Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1861-07-25

On the 10th inst. Hon d. s. Dickinson Of
New York delivered the annual address be
fore the Literary Societies Of Amherst Col
lege. He chose for his theme the present
condition Of our national affairs, and most
eloquently defended the policy Of the Gov
srnment. We make few extracts:
REVOLUTION AND SECESSION.
No one denies to an oppressed pcople the
right OF revolution as the last drea IL, resort
Of man seeking emancipation, wh,A all 9th
or efforts have proved unavilin- lever to
be entered upon except az terr il necos,,
sity But Secession is a bold AZ tad and
wicked imposture with its author chime
ra, anillusion and cheat with thuse who are
betrayed into its support, and it exhibits the
worse features of the baiest dcspotism in
enforcing obedience to its reign of terror.
tits but a synonym for Dislnion by vio-
lepoe, under the prctense ofrights reserved
10 States, and must have sprung like the
voluptuous goddess, from iioth, so little OF
right, or reason, or justice, or remedy, or
gsod sense, is there in it, or around it, or
aboutit though, like the contents Of her
mystic girdle, it promised to its yotaries a
surfeit of hidden pleasures,
The attempt to liken this wicked and cor
rupt rebellion to the American Revolution,
requires an assurance of brass sufficient to
reconstruct the Colossus of Rhodes. While
the Colonies were petitioning for redress
ofgrievances, war was precipitatcd upon them
by the British Crown, to compel their sub.
mission and silence. While Congress was
canvassing the alleged grievances of a portion
of the States ofthe Conlederacy, and while
its legislation upon the subject of the Terri
tories was proceeding in harmony with thcil
professed wishes, members representing
such aggrieved States withdrew and precip
itated Disunion in hot haste, before the re
suit proposed conciliatory efforts could b,
ascertained, as though they feared if the
awaited tho development Of events in pro
gress, they might be more seriously aggriev
ed by redress Of grievances The Colo
nies had neither support no sympathy, no
representation in any department of tn
British Government, but they prcsevered il
their efforts to obtain justice and recognition
70 long as single ray ofhope gave promise
and until they were silenced by the presenc
of British troops, and were compelled b
submit 10 slavery and degradation, or appea
TO the last refuge of an oppressed people
the arbitrament OF tho battlefield The
claimed no false or fabricated reading of th
British Constitution which enabled them I
sever their connection with the crown am
avoid the responsibility Of revolution, bu
they manfully took their stand upon tn,
ultima ratio of nations. They received
worlds sympathy, because their revolt wa
an imperious necessity, and Heaven smile
upon their efforts for delverance and indie
pendence. But ifthey had contlived ut tn
accession OF the selfish, perverse and bigotct
George TO the Crown, that they might b.
able to complain Of tho reigning monarch
and, above oil, if they had controlled thu
Ministry, and held majority In Parliament
and had then vacated their seats; and yield
ed up the power TO their opponents, aud ha,
cried out oppression to cover schemes of DC
litical ambition, they would have both de
served and received, instead OF sympathy, o
confidence, or countenaIce, the scorn an
contempt Of Christendom.
rHEsEoEDED STATES ADVISED AND wARNEI
You arraign the people ofthe Free State
for rallying around tho Government of th
Union, of which few months since you wer
members, and sustained it yourselves, an
which, at the time ofyour alleged Secession
had experienced no change beyond one {
political administration. You rebuke thos
who stood with you through good and ev
report, in defense Of the Constitution and a
its guarantees, in its dark days of trial whe
menaced only by opinion, for sustaining
now, when 1t is assailed by armed force
and insist that after having defended thu
sacred instrument so long and so faithful,
they are bound now TO assist in its overthro
"a System Of law, logic and morality pee
liar 70 Disunion ethics alone. You repud
ate the Constitution with no sufficient eau
Of revolution, for all the alleged causes
grievance as stated were insufficient to ju
tify il, and proclaimed dissolution of Il
Union, de6sd and dishonored its flag, al
menaced the Government by denouneing a
tual war. You seized by violence its 70
trsssss, srnoriss, ships, mints, custor