The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1862-06-24

Congress had brought forward and pass
ed fair offers of Compromise. But these
had made no impression, and a southern
member had openly declared that if the
North would give them carte blanche
to write their own terms of compromise
the offer would be re ected. A letter Of
Mr.. YULEE, come to light recently, says
that the southern Senators kept their
seats only to prevent the passage of a
Compromise. There had been no rea-
son for secession, and Virginia had so
declared. But here came in the Virgin
ia a5stractionists, and upon an abstrac-
ton Virginia was carried into the vortex
Of rebellion.
These Virginia abstractionists declar-
ed that the Federal Government had no
right to coerce State. They said to
South Carolina, we do not believe you
have cause for seeding, but if you do
secede, and the Federal Government tries
to prevent you, then we will 60 with you
to vindicate your right to secession. And
this was the cause, Mr.. EVERETT said,
for the attack upon Sumter. 1t was nee
essary that blood should be shed, that a
conflict should be opened. Gen. AN
DERsoN had said to the South Carolina
authorities, that il not relieved he would
be starved out of Sumter in forty eight
hours. They did not want him starved
out. They wanted collision with the
Federal Government, that Virginia, agree
able to her theory of State Rights, should
be forced to take sides with the seeded
States against the coercion of the FEEDER
al Government. And thereupon burst
ing bombs and red hot shot was rained
upon that noble garrison and its COM
mander, when those who fired them knew
that it was not necessary for the possess
ion of Sumter. Blood and conflict was
necessary to bring Virginia and the bor-
der States into the scheme of secession,
and blood was thereupon she'd, and Vir-
ginia went out of the Union on an alb
straction. acknowledging no cause, but
only to prove her fidelity TO some res
olutions passed in 1898 on the subject of
State Rights. In inception and progress,
then, said Mr.. EVERETT, this war has
been one Of aggression on the part of the
South. Mr.. STEPHENS had himself said
that it was the result Of the ambition of
some or 10 aspirarts for office.
The picture Of the attack upon the
noble little band of Sumter was very
thrilling, and the speakers declara ion
that the island then belonged, and still
belongs, to the United States, brought
out intense applause. Mr.. EVERETT then
passed in review the difficulties of di-
yided government, and asked how we
were to live in peace with the Confeder-
ate States, unless treaties were more
sacred and binding than constitutions
He said that, divided, no power could
prevent the constant escape of their slav
es, and there would be no return, though
Judge TANEY promulgated bred Scot
decision daily, and they be pursued by
hosts of Pharoahs, while the Potomac
ran dry to let them pass. He refuted
English arguments favorable to division
by English example, and showed by the
example of the German and Italian States
that the natural and normal and neces-
sary tendency of peoples was not, as
English Statesmen now argue rela-
tive to our own country, to disintegra
ton, but to unity. In conclusion th'
lecturer made most eloquent and thrill
ing appeal to all classes to rally to thu
defence of the flag and to the summar,
crushing out of the rebellion.