St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1861-06-13

cut off and we have to rely upon what
comes by water"
"vICE PRESIDENT" STEPHENS.
If we had any sympathy to spare
for traitors, Mr.. A. II. Stephens, of
Georgia, "Vice President" of the
Southern Confcdcracy, would be cnt-
tied to an abundant share. His posi-
tion is certainly unenviable, even
when contemplated from Southern
point of view. His conversion to Sc
sionism was SO sudden and complete,
that the whole nation was amazed
His ostentatious professions of fealty
to the Union secured his election by
the people of Taliaferro county, Geor-
gia, and he entered the Convention of
that State with the hopes and prayers
Of every patriot, North and South.
He was sustained by u large and pow
erful party in the Convention and the
State, and could have made fight for
the Constitution with every prospect
of ultimate triumph. He surrendered,
however, with more than the igno-
miny of Twiggs, and accepted with
alacrity the empty honor Of a Vice
Presidency under the Montgomery
Provisional Government. From be-
ing a warm friend of the Union and a
bold assailant of treason, he has
changed into the most ultra Of ultra
lists, and pleads the cause of rebellion
with all the sophistry of which his
splendid intellect is capable. His new
born zeal is suspicious and painful.
1t is evident that his new masters
suspect him. He has a record which
must cause them many doubts, and
himself a world of care and trouble.
If he could betray his country in
week, in how many hours would it
take him to betray fragment of his
country? Converted rebels are dan
gerous liegemen, and are constantly
objects of suspicion
The Vice President is laboring
with assiduity, however, to convince
his Montgomery masters that his zeal
for their cause is real. This zeal
gives singular tone to his speeches,
and he has lately acquired the habit of
visiting them alike upon willing and
unwilling audiences. Mr.. Stephens
was never a prolific speaker Now
we look through the Southern news
papers with the expectation of finding
speech from him, begging plea
from Memminger, or Postmaster
General Reagan's advertisement for
mail-bags, as a matter of course ; and
when we state that the "Vice Presi-
dent" made fre speeches on one evening
our readers will see that there is lit
tie chance, as far as he is concerned,
Of our ever being disappointed.
The fifth speech is interesting so
far as it relates to his mission to Vir-
ginia. Mr. Stephens was always an
accomplished and effective rhetorician,
but the rhetoric of this effort is some
thing remarkable, and shows what a
change has come over the spirit of
Southern orators and statesmen. We
have seen many recent evidences of
this change, but no one has manifes-
ted it more thoroughly than Mr..
Stephens. 1t actually seems that to
become sccessionist is to cease to
be a gentleman. The amenities of
life are even scorned, and we have the
most disreputable adjectives in the
dictionary delivered with the volubili-
ty of Billingsgate fish-monger.
If the Vice President sinned on
ly in this, we might dismiss him as
being guilty of mere breach of taste
and good breeding. We find, howev-
er, all through this address, traces of
the most deliberate falsehood and mis-.
representation. We know this is nee
essary to further the cause of treason,
but we think Mr.. Stephens should
have left that part Of the business to
newspapers like the New Orleans
Delta and Mobile Register, or orators
like Mr.. Rhett and Senator Wigfall.
Look at his story about Norfolk.
"Plans were laid to burn up the navy
yard and the phole city," said he, and
Providence only saved the city from q
confagration which would have been
second only to the burning of Mos
cow" Mr.. Stephens had just return
ed from Virginia, had every means Of
knowing the truth of the case, and
must have been conscious that the
statement about burning Norfolk was
untrue. His Montgomery masters
may exact many sacrifices, but surely
they might have permitted him to re-
tain his honor
This address of Mr.. Stephens is also
noticeable for its piety. His allusion
to the Deity and special providences
would do credit to a Doctor of Divini-
ty. He tells the pious people of At
Atlanta that Providence reduced Fort
Sumptcr by sending a storm to scat
ter the ships, and saved Norfolk by
turning the wind at a critical moment;
that this interposition Of Providence
is the strongest evidence of their rec
titudc, and, after expressing the hope
that the Confederate flag may soon
float from the ancient Capitol, says,
with an air of inimitable sanctity,
"If so, Gods will be done is my
prayer. Let us do nothing that is
wrong. Let us commit our cause in
to His hand, perform our whole duty,
and trust in Him for the crowning re-
suit" The Duke Of Gloster, who
would have made most accomplish.
ed Secessionist, was very fond OF ma
king such speeches, and has left us a
very frank opinion Of them:
And thus / cothc my naked yillany
With old odd ends, stoln forth Of Holy Writ;
And seem a saint when most play the devil.
1t is very evident, from the speech
of Mr.. Stephens, that the Rebels have
entertained the idea of attacking the
capital. Maryland, he says, :" has re-
solved to stand by the South" On