The Portland daily press., 1862-10-10
Secession not the Result of Republican
Victory.

Persons not We'll versed in the political his
tory of the last thirty years, may have fallcu
iato the error that the secession movement,
openly inausei ated Immediately afer the
Presidential election of 1860 was produced
and caused by the triumph of the Republican
party; and cut for that triumph the Southern
headers wead never have entertained the
Wrought OF setting up an independent govern
men Agsiast the authority of the Quilted
States, Politicians have too often, for reasons
best known to themselves, fostered this idea,
and labored to throw upon the Republican
party the responsibility of provoking rebel
lion which threatens the best good Of tire ma
ton, and the realization of the best hopes of
humanity.
In opposition to such an ides we might ad-
duce abundance OF testimony,--that of Ben
ton, Everett, and others; we might produce
the '"Scarlet Letter" OF Yancey to Slaughter
the concessions of A. II. Stephens, and facts
and circumstances sufficient to overwheim and
astonish the most credulous. But that is not
our present object.
The results of the rebellion Itself are likely
TO prove its origin. to vindicate the Republican
!, fnrty against the aspersons of its enemies in
this regard and to show that secession in
the hearts and heads of Southern statesmen
long before Abraham Lincoln was thought Of
In connection with the Presidential office; in
deed, before the Republican party was inaug-
urated, and when the only influential parties
known TO the country were the Wing and
Democratic parties-parties now claimed by
all anti-repubicans to have been elninenty
conservative In their character, and particu
larry national in their organization, opera
tons, aud nominations.
More than once in the capture of some rebel
town or city, the richest trophies that have
crowned the victory Of the Federal arms have
not been ritled cannon, Enfield rifles, or stands
of rebels colors; but historical mementoes
that have thrown floods of light upon the dark
workings of the human mind, in the wicked
motives which have Influenced its actions
against the Government. Who has forgotten
tho documentary testimony found in the ar
chives of the captured Capital of Tennessee,
which served to show that, while an election
was yet pending in which the people were to
decide upon the policy Of secession, JEFF Dav-
Is, and the Governor, and the military com
mander of that State, were taking all needlul
steps to force secession at the point of the bay
onet in the event of the peoples refusal at the
polls to endorse their neiarious schemes p
Who has forgotten the letter found when Fer
nandina was captured, showing the depth and
criminaii.y of the conspiracy in the Z. S. Con-
gress, participated in by grave Senators and
Representatives, acting under the sanction OF
an oath, and calling God to witness TO their
; integrity, and yet plotting to destroy the Con-
stitufion they had sworn TO uphold, and re-
naming in their seats after their States had
seeded, on purpose TO thwart any action of
the Government that might be proposed for
The purpose Of maintaining its integrity, and
Of defeating its overthrow by the rebelling
States. .. ..
Recently another piece of illuminated histo-
ry has come to light. When Barnwell's Is
land--near Charleston-was in our possession,
letter was found in the house of Mr. Tres
--eett, which shows the reasonings and motives
Of the traitors, who inaugurated the rebellion.
The letter was written by leading Virgnian,
recently member Of the federal Congress,and
was addressed TO a leading South Caronian
The writer was, at the date OF his letter,a mem
Der of the Virginia Convention, then 10 session
10 revise the State Constitution, and the gen.
tleman addressed was subsequently, with
E heart full of treason, Assistant Secretary OF
State under Mr.. Buchanan. The date of the
letter Is 1S51-eleyen years ago, and more
than nine years before Mr.. Lincoln was elected
to the Presidency. We ask the reader to mark
particularly the admission then made-that
SLAVERY AND DEMOCRACY ARE INcoMpAT-
mLE-and then we ask honest Democrats to
tell us who has removed that incompatibility,
and made it necessary for Democraey-to
prove its soundness aud orthodoxy-to be-
come the synonyme Of despotism. and for dem
ocrars to become the special defenders, and
most interested advocates, and most watehful
guardians Of the slave institution Here is the
letter referred to:
Letter from Mr. Garnet Of Virginia to Mr. Trescott
M ofSouth Carolina.
VA. CONVENTION, May 3, 1851
Ny DEAR SIR:-You misunderstood my
last letter If you supposed that Intended to
visit South Carolina this Spring. | am ex-
ceedingiy obliged TO you for your kind invita-
stions, and il would afford me the highest plea
sure to interchange, in person, sentiments with
II friend whose manner of thinking 81 ,lns.iv