Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1862-01-09
A Bit of History,

There are, we know, some persons who
believe that the success of the Republican
aIty, year ago. was not only the occasion
but the absolute and sole cause of the
Southern rebellion. We also know that
there arc a great many fools in the world,
and we are therefore constrained to believe
that there may be some persons who hold to
this doctrine with entire honesty. We beg
their pardon for our fiankuess, but we have no
choice left bgt to place them among the weak
or the wicked, and the formeris is at least he
most charitable construction. But to all such
persous we commend the reading of the
Constitution and the Minutesui the Proceed
ngs ~ the Southern Rights Association of
ST. Helena Parish, South Carolina, in the
year of our Lord 1850, all which may be
found in another column.
Arc these documents authentic, and how
came yoH by them ? are perfectly natural and
proper questions, which the reader doubt
less wishes to be answered. For the first -
the original constitution Of thi' Southern
Rights Association, with the original sigma.
lures Of the meuIJers, and the original ~ IN
utc' Of ,itU u,uCeCd,ngS for successive meet
mgS from D:tOher, isjJ, to DciOlC On. 1881,
are, while We writc lying open before Us. -
Tor the scCUnd-Wc make this simple state
mCnt:
On he 29th day Of November. a month
ago, onr Of the steamers Of Commodore Du-
points Port Royal Expedition, visited Beau
fort. ana several oi hor officers went on shore.
They entered the abandoned houses, many
Of which, as is well known, had been rifcd
by the negroes, and among others, they
went into the law Office off Mr.. Bell--Charles
II. Bel, as We read ON q eard before us
Attorney at Law and Solicitor in Equity,
Beaufort, 8. c., whose desk or desks were
broken open, and floor strcwed with papers.
Among them lay MSS. book of dozen
foolscap sheets, covered with green paper
cover. On this paper is written in hand.
writing of the ordinary size 'Co-operatiou
Account Book, Federal Niggers." Wheth.
er this shabby yluoking copybook was the
only thing in Mr. Bell = Office worth picking
up, or whether this enignatical title attrac
tod attention, we do not know But here i,
another Instance of how wise it is never tC
trust to appearances for the gentleman who
had the curiosity to pick it up and open il
was rewarded by finding that no held in hi,
| hand the archives Of the Southern Rights
Association st. Helena Parish, South Car
Olina; the very seed Of that poisonous Upas
tree OF Secession which in ten years has growl
to so gigantic size, aud now overshalow,
the whole land with It's baneful shadow -
| These documents were recently brought tt
this city. and were kindly placed mt our dis
posal 70 the curousor the doubling tn,
book will be cheerfully shown ut this office
Here is = little but important chapter o
history. These men of st. Helena Pari4l
and the names of many of them are ia,nil
lar South Carolina names, while we recog
nize that of Mr. ii. Trescot as Assis,an
Secretary Of State under Mr.. Marcy, AM
X. w. Barnwcll, VI. c. in lS50-these men
years before the Republican party had {
name. ten years before it came into power
moved, SO far as there seems to have bee
any immediate motive, by the events whicl
led to the Compromise of 1880, and the Com
promise itself, bound themselves together h
establish Southern Confcdelacy. This,
will he seen by the careful reader. was th
sole object OF their Association. Though
division sprung up among them before tn
year was out, it was a division on Il mino
considcration--one which continued to ugi
tate thom till year ago--that of co-opera
ton or independent action. But on tn
; main point, thoy were united then, as the
are now. They were determined to brea
up the Federal Upion, and though, in tn
mean time, some Of them have accepte
} Federal office, they have never lost sight c
that cherished object. This point, at least
is now put beyond cavil, and there is, W
trust, one lie the more killed stone dead.