Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1861-05-02

as damnable as that of 1857. The only
hope of liberty is in fidelity to principle, f.
deity to peace, fidelity to the slave. Out
of that God gives US nothing but hope and
brightness. In blood there is sure to be
ruin J"
Serenade to Vice-President Stephens.
Last night, at the hour of 9 o'clock, a
large number of citizens congregated in
front of the Exchange Hotel, with the First
Regiment band, and serenaded the Hon.
orable Alexander II. Stephens, Vice-Presi'
dent of the Confederate States of America.
The distinguished gentleman was intro
duced to the throug by Mayor Mayo, and
received with hearty cheers. In response,
Mr.. Stephens returned his Acknowledgements
for the warmth of the personal greeting, and
his most profound thanks for it as the rep.
resenative of the Confederate States. He
spoke of the rejoicing the secession Of Vir.
ginia had caused among her Southern sis.
ters. Her people would feel justified il
they could hear it as he had. He would
not speak of the States who were out, but
those who were in. North Carolina was
out, and did not know exactly how she got
ont The fires that were blazing here he
had seen all along his track from Montgom-
cry to Richmond. At Wilmington, North
Carolina, he had counted, on one street,
twenty flags of the Confederate States.
The news from Tennessee was equally
cheering-there 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 resolu.
tions of her popular assemblies, in Memphis
and other cities. Kentucky would soon be
out. Her people were moving. Missouri
who could doubt the stand she would
take, when her Governor, 10 reply to Lin
coins insolent proclamation, had said,
"You shall have no troops for the further.
ance of your illegal, unchristian and diaboli
cal schemes?" Missouri will soon add an
other star to the Southern galaxy. Where
Maryland is, you all know. The first South
ern blood had been shed on her soil, and
Virginia would never stand idly by and see
her citizens shot down. The cause of Bal
timore was the cause of the whole South
He said the cause we were engaged in was
that which attached people to the old Con
stitution of the late United States it wa:
the cause of civil, religious and consttu'
tional liberty. Many Of US looked at tha
Constitution as the anchor of safety. lr
Georgia, the people had been attached te
the previous Union, but the Constitution
which governed it was framed by Southern
talent and understanding Assaults hac
been made on it ever since it was establish
ed-lately, latitudinous construction hac
been made by the North, while we of the
South sought to interpret it as it was-ad
vocating strict construction State rights
the rights of the people to rule, etc. He
spoke of all the fifteen Southern States as
advocating this construction. To violate
the principles of the Constitution was to ini
ate revolution-and the Northern States
had done this.
TIE Constitution framed at Montgomery
discarded the obsolete ideas of the old Con
stitution, but had preserved its better por.
ton, with some notifications, suggested by
the experience of the past, and 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, and those living
under it had, like the Phoenix, risen from
the ashes. The revolution lately begun did
not affect alone property, but liberty. He
alluded to Lincoln's call for $4,000 volun,
teers, and said he 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 violation
of the Constitution, which alone gave Con
gress that power. What had the friends Of
liberty to hope for? Beginning in usur
patton, where would he end? You we're
however, said he, no longer under the rule
of this tyraut. With strong arms and stout
hearts you have now resolved to stand il
defence of liberty. The Confederate State:
had but asserted their rights. They be
lieved that their rulers derived their JUS
powers from the consent of the governed
No one had right to deny the existence
Of the sovereign right of secession Ou
, people did not want to meddle with th'
: Northern States-only wanted the latter t.
let them alone When did Virginia eve
r ask the assistance of the General Govern
ment?
If there is sin iu our institutions, "
s bear the blame-and will stand acquitte