Winchester journal. [volume] (Winchester, Indiana) 1862-1863, 1863-05-08


have not been faithful to their engage
mentsl As individuals and local commu-
mites they NAV 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
yielded to our demands in giving us
Louisiana, Florida and Texas, out of
which four States have been carved, and
ample territory for four more to be added
in due time, if you by this unwise and
impolitic act do not DESTROY this hope, and,
| perhaps, by It lose all, and have your last
slave wrenched from you by stern military
rule, as South America and Mexico were;
or by the vindietiVe decree of universal
emancipation, which may reasonably be
expected to follow.
But, again, gentlemen, what have we
to gain by this proposed change of our
relation to the general aovernment2 We
have always had the control of il, and can
vet, if we remain in il. and are united
as we have been. We have had a ma
liOrity of the Presidents chosen from the
South; as well as the control and man
agement Of most OF those chosen from
the North. We have had sixty years Of
Southern Presidents to their twenty-four,
thus controlling the Executive depart
ment. So Of the Judges Of the Supreme
Court, we have had eighteen from the
South, and but eleven from the North I;
although nearly four ffths oc the judicial
business has arisen in the Free States
yet a majority OF the Court has always
been from the South. This we have re
quired so as to guarl against any inter
probation Of tho Constitution unfavorable
TO US. In like manner we have been
equally watchful TO guard our interests
in the Legislative branch of government.
In choosing the presiding Presidents tpro
TEN Of the Senate. we have had twenty
four TO their eleven. Speakers of the
House, we have had twenty-three. and
they twelve. While the majority of the
Representatives, from their greater popr-
lation, have always been from the North,
vet we have 50 generally secured the
/ Speaker, because he. 20 great extent,
shapes and controls the legislation Of the
country. Nor have we had less control
in every other department Of the general
! government ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS we have
had fourteen, while the North have had
but five Foreign ministers We have had
eightv-six, and they but fifty four
While three fDur,hs Of the business
which demands diplomatic agents abroad
is clearly from the Free States. from
their greater commercial interests. vet
we have had the principal embassies so as
/ tO secure the world markets for our cot
ton, tobacco and sugar on the best pos
sible terms. We have had a vast ma
orty Of the higher offices of both army
and navy, while large proportion of the
soldiers and sailors were drawn from the
North. Equally so of Clerks, Auditors
and Comptrolers filling the Executive
department, the records show for the last
fifty years that Of the three thousand
thus employed, we have had more than
two-thirds Of the same. while we have
hut one-third of the white population of
the Republic.
Again, look at another item, and one.
be assured, in which we have great and
vital interest; it is that of revenue, or
means of supporting government. From
official documents. We learn that frac-
ton over -fourths of the revenue
collected for the support Of government
has uniformly been raised from the
North.
Pause now while you can, gentlemen,
and contemplate carefully and candidly
these important items Look at another
necessary branch Of government, and
learn from stern statistical facts how
matters stand in that department.
mean the mail and Post Office privileges
that we now enjoy under the general gov
erment as il has been for years past. The
expense for the transportation of the mail
! in the Free States was, by the report Of
the Postmaster General for the year 1 SEQ.
little over sl3, 1000 600, while the income
va. sl9 ,oO0, 600 But in the Slave States
the transportation Of the mail was H.,
10000. while the revenue from the same
wa, =. .0Ol ,O26, leaving deficit of Sc,
Ill5,735, to be supplied by the North for
our accommodation, and without it We
must ha, been entirely cut Off from this
most essential branch of government.
Leaving out Of view, for the present.
the countless millions of dollars you must
exoend in war with the North; with tens
of thousands of your sons and brothers
slain in battle, ard offered up as sacrifices
upon the altar of your anbiiiOn,-and for
what, we ask again Is It tor the over
throw of the American government,
lestablishes bv our common ancestry