Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1863-04-10
Testimony of Alex. II. Stephens
RASPBERRY MOUNTAIN, Pa,
March |, 1868.

nAsfbEhhI mOUNIAlN, Il d., |
March l, 1868.
Who is Responsible for the Civil Var
n Complete Eradication Of the NortI
By the Nce President Of the COntede
racy Of Kidnappers.
DEAR GARRISON The enclosed ex
tract from speech of A. III. Stephens
in the convention that took Georgia gu
of the Union, January, 1861, l have
used the past year in lecturing, and il
private conversation. 1t silences all de
mocratic allies of kidnappers and traitors
in the North. The great argument uset
by them in New York, Pennsylvania
Indiana and Illinois is, that the Nortl
bad invaded the rights of the South
Stephens brands them all as liars. He
charges the civil war, with all it
horrors, wholly on the South. He leaves
the traitors not a shadow of an excuse
If you deem it of value, and pertinent tc
the present hour, print it, that all may
see his opinions. He declared on the
floor Of the convention, called to vote
Georgia out Of the Union, and plunge il
into the impossible and bottomless gull
of secession, anarchy and ruin
"That this step once taken could new
er be recalled and all the baleiul and
whitening consequences that must follow,
Gas they would see,) will rest ON the con-
vention for all time to come. When we
and our posterity shall see our lovely
South desolated by the demon of war
which this act of yours will inevitably
invite and call forth when our beautiful
green fields of waving harvests shall be
trodden down by the murderous soldiery
and fiery car of war sweeping over our
land; our temples of justice laid in ash
es all the horrors and desolations of
war upon US who but this convention
will be held responsible for it and who
but him who shall have given his vote for
this unwise and ill-timed measure, (as l
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 7
Pause, entreat you, and consider
for a moment what reasons you can give
that will even satisfy yourselves in calm
er moments-what reasons can you give
to your fellow-sufferers in the calamity
that it will bring upon us? What reason
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 n e over. act can you
name or point, on which to rest the plea
Of justification What right h IS the
North assaiIed? What interest of the
South has been invaded What justice
has been denied and what claim foun-
ded in justice and right has been with
held Can either of you to-day name
one government act of wrong, deliber-
ately and purposely done by the govern
ment OF Washington, of which the South
has right to complain / challenge
the answer While, on the other hand,
let me show the facts, land believe me,
gentlemen, / am not here the advocate
of the northern states but am here the
friend, the firm friend and lover of the
South and her institutions, and for this
reason Il speak thus plainly and faithful
ly for yours, mine and every other mans
interest, the words of truth and sober
ness,) of which wish you to Judge, and
| will only state facts which are clear
and undeniable, and which now stand as
records authentic in the history of our
country.
When we of the South demanded the
slavetrade, or the importation of Afri-
cans for the cultivation of our lands, did
they not yield the right for 20 years p
When we asked asked a three-fifths re-
presentation in Congress for our slaves,
was il not granted When we asked I
and demanded the return of any fugitive t
from justice, or the recovery of those
persons owing labor or allegiance, was it =
1ot incorporated in the constitution and
'gain ratified and strengthened in the s
fugitive slave law of 1850? v
But do you reply that in many instan- o
'es they have violated this compact, and d
rave not been faithful to their engage p
nents As individuals and local com Y
nunities they may have done so but not /
" the sanction Of the government for t.
hat has always been true to Southern n
Again, gentlemen, look at another f
act. When we have asked what more tr