Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1861-05-03
Chr National Crisis.
Serenade to vice. President stephens,
at Richmond.

Serenadc to Vice-President stephens,
at Richmond.
On Monday night large number of
citizens of Richmond, Va, congregated
in front of the Exchange Hotel in that
city. with the First Regiment Band, and
serenaded the Hon. Alexander ii. Ste
phens, Vice President of the Confede-
rate States of America. The Dispatch
has the following sketch of his speech:
The distinguished gentleman was in
troduced to the thrOng by Mayor Mayo,
and received with hearty cheers. In re-
sponse, Mr.. Stephens returned bis ac-
acknowledgements for the warmth of the
personal greeting aud his most profound
thanks for it as the representative of the
Confederate States. He spoke of the re-
joicing 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 that were out, but those
who were in. North Carolina was out,
and did not know exactly how she got
out The fires that were blazing here
he hac seen all along his track from
Montgomery to Richmond. At Will
mington, N. c., he had counted, on one
street, twenty flags Of the Confederate
States.
The news from Tennessee was equally
clearinghouse the mountains were on
fire. Some of the States still hesitated
but soon all would be in. Tennessee
was no longer in the late Union. She
was out by resolutions of her popular as
semblies in Memphis and other cities. -
Kentucky would soon be out; her peo-
pie we're moving. Missouri--who could
doubt the stand she would take, when
her Governor, in reply to Lincoln's inso.
lent proclamation, had said You shall
have no troops for the furtherance OF
your illegal, unchristian and diabolica
schemes p Missouri will soon add an
other 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 we're engaged in
was that which attached people to the
constitution Of the late United States--il
was the cause Of civil. religious aud con
stitutional liberty. Many of us looked
at that constitution as the anchor of safe
ty. In Georgia the people had been at
tached to the previous Union, but the
constitution which governed it was franz
ed by Southern talent and understand.
ing. Assaults had been made on it ever
since it was established. Lately lati-
tudinous construction had been made by
tho North, while we Of the South sought
to interpret it as it was--advocating strict
construction, State rights. the right of
the people to rule, etc lie spoke of all
the fifteen Southern States as advocating
this construction. To violate the princi-
Piles Of the constitution was to Initiate re-.
volution-and the Northern States had
done this.
The constitution framed at Montgome-
ry discarded the obsolete ideas Of the old
constitution. but had preserved its better
portion, with some notifications, sug-
gested by the experience of the past, aud
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, aud those living under it had. like
Pheuix. risen from the ashes. The re-
volution lately begun did not affect alone
property, but liberty. He alluded to
Lincoln's call for rs 900 volunteers, and
said be could find no authority in the old
constitution for such fragrant abuse Of
power. His second proclamation had
stigmatized as pirates all who sailed in
letters of marque this was also in viola
ton of the constitution, which alone gave
Congress that power.
What had the friends of liberty to
hope for? Beginning in usurpation,
where would be end? You are, howev-
err, said he, no longer under the rule OF
this tyraDt With strong arms and stout
hearts you have now resolved to stand in
defense of liberty. The Confederate
States had but asserted their rights. -
They believed that their rulers derived
their just powers from the consent Of the
governed No one had right to deny
the existence of the sovereign right Of
secession. Our people did not want to
NEEDLE with the Northern States--only
wanted the latter to let them alone -
When did Virginia ever ask the assist.
ancc of the general government?
If there is sin in our institutions, We
bear the blame-snd will stand acquitted
by natural law, and the higher law Of
the Creator. We stand upon the law Of
God and Nature. The Southern State,
did not wish resort to arms after seces.
sion. Mr.. Stephens alluded to the ne.
gotiations between Major Anderson ant
the authorities Of the Confederate States
to demonstrate the proposition. History
he said, If rightly written, would acqui
US Of desire to shed our brothers blood
The law Of necessity and Of right
compelled us to act as we did. lie had
reason to believe that the Creator smiled
on it, The federal flag was taken down
without the loss Of a single life. lie be.
lieved tina. Providence would DO with vi
and bless Us to the end We had ap.
pealed 10 the God Of Battles for the Just.
ness of our cause. Madness and folly
ruled at Washington. Had il not hav,
been SO several Of the States would have
been 10 the old Union for year 10 come