Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-05-24
ne Fallaey Of s.ase Rlshts.

The bait at which all Southern States
which Il was desired 10 have join the Con-
fsdsracy were asked to bite, was the suprem-
asy Of State Rights. To the people Of these
States the government Of the United States
was uonstrous despOtism, whose great aim
and tendency vas 70 override and destroy
the right OF the States to control their own
actions. It was this doctrine thst induced
South Carolina TO fret secede, and that over
came the scTuPles Of al the other States that
aftsrWaFds Joined with her in the rebellion
With the exception of honest Alexander b.
Stephens, who declared that slavery was the
corner stone OF the Oonlederacy, all the
So1theFn 0ratoFs proclaimed that their State
Rights were mensced and must be upheld,
and With this cry they ''6red the Southern
heart" The 6rm-rOoted State pride of Vir-
ginians was the main agency used to secure
the secession of that State, and the same ar
gunsnt was the most potent in other States.
Rsbel civilians and soldiers who have not
penetration enough to see The falsity Of tbe
position, or 10 understand hos their Stats
RlsA6 were a1sailsd, or how secession was
% protect then, stn bIindly assert that they
are upholding the saeFedness Of Siate Rights
ss aeainst national tyranny. The leaders Of
the rebellion knew the charge was all a lie
and pretense, and the progress of events is
teaching the people the same fact Virginia,
aftsr having been desolatsd throughout every
paIt Of her domain, Is to be deserted by the
rebel government The bosst Of JEFF. Davis
that be would 6ght for twenty years before
be would give up 8 foot Of Virginia soil, is
best illustrated in the fact that the rebel chief
is HesiBg to q more southern cline, whence
his armies will soon follow him, if they es.
cape being bagged by Mcclellan. What Vir- !
ginia wants or demands is of no consequence
70 Davis, provided she can do no more for bis
filing hopes. North Carolina finds use for |
her soldiers at home, and sends a commits.
sionsr to Richmond to demand that they be
kept at home for their own defence. State
Rights Is outraged BY thrusting the commits
sIoDer into prison for daring to set up the
doctrine Of State Rights, and he is only re-
leased when the Governor Of North Carolina
threatens to release him BY force if he is not
Psassshly- At liberty. In the west, Ar
kansas has hsd her eyes opened to the same
viOlat'on Of State Rights promises. Her sons
fought desperately under Prise, Van Dorm
and McOullOch until the Federal forces, under
Curtis and sigel, drove them South from
Missouri into their own State. Then, when
Ortis had penetrated into Arkansas, and
vas in q fair way to drive the rebel forces
before him to the Mississippi, or into Texas
and Taoniaiano, and when, Il svsz, yysR an
opportunity o hglt Tor STATE Rights, Davis
ordered the Arkansas troops to cross the
Mississippi and reinforce Beauregard, leaving
that State to her fate.
TIE dessrtion Of the State was too much
even for the rebel Governor Of Arkansas,
and be has issued proclamation calling upon
the people to rally in their own defense, and
saying that It was for liberty the State seee-
ded gaad not for subOrdinstiOn to any crea-
ted secondary power, North or South" He
calls upon the people of the State to strike
for liberty from all oppression, whether from
Nortb OF South, and says off the arteries Of
the Oonfederate heart do not permeate be-
yond the east bank Of the Mississippi, let
Southern MissOurians, Arkausians, Texans
and the great west know it and prepare for
the future"
These are among tho Hsigns Of the times"
which Davis and his crew are called upon to
heed.