Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1861-02-07
? 0 LIT I 6 Al,
Reconstruction, Coersion, &c

Concession, Reconstruction, Coersion, &c.
Those who talk of concession andrecon-
struction, do not seem to be aware that the
Southern traitors who set on foot disunion,
repudiate both. That arch-villain Yancy,
who it will be remembered was the leader
of southern democracy at Charleston when
the democratic convention met there, and
afterwards was prominent in nominating
Breckenridge at Baltimore, a few weeks
ago made speech in the Alabama disunion
convention in which he said
Mr. President, | avow myself as utterly,
unalterably opposed to any aud all plans of
reconstructing q Union with the Black Re-
publican States of the North. No new guar
antees-no amendments TO the Constitution
no peaceful resolutions-no repeal of often
sive laws can offer to me any, the least, in.
ducement to consider, even upon PROPOSE
ticn to reconstruct our relations with the non-
slaveholding States. This opinion is not
founded on any objection to a confederation
with States north of Mason and Dixon's line,
on principles mutually agreeable to them
but it is founded on the conviction that the
disease which preys on the Vitals Of the Fed
eral Union does not emanate from any defect
in the Constitution, but from a deeper source
the hearts, heads, and concences of the
Northern people. They are educated to be-
lieve slavery to be religious as we'll as po-
litical wrong, and consequently to hate the
stakeholder Mr.. Seward was right when he
declared that there was an irropressible
conflict" which would not cease until slavery
was exterminated. But, sir, the elements of
that conflict are not to be found in the Con-
stitution, but between the Northern and South
ern people. No compromises patched up to
secure the North the benefits of Union vet q
little longer, can reeducate the people on the
slavery issue, so as to induce them, having
the majority, to withhold the exercise of its
power in aid of that " irrepressible conflict"
To accept of such reconstruction would, in
my opinion, be but salying over the iFritGted
surface of the deep rooted cancer, which has
been eating into the Yitals Of the Union, eff
fecting perhaps an apparent, deceitful cure,
while still the loathsome and incurable disease
keeps on its fatal progress, and daily weakens
the body, until finally it breaks forth again
with renewed, because temporarily repressei
vigor, and the victim sinks in death.
That the present dissatisfaction and dis
content in the South does not arise from the
fact that the North had passed personal
liberty bills, or that the fugitive slave law
is not faithfully executed; nor from an appre-
hension that the North proposes to inter
fere with slavery in the States where it
exists, is proved by the declarations made
in the South Carolina convention on the
passage of the ordinance of secession:
Mr.. Parker said" Mr. President: 1t ap
pears to me with great Difference to the opin.
ions that have been expressed, that the pub
lie mind is fully made up to the great occas
ion that low awaits US. Il is no spdsmodic
effort that has come suddenly upon as i, but 1t
has been gradually eliminating for a Tong ser
ies Of years, until, at last, ii has come to that
point chen !sCe may say tie matter is entirely
right"
Mr.. Inglis-" Mr.. President: If there is
any gentleman who wishes to debate this mat
ter, of course, this body will hear him but,
as to delay, for the purpose of discussion,