The Morgantown monitor. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1863-1864, 1863-11-07
Extract from the great anti
secession Speech of the Vice
President of the Southern
COnfedefaCy.

FrcSlUent OIL tnc SOutAtCIh
COnfederaCy.
We publish below an extract from
the great speech Of Hon. A. Il. Ste
phens, made at a convention called
for the purpose of inducing the peo-
pie of Georgia to join the Contede-
recy.
The speech is truly said to be
|the most convicting argument on
record" as proving the absence OF
anv Just primary ground for the ex-
listing rebellion. The whole picture
of the results of tue action then con
templated, as depicted by Mr.. Ste
phens, has been filed up with a
truthfulncss and accuracy that is re-
ally surprising ; md coming, as it
does, from one of the great leaders
of the rebellion, it has peculiar
significance:
"This step once taken could never
be recalled and all the baleful and
whitening consequences that must
follow (as they would see) will rest
on the convention for all coming
time. When we and our postcrity
shall see our lovely South desolated
by the demon Of war, which this act
of yours will inevitably invite and
call forth ; when our green fields of
waving harvests shall be trodden
down by the murderous soldiery and
fiery cry Of war sweeping over our
land our temples of justice laid in
ashes; all the horrors and desola-
tons Of war upon us, who but this
convention will be held responsible
for it and whe but him who shall
have given his vote for this unwiSe
and ill-timed measure, as [ honestly
think and believe, shall be held to
strict account for this suicidal act by
the present generation, and probably
cursed and execrated by posterity for
all coming time, for the wide and
desolating ruin that will inevitably
follow this act you now propose to
perpetrate? Pause, | entreat you,
and consider for a moment what rea-
sons you can give that will even sa-
tisfy yourselves in calmer moments
what reasons you can give to your
fellow sufferers in the calamity that
it will bring upon US. What reasons
can you give to the nations Of the
earth to justify it? They will be
the calm and deliberate judges in
the case; and to what cause or one
overt act can you name or point on
which to rest the plea of justification?
What right has the North assailed?
What interest of the South has been
invaded? What justice has been de-
nied =? and what claim founded in
Justice and right has been withheld?
Can either of you to-day name one
governmental act of wrong deliber-
stely and purpesely done by the Gov
eminent at, W ashingten of which the
South has right to complain ? |
challenge the answer. While, on
the other hand, let me show the facts
(and believe me, gentlemen, | am
not here the advocate of the North,
but | am here the friend, the firm
friend and lover Of the South and her
institutions, and for this reason |
speak thus plainly and faithfully for
yours, mine and every other man S
interest, the words Of truth and So
berness,) of which l wish you to
Judge, and l will only state facts
which are clear and uDdeniable, and
which now stand as records authen-
tic in the history of our county,
When we of the South demanded
the slave trade, or the importation of
| Africans for the cultivation of our
lands, did they not yield the right
for twenty years? When we asked a
three-ffths representation in Con-
gress for our slaves, was it not gran
ted? When we asked aud demanded
the return Of any fugitive from jus
| tice, or the recovery of those persons
owing labor or allegiance, was it not
Incorporated in the Constitution, and
again ratified and strengthened in
the Fugitive Slave law of 1902
But do you reply that in many in
stances they have violated this COM
pact, and have not been faithful to
their engagements? AS Individual
and local communities, they have
done so; but not by the sanction Of
government, for that has always
been true to Southern interests
Again, gentlemen, look at another
fact, When we have asked that
more territory should be added, that
we might spread the institution Of
slavery have they not Welded RI our