Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-06-13


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Great Anti Secession Speech by the
vice PRESIDENT OF the Southern
- 90 Confederacy. ogl
The Most ConxInctng Argument on
The following is an extract from speech
of the Hon. "A. q. Stephens, now Vice
President of the Southern Gonfederacy,
made at a Convention called for the pur-
pose of Inducing the people. of Georgia to
join the Confederacy, a measure which
Mr. Stephens. at that time strongly op.
posed. .l...-. 49,. .,.ll.-<
"This step once taken could never be
recalled; and all.th baleful and whitening
Consequences that must follow las they
would see) will rest on the convention for
all coming time. When we and our
posterity shall see our lovely south desc
lated by the demon ofwar, which this act
f, of yours will inevitably invite and call.
forth; when our green fields of waving
harvests shall be trodden down by the
uturderous soldiery and fiery cry of war
sweeping over our land; our temples of
justice laid in ashes; 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 1 honestly think and believe,
shall be held to strict account for this sui
cidal 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 fol-
low this act you now propose to perpe-
trate! Pause. I entreat Ypu, and considerfor
a moment what reasons you can give that
will even satisfy yourselves in ca1merr mo mo- :.
ments-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 2 What right has
the North assailed? What interest of the
South has been invaded2 What Justice
has been denied and what claim founded
in justice and right has been withheld r.
Can either o.. you to-day name one gov
erumentaI act of wrong deliberately and
pnrposely done by the government of
Washington of which the south has a 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
There the freud, thesfrm friend and lover
of thelaouthlaud her institutions, and for
this reason speak thus plainly and faith
fully for yours, mine aud every other mans
interest, the words of truth and sob berness,l !
OF which | wish you to judge, and Twill
only state facts which are clear and unde-
niable, aud which now stand as records
authentic in the history Of our country
When we of the south demanded the slave
trade,orthe importation of Africans for
the cultivation of our lands, did they not
yield the right for twenty yearsY@
When We asked three-ffths. represen.
tation in Congress for our slaves, was it not
granted? When we asked aud demanded
ttbereturu of any might've from justice, or
therecoVery of those persons owing. labor
or allegiance, was it not iucorpo otated in
the Constitution, aud again ratified and
Strengthened, in the Fugitive Slave law of
1850? But do yon reply that in many in
stances they have violated this compact,
and have not been faithful to their engage.
ments2 As individual and local. commu-
mites, they have done so; but not by the
sanctton of government, Tor that haslal.
ways been true to southern interests.-
Again. gentlemen, look at another fact.
When we have asked thai. more territory
should be added, that we might spread
the institution of slavery, have they not
yielded to. our demands in giving us,Louisi-
ana, Florida and Texas, out of which four
States have been carved, and ample terri.
tory for four more 10 be added in due time,
j if you. by this unwise and impolitio act,
do not destroy this hope, and, perhaps, by
itlose all, aud have your last slave wrench.
ed from you by stern military rule, as
South America and Mexico were, or by the
vindictiVe decree of universal smancipa-
| tton, which may reasonably be expected to
follow. Bnt, again, gentlemen, what have
we TO pain by this proposed chance oft,,,,.