St. Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1845-1863, 1861-06-06

Speech Of Vice President StePaens.
Hon. A. II. Stephens. Vice Presi lent
of the Confederate States, made 9 short
spcech al Atlanta. Ga. on the 23d inst
in the courss o. which hs said. -ss re-
postsd BY the Atlanta Confederaex:
Whether ~ are t. have peace We
know not u rests with our enemies.
This war i q var Of madness, regard
less of al pxineils Of cnnstitssionsl lib
erty, ard q v;ul.tiem If the Federal
Consfitulioss. The blpckade was an m.
constituti.,aal acs Iinceln should be re-
minded that the Constitution says that
IN. preference shal; be given by
ans regulation Of commerce or revenus
% the ports 1T one State over
thoee Of another He contends that
the ports of the seeded States are
still ia the. Union, amp yet has such
reckless disregard Of his oath 10 sup
pnrt that instrument in all its parts, as
to keep open the port Of Boston. and
attempt to clsse that Of Charleston r.
The Constitution says: "Thc right OF
shc people 70 be secure in their persons.
houses, papers and effects against un-
reasonable searches and seizures shall not
be violated; and no warrant shall is
sue but npon probable cause supported
by oath or affirmation particularly dcs-
cribing the place to be searched. anil
the person to be seized" And yet BY
an ukase Of his, he has dared to hay,
Ross Winsns rcstcd--srrestsd without
specified charge. and without process: :
Who clothed him with such power?
mention this thing to show that anarchy
is taking place in the North. and that
there is no longer any hope Of liberty
among them. If We should succumb to
them, our liberty would be lost forever.
Gen. Harvey has boon sent over to Mis-
souri,, and by his order and the orders Of
those under his command. the. citizens
have been shot down aud disarmed. -.
The Constitution declares that every eiti-
zen shall have the right to keep and bear
arms Not only is Lincoln guilty Of these
clear violations Of the Constitution which
he has sworn to support with an oath that
is registered in high Heaven. but Colo
mel of his declared the act of the Missouri
Legislature, arming her own citizens, an
unlawful one: Ii these things be done in
the green tree. what in the dry? -
TmE MILITARY IMpoRrANcE. or HAIR
pEE's FgRRv.-The Washington. cores.
pendent Of the New York Journal If Cov,.
n,errc thus speaks of Harper's Ferry:
lIarpcr's Ferry is the key to the rich
valley region of Virginia, Maryland ami
Pennsylvania. AS base Of military OPP
perations. it is of vast Importance to the
Federal Government, while to the State of
Virginia and the whole South, it is n po-
sition Of vital necessity. The chief, and
i'll fact almost the only means Of communi-
cation between the Virginia valley and
Western Virginia, is by Harper's Ferry
aud. the railroads leading to. and from it.
Besides, il Virginia holds Uarper's Ferry,
it will enable her, by raids upon tho Cum
bcrland valley in Maryland and Virginia,
to supply her troops with cattle and corn;
and moreover it will afford the basis of
operations against Philadelphia, If they
should be attempted. 1t is not surprising
therefore, that Virginia, and indeed all
the Confederate States. should make u
strong effort to hold this point. 1t is Of
vastly more importance to them than For
trcss Monroe, Fort Pickens, aud Scwalls
Point, and the Gosport Navy Yard, all
together.
We cannot rely upon the reports as to
the strength of the Confederate forces at
Ilarpcr's Ferry. But it is daily increas-
ing. An intelligent Union man from Ha-
gerstown, who has been lately at the Fer
ny, states that the three eraiuences arc
we'll fortified with cannon, and that the
hcigh on the Maryland side, which over
looks the others. is well supplied with mr.
tillery. He thinks that no force can take
the place without immense loss, and that
the only way to reduce it would be by
regular siege. The plan adopted for TAX
ing the place seems to be in accordance
with this view; for it is probable that
three strong columns are to be ADVANCED
against it at the same time, 80 as to hold
the entire country around it. The ad-
vance from Pennsylvania has already
commenced, and that force will command
the Ferry on the Maryland side.
SPEECH OF president JEFF. DAVIS At
RIcHxoND, Va, WEDNESDAY LAsr.-My
friends and frilo'c citizens-I am deeply
impressed with the kindness Of your mau-
Hesitation. look upon you as the last
best hope Of liberty; and in our liberty
alone is our constitutional government to
be preserved. Upon your strong right
arms depends the success of your country,
and. in asserting the birthright to which
You were born, you are to remember that
life and blood are nothing as compared
with the immense interests you have. ut
stake. [Cheers.l 1t may be that you
have not long been trained, and that you
have much to learn Of the art Of war, but
I know that there beats in the breasts Of
Southern soas q determination never to
surrendcr-a determination never to 20
home but to tell a tale of honor. [Cries
Of never" and applause. Though great
may be the disparity Of numbers, give rs
fair field and free fight. and the South
oru hammer will Hoat IN frsumnh nvorv.