The Kingwood chronicle. [volume] (Kingwood, Va. [W. Va.]) 1861-1861, 1861-05-04

the capacity Of freemen to rule themselves.
One State after another would have the same
right to secede and exercise it as whims might
suggest, till there would be complete disn-
I tegration The fragments would be the sport
and prey Of the Powers Of the world When
we yield this point We will forfeit the conf
dence in our stability and the respect Of other
nations
| am gratifed that you will not go for rec
ognition TIL 1re shall hare undouJfed proof
that majority Of the people in the Seeded
States desire i For, under their oppress-
ors, it will be hard for them to exhibit clear
proof OF the will ofthe majority. But think
the holding out Of the idea OF ultimate recog-
nition in any event will tend to embolden the
rulers and depress and discourage the Union
men in the Seeded States It may cause
the people to despair and give up all hope Of
returning | have from the beginning be-
leved and still believe, that the only hope
Of peace, the only chance to save our great
I Government from di>ntegration and down
fall, the only chance to avert the most horrid
war, and in the rising up Of the people in the
Seeded States, and voting or fighting them
selves back into the Union That they will
do it, when certain Of success is to my mind
without doubt
4th. The recognition would not prevent
war, but would be the surest means Of bring
ING it on.
While we all regard ourselves as one people
every good citizen strives to preserve peace.
While the dispute is still among our own
people we are patient forbearing, long suf-
fering and charitable in hope Of a rcconcilia-
ton. And as long a. we feel that we are one
people, and indulge the hope Of reconclia-
| ton. we will still tolerate much that Is disa-
greeable But when We shall cease to be one
/ family, and regard as foreigners those who
may oppose our wishes and when their gov
ernmenta regulations Mail clash with our
business then we<Thall cease to be lenient
and forbearing. the1eWill spring up between
the two people endless causes IF quarrel. -
/ The boundary line between them will be the
scene Of repeated conflicts Mere trihes will
then irlitate and enragc.
The policies of the two Governments will
conflict in many particulars, and these will be
fruitful sources of contention between the
two people.
The Mississippi river, the greatest mart Of
internal commerce il the world. will be own
I cd by both Governments Could human wis
dom contllvc to preserve peace On that river2
\ | will extract from an able speech Of the Hon
VIM G. Riycs delivered at Richmond the
! sth Of March last II 1t is impossible that the
State, lying upon the upper parts Of the Mis-
4 sissippi and its tributaries can, for any length
of time, acqueSce in the possession Of its
mouth by a Power foreign to them. .
The time will come. and come soon, IN case Of
an adjustment Of existing soyerclgnties salts
factory to the Borlcr States, when Tennessee
Kentucky, Arkansas, Missouri, and Western
Virginia will earnestly unite with Pennsylya-
MA Ohio. Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa IL Mp-
rccutiiny and opposing .foreiyn jur1s1ictiou a.
the mouth Of the Mississippi, The force Of
these remarks must be apparent to all -
Neither Government would give up that riv-
err and neither could control it to the salts
faction Of the other Hence war would Be
unavoidable But if the two Governments
could agree their people would not. The vast
mltitudcs Of all classes and tcmpcrs. at all
times travcrsing that channel, could not be
restrained from conflicts and bloodShed This
vast crowd must all be accountable to the
same Government, Or they will be ever at war
From these considerations it appears Ger
tain that the existence Of two independent
Governments in our territory would be the
cause Of war [ will not contemplate its
horrors and calamites, nor will speculate as
to its duration t is enough that it would
be too horrid and last too long for the welfare
Of the Confederate States Or of the United
States In the meantime what would become
Of slavery IT the Union shall be perBln-
neuty divided on account of slavery, and 4
protracted war shall rage between the two
contending fragments on that account can
any one doubt the dreadful effect upon our
social SYSTEM will not dwell upon the re-
voting picture to show how this would
happen.
5th. If am correct in the foregoing pro-
positions, it follows that there is no safety for
the Seeded States or for the United States
but in the complete restoration Of the intes-
rity Of the Union. The seceders must quit
their revolution and come back or we shall
all suffer the calamitics Of civil war Wheth-
er one or the other will be exterminated. or
how the contest will end, need not be discuss
ed. Our business is not to paint the appa!l-
ing scenes Of war, but to prevent il. Let