Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1861-03-08

10 not armed. standing ready to resist TO the
death. We are very small-vcry wesk-but
IL that Grestorm " ith hich we are threatened
should fail upon Us and consume s., hereafter
the pilgrim Of liberty. perhaps from thi. State.
who may be searching beneath the ruins Of
Charleston. will find the skeleton Of orr sen.
tinel standing at our sea gate. ,,.... -.s...
Believe It not, air. that in taking this posi-,
tion, we have heen fargetful of the part. or
reckless Of the future. No. siri j, is the great
past. and our sacred obligations to The future,
which have ssrsed US to the act. 1t was che
splendor Of the past which dsxzled our eyes.
until the substance of liberty had almost slip
ped from our grasp. For years aud years We
paused ss We held up the curtain and guzed
back on the unforgo,ton glories Of the hallow.
ed psss. "a we beheld that fsirest temple in
which liberty had ever found shrine--that
which Washiugton and Jefferson. Adams and
Franklin. Henry, and Madison, the Lees, Ma
sons. Rutledges and Pinckneys, concIave Of
demi.gods. had builded up as . tabernacle for
us to dwell in forever, and conseerated it with
the blood ~ our own fathers-that citadel Of
lb.ry-that palladium Of hrman righ,-that
precious imminent Of human hor~-that re-
fuge Of hope. all over the earth=-that world.
won from tho wilderness TO God and liberty.
Sir. with pious reverence, we looked upon all
yet. with these hands. we tore it
down-witb these feet. We trampled it out Of
this breath, We scattered tho frag
ments on the winds-aud, yet, wo do not trem-
bie--we are not appalled,. Our hands are un-
stained, pure. clear, unterrifed. as we raise
them in confident appeal to the God Of Truth
Justice and Right. Armed in this panoply, we
drop the curtain and are ready to move on
ward through the coming scenes Of this solemn
drama.
Gentlemen of Vir inia, the people Of these
Southern States are no noisy faction. clamor-
ing for place and power--no hungry rabble.
answering in blood to every appeal to brutal
Passion-no shouting mob, ready. to take for
their Government q glittering epigram. or q
justian theory. They are not canting fanatics,
festering in the RIGHTEOUSNESS of abolition and
amaIgamstion. Their liberty is not a painted
ssrumpet struggling through the streets. Nor
does their truth need to baptise itself in pools
of blood. They are a grave, calm. prosperous
religious people-the holders of the most ma
jestic civ'lization--the inheritors. by right, of
the fairest estate Of libesty-6ghting for that
liberty-fghting for their fathers grave-stan.
ding athwaTt their hearth stones, and before
their chsmber.doors. In this fight, for time,
my little State stood alone-that little State,
around whose outermost borders the guns fred
at the Capital might almost be heard-whose
scope of sky is scarce large enough for one
star TO glittee in-so smeH-so weak-so few.
We began this fight alone, against millions !;
and had millions been piled on millions, un-
der God. in such fight, we would have trium-
pied. But. sir, that God cares for liberty,
truth and right among His people; and we
are no longer alone. Our own children. from
Florida and alabama, answered to the mater
nal eall-and our great sister, Georgia. mar
shsllsd forth her giant progeny. The voice ol
Quitman came up out of his grave on the Mis-.
Louisiana proved herself the
ofsPring of the "APostls Of Liberty" And.
now, young Texas rsis.s her giant form and
takes her place at the head Of this majestic
column Of Confederating Sovere,gnties. And,
sir, wherever Virginia has son beyond her
borders, his Voice is known, because lie speaks
in tho ancient tongue of Ills mother. Mr..
President. 1. one Of the humblest Of these SOLE,
have told my adopted brethren, have pro-
missed them. ti'at before the Spring gra.s grows
long enough TO weave ehapiet Of triumph.
they will hear the stately tramp as Of mighty
host of men, sound. as il the armie. .oi
destiny we're afloat-and they will see floating
above that host banner. whose whole his
tory is ono blaze Of glory. and not one blot Of
shame--and coming up from that host, they
will hear one voice, aye. like their ovn--one
voice onlv--.hs resounding echo Of that yoics
which irst thupdered into the hearts Of your
God-Iike sires, "Givep me liberty. or give me
death"-and on that banner will be written
the unsuilied name Of Virginia. Tho world
knows her history. sud knows no hutory above
it in. ,he niche Of fame. and Knowing it. none
dare doubt whether Virginia will be, when her
own offspring. Divine Liberty. and Justice. call
her to 6ght. Ny birth-right brothers--hsye
irpromised too much 10 the name Of. our moth.
eri In IN. the, doubt awonld; be.sworss than
bfasphemy. She will take her place 10 the
front rank. She viii be. - she has been for
one .huudfed years the. foremost ui the world
in the Cause Of iibsrty. sas Withstand hare
with her upiifted sr1n, not souiy ~ barrier.
but the gdiding:stat To- an empire, etchi1s
from her feet 70 the TOPICS from ths Atlantic
to the Raci6e-grsnasr inproportioo--stfonr-
sr "a pover-fresr 10 right tssa any.s which
has preceded it--rhsct uiik divide che rute, ,oi
fk> Atl.os;. X k.A ~, H. Il