States, in a legal, polihca
and constitutional sense, and find myself in the
full free, and perfect exercise of every blessing
and Of every right Of o personal nature, that
nave enjoyed since came into the world an
also in the possession and enjoyment Of what
ever property may own, and nobody, as for at
Know, proposes to disturb me or disposses mt
OF H. nor can be disposseased by any human
being without due course Of law How long this
state Of things may continue, 0mnisoience only
can tell, but is there any one, in these particu-
lars in worse condition than myself! If there
IS, II the instance can be presented, Of any on,
nlaa out of the ten million Of the white popula-
tion of the Southern States, who is lAboring
under any oppression, wrong, injustice, or griev-
ance thnt cannot be redressed in the Union, and
can bo redressod out Of the Union, then | will
pledge myself to vote for disunion whenever the
question comes up but if no such person can be
found, will never consent to give up this Co.
vernment, tho work Of men Whose like we
ne'er shall look upon again for any other GO
vernment which the destroyers Of his are likely
to substitute in its stead. will not destroy the
house in which | live, and which protects me
from the blasts and storms of Winter, when not
ono brick is burnt, nor n stick of timber is cut,
with which to erect another. l will not tear
down the works of Washington, of Madison, Of
Franklin, Of Carroll. Of Morris, and of Pinokney,
TO take upon trust the clumsy machinery Of Yam
cey and Rhett, and Piekens, and Toombs, and
Davis. | will not surrender the Government
until l know that better one is provided for
me.
When see in the distance the fright:ul aud
appalling consequences Of dissolution and civil
war, which many will not see until the reality
IS brought to their own fresides and hearth
stones. where our wives and daughters, and all
that Is cherished upon earth is clustered, can
not but persuade myself that both parties will
shudder and recoil at its approach, and come to
honorable terms Of settlement. For one shall
nevsr despair Of Me Republic.
when see that upon the secession of any or
all the Southern States, the President is left no
alternative, and no discretion, but is solsmnly
sworn, before his God, to Pressree, protect, and
defend the Constitution, and that that Consttu-
tion declares "the laws of the United States to
be the Supreme law Of the land, )" which he "shall
take care to see faithfully executed" and places
the Army and Navy of the United States under
his control, aud provides for calling forth the
militia. to enable him to execute the laws, and
suppress instructions, cannot doubt that the
declaration of secession, however much il may
be deplored, will necessarily impose upon the
Government the obligation Of resortihg to such
measures as will enable him to see the laws
faithfully executed, the right to do which was
too firmly established in the days of President
jackson, by the legislation Of 1882 ever to be
overthrown while the Government endurts. l only
speak Of this as an existing fact which Is not
likely and hardly possible to be changed. Ifit
can be avoided shall be glad TO see it.; and
while connot doubt the power, | would, as your
representative IN The Convention, cheerfully unite
in any recommendation remonstrance against
the exercise of the power.
When l see, too, that without the power to
strike II blow in resistance or defence, without
the means to vindcate herself the State may be
humbled and subdued-and all the gasconade
and bravado Of light-headed aud lippRnt would
be patriots cannot prevent it when see that
single steam frigatv, stationed at the Capes Of
Virginia, will rs eifectunlly block up aud destroy
the entire commence of Virginia and Maryland
as If they were surrounded by icebergs in the
Arctic Ocean, while we have no naval force with |
which TO dislodge or remove the blockade when |
see that the commerce Of every other Southern |
State may be out off 10 the same way, and by |
the same means, by sending one or more war |
steamers to block up the ports Of Cape Fear |
River, Charleston, Savanuah, the Coast Of Fori- |
do, Mobile Bay, aud the mouth of the Mississippi |
River, while the commerce of every Free State, |
in the Valley Of the Mississippi, is left open by
means Of railroad, lake and canal communication
with New York; when l see that Of 8, 500. 600
militia men enrolled in the United States, the
North has upward of $500, 600, with no negroes
TO guard at home, and the South only about
94f, 900, with our wives and daughters to protect
and our negroes to watch when see that upon
all constitutional obligations being broken down
there must bo incessant aud exhausting hostil-
ties carried on between the border Free aud the
border Slave States, or else that Maryland, Vir-
giDia, Kentucky, Tennessee and Missouri will
speedily become Free States, "hitched ON to a
Confederacy Of Slave States from which it is
even now proposed they should then be turned
adriit; when see this State groaning under a
debt Of 5000 900, to be raised by direct tara
ton, and all her sources Of revenue cut off, and
without the credit to obtain dollar in any
market in the world on any terms, as win be her
condition in state of rebellion and civil war;
when see nothing but bankruptcy and distress
staring every man in the face; when | sec all
these, and other untold ealamities to be brought
upon our people, by the inconeidtrate haste Of
an hours excitement or for misapplied sympathy
for State, that we were told in advance would
"Aiteh en- u.s." and "preeipitdte as into repoluton
ghethaage tpould or not :" when can see nothing
but absolute ruin and desolation for all in com
mon, which neither our safety nor our honor re-
euires us to encounter, | say if this work is TO
be dono it must be performed by other hands
than mine, for would not for all the honors and
offices aud wealth Of the world have such crime
resting my soul.
have said would take any compromise that
unutd rpqf0rn n gha Int fu
to be disguised that there are those in this State,
and others in the South, who do not mean TO be |
satisfied with any concessions or compromises /
that can be offered. They are for disunion "per
&C." and have been-as Mr. Rhett acknowledges |
for 80 years. For them have nothing 10 |
offer but resistance to every proposition and |
every effort that looks to the Secession OF this |
State and II upon obtaining all that we have |
the right under the Constitution 10 claim. they |
still persist in their opposition TO the execution
Of the laws, and in stirring up rebellion and |
treason, think IT manifest that the Government
will fail back upon the platform upon which We |
have just carried this State, TO wit, '.the Union
the Constitution, and tho Enforcement of the !
Laws" equally, fairly. and impartiaiy on all, |
for then 1t vii be question between a we'll |
regulated Government on the one hand, and |
anarchy aud mob law on the other: for if the |
Government have no power to collect it's taxes
or duties to execute its laws, put down rebellion,
aud punish treason, then il is no longer the Co.
vernment that was formed by our fathers, and
the sooner the whole fabric falls to pieces the
better.
This Union, as far as my action will 60, must
and shall be preserved, as long as 1t can be done
with honor. Has Virginia taney submitted to
dishonor for the last ten years and Is she now
only stimulated to redeem that honor by the
precipitate action Of other States If not, what
neip cause has arisen within the last two months
that makes it necessary to call together the Legis.
lature, order Convention with doubtful author
ity, hold an election almost without notice, meet
in conventions and declare herself out Of the Uuion