Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1861-08-28
VOICE FROM THE ADMINISTRATION.


land, on Friday evening, the 10Th August, the
Hon. Caleb B. Smith, Secretary of the Interi-
or, made an address, from which we make the
following extracts:
It is idle. my friends, to indulge in the hope
that if we cannot sustain this Union we can
sustain republican institutions. For, let me
assure you tonight, that If we cannot pre-
serve our present Government in its present
form, we cannot sustain free government in
any form. There is great truth-there is great
force in the sentiment so eloquently pronounc-
ed by the immortal statesman of Massachu-
setts, ssLiberty and Union, now and forever,
one and inseparable.' Why is it, my friends,
that this dscord prevails among us !? Why is
it that portion of our own citizens are now
laundering at the very door OF the Capitol
with hostile artillery l Know there is one
element of dscord in our system and in
tend to speak plainly in all that have to say.
1t is the question of domestic servitude that
has rent asunder the temple of liberty. What
is there in this question of slavery that should
divide this people7 Why, my friends, when
this Government was formed, when we march
ed from the battle fields of the Revolution,
every State of the Union with single excep-
tion acknowledged the institution of slavery.
1t has been abolished in New England, in New
York, and Pennsylvania: and our States of
the West have grown to their present stature
of population and magnifcence as free States.
But for the last ten years an angry controver-
sy has existed upon this question of slavery.
The minds of the people of the South have
been deceived by the artful representations of
demagogues, who have assured them that the
people of the North were determined to bring
the power of this Government to bear upon
them for the purpose of crushing out this in
stitution of slavery. | ask you, is there any
truth in this charge Has The Government Of
the United STATES, in any single instance, by any
one solitary act interfered ,cith the Institutions
of the South? No, not one.
The theory of this Government is, that the
States are sovereign within their proper sphere.
The Government Of the United States has
more right TO interfere tcith the Institution Of
SLAVERY in South Carolina than ii has 10 infer
.fere lcith the peculiar Institution Of Rhode Is
land, Uhose benefits hare enjoyed to-day. But,
my friends, during the last summer, when the
great political contest was raging throughout
the land, then it was that designing and dis
honest men, for the purpose of accomplishing
their own selfish schemes, appealed 20 the
prejudices Of the Southern people, denoun-
cling those who supported Mr.. Lincoln as Alb
olitionists--as men who would disregard the
constitutional rights of the South, and trans
cend the powers of the Government. Excl
ted by these ubiquitous appeals, they were
ready to take arms to prevent the Inaugural
tion of that President whom majority of the
people had declared to be the man of their
choice.
My friends, have known the President
long and well. 1t has been my fortune to be
selected as one of his constitutional advisers.
L have had the honor of being connected with
this Administration since its commencement,
and tell you to- night that you cannot find in
South Carolina more anxious, reli-
giously and scrupulously to observe all the
features of the Constitution relating to sla-
very, than Abraham Lincoln. Had the peo-
pie of the South been willing to wait and see
whether he would regard that oath which, in
the presence of the assembled nation, he had
taken. they would have found that no Admin
stration ever organized in this country would
have more conscientiously regarded and pro-
tected the rights of the South than this Ad
ministration would have done. know that |
speak the sentiments of the President and his
advisers-of those who have controlled his
Administration.
Nh friends, ,ce make no lcar upon Southern
institutions. I've recognise the right Of South
Carolina and Georgia TO hold sidves If they de-
sire them. But, my friends, we appeal to you
to uphold the great banner of our glorious
country, and to leave the people of that coun-
try to settle these domestic matters according
to their own choice and the exigencies which
the times may present.
l do not invoke you to engage in this war
as a war against slavery. We are warning for
a different principle. But there is an old ad-
age brought down to us from the ancients
ssThat whom the gods would destroy they
must first madden" They are afflicted by
that madness which for their wickedness Gods
providence has brought upon them And that
will do more to crush out the institution of
slavery than would have been done by the
peaceful administration of the Government
in ten centuries. If that should be the conse
Quence, l have no tears to shed. To the fu-
ture and to Providence l leave the issues OF
this great question.
1t is not the province of the Government of
the United States TO enter into crusade a
gainst the institution of slavery. would pro-
claim to the people of all the States of this
Union the right to manage their institutions
in their own way.
know that my fellow citizens will recog
nize that as one fundamental principle upon
which we commenced this contest. Let us
not give our opponents any reason to CON-
plain of in this respect. Let us not bring to
bear upon them the power of despotism, but
the power of the people of a republican gov
ernment where the people rule. Let us bring
it to bear upon them so that the traitors shall
receive such condign punishment as all the
world may see the fate which free people
visits upon traitors. No spectacle would af-
ford us so much satisfaction as to see dang
ling from the gallows the bodies of Jefferson
Davis and John b. Floyd, Henry A. Wise,
and all those men who have involved this
country in the greatest affection which can
overtake any people.
Let a man be plain, quiet worker, not pro-
claiming himself melodiously in any wise,
but familiar with us, unpretending, letting all
his littleness and feebleness be seen unhin-