, 1861-12-02

The Union was formed with the seeds of
conspiracy latent i'll its bosom, The spirit
already revealed was scarcely silenccd it WAS
not destroyed. 1t still existed, ranking, tts-
tering, burning to make itself manifest. At
the mention Of slavery it always appeared full
armed with barbarous pfetcnsions. Even iu
the first Congress under the Constitutional
the presentation Of that famous petition where
Benjamin FEsnklin simply calls upon Con
gTess to step to the verge Of its powers to dis
courage every species Of traffic in our fellow
men-tlis spirit broke forth in violent
threats. With a kindred lawlcssncss it carly
embraced that c2trayagaut dogma Of State
Rights which has been ever since the convent
ent cloak Of treason and Of conspiracy. At
the Missouri Question in 1920, it only mcnaced
a dissolution Of the Union. Instead Of throt-
tIng the monster VIC submitted to feed ii with
new concessions. Meanwhile the conspiracy
grew until at last in 1880, under the influence
Of Mr. Calhoun, it assumed the defiant front
Of Modification; nor did it yield to the ire
sistih1e logic Of Webster or the stern will Of
Jackron without L compromise. The pre-
tended ground Of complaint was the tariff;
but Andrew Jackror, himself patriot slave
l,oldcr-at that time President-saw the hol-
1owncss Of thc complaint In confidential
letter, Which has only recently been brought
to li@ht dated Ut Washington 1st May, 1853
and Which during the 1.st winter I lad tile
honor Of reading and holding up before the
tograph-lic says:
''Thc Tariff was only the 7,rettat and dis
union and the Southern Contudcracy the real
object, The 'sest pretszt ,ciH BE- the negro or
slale7Y question:
jackson was undoubtedly right; but the
pretcxt which he denounced in advance WAS
employed so constantly afterwards as to be-
come thread-barc. At The earliest prcscnta-
ton Of Abolition petitlons-at the Texas ques-
tion-at the Compromises Of 1s50-at the Kan
SIS 4lcstion-ou all these occasions the Union
was Threatened t!y the angry slavc.masters.
But the conspiracy lE:s been unflushingly
confessed By recent parties to it. Especially
was this done III the rebel Convention Of
South Carolina
MI. Packer said-ss Secession is no spas.
modic effort that has come suddenly upon us.
Il has been gradually culnainatnyJor long s.
7ifs Of gears"
Mr. fngli5 said-ts Most Of us hare had this
subject under consideration for the Last twenty
years.
9r. Keitt Eaid-ssI have been engaged in
this movement eter since Ientt rtd political
Ms. Rhett, who was III the Senate when ]
first entered that body, and did not hesitate
then to aToV himself Il Disunionist, said-iu
the same Convention, 1T is nothing produced
By Mr. Lincoln's election OF the non eSccu,
tion Of tie Fugitive Slave Law II is nlatte7
aehich has ofen gathering head for thirty years"
The conspiracy thus exposed by Jackson
and confessed hy recent parties to it, WaS
auickened By. the growing passion for slavery
thIoughout the slave States. The well ll-knowu
opinions Of the Fathers-the declared conyic-
tions Of all who were most eminent at The
foundation OF the Government, and the cx.
ample Of Washington wcr. all discarded, and
it was reckless1y avowed that slavery is a di.
vine lnstltuti0n-thc highest type Of ciyiliza-
tion-a blessing to master aud slave alike
and the very Keystone of our national arch,
A geneEltion has grown up with this teach.
ing, SO that it is now ready to say with Satan
Ell be thou my good by thee at least
Divided empire with Heaven 5 King hold;
As man ere long and this new world shall know,
It is natural that q people thus trained
should listen to the voice Of conspiracy.
supporters, whether in the slave States OF
elsewhere, easily become Indifferent to oil
rights and principles by Which it may be CON
strained