Arkansas true Democrat., 1861-05-02
Vice President Stephens at Richmond Glorious news from North Carolina The Secession of Virginia Hailed by the South.

---GlOrlOuS news rom N Orth Carolina
 The Secession of Virginia Hailed by
 the South.
 The war news is cheering beyond all expectation, and 1t is now believed that Virginia can raise 150, ,000 troops in thirty days, All portions of the State are equally enthusiastic, equally determined, and equally alive to the importance of the issue.
 At Richmond, on Monday night last, great crowd of citizens congregated in front of the Exchange Hotel, with the frst regiment band, and serenaded the Hon. Alexander II. Stephens, Vice Pres ident of the Confederate States of Amer ica The distinguished gentleman was iatroducdd to the throng by Mayor Mayo, and received with hearty cheers. In res ponse, says the Dispatch, Mir. Stephens re- turned his acknowledgements for the warmth of the personal greeting, and his most profound thanks for it as the repre- sentative of the Confederate States. He spoke of the rejoicing the secession of Virginia had caused among her Southern sisters. Her people would feel justified if they could hear it as he had. He would not speak of the States which were out, but those which were in. North Carolina was out, and did not know exactly how she got out The fires that were blazing here he had seen all along his track from Montgomery to Richmond. At Whining. ton, x. C., he had counted, on one street, twenty flags of the Confederate States.
 The news from Tennessee was equally cheering-there the mountains were on fire. Some of the States still hcsitated, but soon all would be in. Tennessee was no longer in the late Union. She was out by resolutions of her popular assemblies, in Memphis and other cities. Kentucky would soon be out. Her people were moving. Missouri-who could doubt the stand she would take, when her governor, in reply to Lincoln's insolent proclama- ton, said, You shall have no troops for the furtherance of your illegal, unchristian and diabolical schemes :" Missouri will soon add another star to the Southern galaxy. Where Maryland is, you all know. The first Southern blood had been shed on her soil, and Virginia would never stand idly by and see her citizens shot down. The cause of Baltimore was the cause of the whole South. He said the cause we were engaged in was that which attached people to the old Constitu ton of the late United States-it was the cause of civil, religious and constitutional liberty. Many of us looked at that Con- stituton as the anchor of safety In Georgia, the people had been attached to the previous Union, for the Constitution which governed 1t was framed by South crn talent and understanding. Assaults had been made on it ever since 1t was es tablished-lately, latitudinous construc tion had been made by the North, while we of the South sought to interpret 1t as 1t was-advocating strict construction, Staterghts, the right of the people to rule, etc. He spoke of all the fifteen Southern States as advocating this con struction. To violate the principles of the Constitution was to initiate revolution
 and the Northern States had done this.
 The Constitution framed at Montgom- cry discarded the obsolete ideas of the old Constitution but had preserved its better portion, with some modifications, sug- gested by the experience of the past, and it had been adopted by the Confederate States, who would stand to it. The old Constitution had been made an engine of power to crush out liberty that of the Confederate States to preserve it. The old Constitution was improved in our hands, and those living under it had, like the Phoenix, risen from the ashes. The revolution lately begun did not affect alone property, but liberty. He alluded to Lincoln's call for 75,000 volunteers, and said he could find no authority in the Ql,l Constitution f9r such ! fragrant abuse of power. His second proclamation had stigmatized as pirates all who sailed in letter of marque this was also in viola tion of the Constitution, which alone gave Congress that power. What had lhe friends af liberty to hope for 2 Beginning in usurpation, where would he end? You were, however, said he, no longer under the rule of this tyrant. With strong arms and stout hearts you now have resolved to stand in defence of liberty. The Conted- crate States had but asserted their rights. They believe that their rulers derived their just powers from the consent of the gov erned. No one had g right to deny the existence of the sovereign right ot seces- sion Our people did not want to meddle with the Northern States-only wanted ! the latter t0 let them ai9Ae. When dld Virginia evar ask the assistance ot the l General Government.
 If there is sin in our institutions, we bear the blame-and will stand acquitted by natural law, and the higher law of the Creator We stand upon the law of God and Nature The Southern States did not wish resort to arms after secession. Nil. Stephens alluded to the negotiations by Mai. Anderson and the authorities of the Confederate States, to demonstrate this History, he said, if right fully written, would acquit us of desire to shed our brothers blood
 The law ot necessity and of right com Delled us to act as we did. He had reason b believe that the Creator smiled on it. The Federal flag was taken down without he loss of single life. He believed that providence would be with ps and bless us .o the e.d. Ne had appealed to the God ,f Pattloa for the iugtnegs of our cause