The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1861-12-10
CHARLOTTE, N. c., TUESDAY, DECEMBER TO- Isl
SPEECH OF HON. VIM. L. .YANcEY

SPEECH OF HON. VIM. Z. .YANCEY.
From the London Globe, November 12.1
MIR. Dudley Mann and VIM. l.. Yancey, two of
the Southern Commissioners now in England,
attended the dinner of the Fishmongers Com
pany on Saturday. Mr. Yancey in answer to a
coml imentary toast, made the following speech,
which derives interest from the fact that the
Minister from the Z. States, Mr. Adams, at
the same time speaking in Guildhall.
Mr. Yancey said:
Upon the part of Americans, I sincerely respond
to the sentiment just expressed by the Prince
Warden, for the restoration of peace in America
Such wish proclaimed by company of intelli
gent Englishmen, must kinde corresponding
spirit in the bosom of every enlightened and i'm
partial American. The name American no longer
represents united people. There exists now two
American rationalities-the Confederate and the
tederll Americans. las you may, perhaps, be
aware-am a Confederate, or, the Federal
Americans, mindful of the character of our COM
mon forefathers, dsdainly terms me, rebel. But
the justice and the sense of right of this great
government, promptly concided in by France and
Spain, speedily wiped out that stigma from
brows, and my countrymen acknowledged
here, at least, to be belliserents. (Cheers.)
Though indebted to an enlarged and enlightened
view of public law, and not to the mere grace
favor of England, for this acknowled gment of our
unquestionable rights and tocus stan0t [ must
freely express here to-nigh: that deep sense of
thanktulness which | am sure all my conntrymen
feel for its early public avowal-Bis dat qui cito
dat prolonged cheers.) From no other power
could 1t come so gracefully In this-the old
recognized and practiced, however blended with
the prerogatives of the crown and the privileges
of the aristocracy. To your institutions Ameri-
are indebted for the chief of those vital
principles which have caused them to style the
Republic,
The land of the free
And the home of the oppressed.
Such invaluable rights as the old English writ
Of habeas corpus, of speedy trial by Jury, of
freedom of speech, and freedom of the press, are
the main pillars of American Constitutional Lib
erty, and | am happy and proud to say are OBJ
served at least throughout the Confederate Amer
lean States vital and practical rights, even dur
ing their stern struggles to preserve their /" ma
tional life" Hear, hear, and cheers [ feel
how unbecoming it would be in me to intrude
upon such an occasion as the present any merely
partisan views of the causes which have broken
up the late Federal Union. No matter what they
may have been, thing is clear, and that is that
the contest now going on is upon the part of the
govern themselves and resist subjugation by the
North. [Hear, hear. They occupy territory
as large as England, France, Spain and Austria
together-they are 100000 in number-they
chiefly producers of materials and buyers
of all kinds of manufactured goods.
Their pursuits, soil, climate and production, are
totally different from those of the North They
think it their interest to buy where they can buy
cheapest and sell where they can sell dearest In
all this the North differs, toto colo from them,
/" and now makes war upon us to enforce the
supremacy Of their mistaken ideas aud selfish
interest" Hear, hear and cheers In defence
of their liberties and sovereign independence the
Confederate States and people are united and reso-
lutte. They invaded by Power numbering
20,Q00,000, yet for eight months has the Con-
tederate Government successfully resisted-aye,
repelled that invasion along military frontier of
900 miles. Though cut off by blockade from
all foreign trade, their internal resources have been
adequate to the equi pment and maintenance in the
field Of an army Of over $50 600 troops. Can all
this be, and yet these 5000, 900 of whites be
divided The idea is preposterous. So much
has been said about our efforts to obtain foreign
that may be allowed to declare en-
pEatically, that the Confederate States have
neither sought nor desired it. They can maintain
their independence intact by their own strength"
AS to their recognition by the powers of the
world that of course they desire. They are a
people, a nation, exhibiting elements of power
which few States of the world possess. But they
have no reason to complain, nor do t,.ey feel
aggrieved because these great Powers see fit for
season to deny their formal recognition and reccp
tion into the family of nations. However they
may differ with them as to the period when their
recognition shall take place, they fully understand
that such action is purely a question to be deter
mined by those countries each for itself and with
reference to its interests and views Of public
policy. Other nations having trading relations
with Us have quite as much interest to send minis
tiers and consuls to us as we have to send such
to them. Hear, hear. Why,
then, shall there not be peace Simply because
the North in its pride will not admit that to be
a fact-a fat occompli-which Old England
followed by the first powers OF Europe, has recog
nized, and which the Confederate Government
and armies have repeatedly demonstrated to be a
stern and bloody fact-the fact that bel
ligerent power. There can be no basis for nego-
tiations for peace proposals or consultations, so
long as the Confederates are doomed to be and are
treated as rebels. Hear, hear. But when our
adversary shall become sufficiently calm to treat US
as beligerent Power, the morning of peace will
dawn in the horizon. When that hour shall arrive
| think | may say the Confederate Government
will be infexible upon one point only-its honor
and its independence. For the great interests of
peace and humanity, it will yield much that is
merely material or of secondary importance. MIR
Yancey sat down amid loud and continued cheer
ngl