Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1861-05-04

watched closely the crisis, feared that this effort
to be magnauimous would demoraliEe the con.
science aud the courage OF the North. We we're
afraid that, MS The hour went by, the Virtue Of the
people, whitehead rs /, stood on tho 4Uh day of
March, would be cooled by the temptations, by
the suspense, by the want ADD st Gering that were
stalking from the Atlantic to The valley of the
Mississippi. We were afraid the goyerrment
would wait too long, and 6nl, at last, that instead
of a united people, they were deserted, and left
alone to meet the foe.
. All this time, the South knew, recognized, by
her Own knowledge Of Constitutional questions,
that the government could not advance one inch
towards actnowledging s%ocessioni that when
Abraham Lincoln swore to support ths Constitu-
tion and laws Of the United States, be was bound
; 20 die under the flag on Fort Sumter, if necessary
loud npplause). They knew, therefore, that the
call on the Administration to acknowledge the
Commissioner of tho Condrederacy was a delusion
and a swindle. l know the whole argument for
secession. Up to q certain extent / accede to it,.
But no Administration that is not traitor, can
ever acknowledge secession lchcers). The right
Of a State to secede, under the Constitution Of the
United States-it is an absurdiiy; and Abraham
Lincoln knows nothing, has a right to know moth
ing, but the Constitution OF the United States
cloud cheers). The right of . State to secede, ms
a Revolutionary right, is undeniable; but it is the
nation that is to recognize that; and the nation
offered. in broad convention, at the suggestion Of
Kentucky, to meet lbe question. The offer was
declined. The government and the nation, there
fore, are oil right (applause}. They are right on
constitutional law; they are right on tho princi.
pies Of the Declaration OF Independence (cheers)
Let me explain this more fully, for this reasons;
because-aud | thank God for it, every American
should be proud %ofit--you cannot maintain q war
in the United States of America against q consti-
lutional OF a revolutionary right. The people of
these States have too large brains and too many
IDEAS to 6ght blindly-to lock horns like 4 couple
of beasts in the sight Of the world (applausc)
Cannon think in this nineteenth century; and you
must put The North in the right -wholly, undenia'
bly, inside Of the Constitution or out Of it-before
you can justify her in the face of the world; before
you can pour Massachusetts like an avalanche
through the streets of Baltimore (great cheeringl,
aud carry Lexington and the 10Th of April south
OF Mason and Dixon's line (~rerewed cheering). Let
MS take an honest pride in the fact that our Sixth
Regimens made a way for itself through Bai'i-
more, and were tho first to reach the threatened
Capital. In the war of Opiuions, Massachusetts,
has a right to be the first in the field.
s / said l knew the whole argument for secession.
Very briefly let me state the points. No govern
ment provides for its own death; therefore there
can, be no constitutional right 20 secede. But
there is a revolutionary right, The Declaration
Of Independence establishes what the heart OF
every American acknowledges that tho people
mark you'll THE PEOPLE i-have always an inner
emit, paramount, inalienable right TO change their
governments, whenever they t~Gink-wheneve
then think--that il will minister to their ,happi'
-ass[T That is a revolutionary right. Now, hos
did South Carolina and Massachusetts, come into
the Union? They came into it by aeon yentior
representing the people. South Carolina sallege'
that abe has gone out by convention. So. far right
She aays that when the people take the State right
fully out Of the Union, the right to forts and al
~natioual property goes with it,. Granted Sh'
sass, also, that it is no matter that we bought Lou
isiaua Of France and Florida of Spain, No bar
gain made, no money paid betwixt Us and France
or Spain could rob Florida or Louisiana of bel
right to remodel her government whenever thF
teople found it would be for their happiness. 81
far, right. TIE PEoPLE-mark you! South Caro-
lima presents herself to the Administration al
Washington, and says, There is a vote of my
convention that l go out Of the UnionN Il can
not see you,'' says Abraham Lincoln Cloud
cheers). "As President, j have DO eyes but con-
stitutional eyes; | cannot see you" (renewed
cheers). Ho was right. Bot Madison said. Ham
ilton said, the Fathers said, in 80, man but
an enemy of liberty will ever stand on technicali-
ties aud forms, when the essence is in question
Abraham Lincoln could not see the Commission
ess Of South Carolina, but tue North could; the
alton could; and tbs nation responded, 'if you
want O Constitutional Secession, such as yor
claim, but which / repudiate, Lvi.l waive iorm'
Jet US meet in convention, and we viii asrang'
its1applause). Surely. while one claims q rlgh
within the Constitution, il may without dishono
or q inconsistency meet in convention, even 1t hnal
10 refusing to be bound by il. To decline doiDi
90 is only evidence Of intention to provoke war
Every thing under that instrument is peace. EV
efstb;ns under that instrument may be change
bv a National Convention. The South sage, "So!'
She saws. IF youidon,t allow mo the COnstitu
,ional right, 1 claim the revolutionary rigbt.R Th
North responds-t'When you have torn tho Con
s~,itotion iato fragments, / recognize the right 0
rur PEOPLE Of South Carolina to model their gov
srnnept. Yes, / recognize the right OF the tire
hundred and eighty-frur thousand white men an
four hundred and eighty four thousand black meu
TO model their Consultation. Show me one tina
they have adopted, aodI villrecosnize the revC
luton (cheers). But the moment you tread out
side of the Constitution, tho black man is nc
tbree.6fths of a man-7be is a whole one (lou
cbeeripel. Yes, the South has a right to secede
the South has a right to model her government
and the moments she shows as Tour million Q
black votes thrown even a~gainstit, | will acknoNI
edge the Declaration Of IndePendencei is compile
with (iOud appl~aasel-ihat THE PEOPLE south 0
Mason and DiAon's line, have lremodelled the'
eossrnmeDt 60 snit themselves: and our function
10 emily to recognize il. igi sHse Is