Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1863-08-05
yice.President Stephens:

lCC.X SfNPhOAos
Tie Hon. Alex. II. Stephens, Yice-Presi-
dent of the Confederate States, spent Friday
night in this plac., on his way South. y
large crowd of our citizens Assembled iii front
or the Mansion House at 8 o'clock, and called
for a speech Mr.. Steptepsapp4ared and spoke
for about an hour in al, eloquent and very en-
c~ouraging tone. We will attempt no synnp-
SIS OF the speech, bot merely gives al outline
orthe OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. lie Commenced
by allading.to the inyasion-of Maryland and
Pennsylvania by Gen. Lees armv-sdd that
hal whipped the enemy on their own soii
and obtained vast supplies f3r,onr. men, and
ana was nov ready to again meet the enemy
on n new fiuid. Whatever might he tie
.w~Jve,nants and object of Gen. Lee, le had.
en- sirv confidence in. his. ability to accomplish
whlt he Undertook, for in ability and intel
lee. be vas 8 head and shoulders above any
aran in the Yankee amy. BE commended
Gen. Lee for keeping his own secets, ard
told ihe people not to be discouraged because
they did not hear from Lee over his own sigs
ua,uro. He would come cut all right in the
emf.
Mr.. Stephens next spoke ofthe surrender of
V ickSUEIH, luu Blu tlihl i WIS tlp di "
renee to cause encouragement or gloom--that
tue loss OF Vicks5mrg was not as severe as the
loss of Fort PllloH, Island No. 10, or New
Orleans. The Confederacy had survived the
U.S. OF tho'a.poiu;S, and would survive The
.oss of Vicksberg, Port Hudson and other
places. Suppose, said he, we were to lose
M.bilc, Charleston and Ricamo-d, it would
...t effect the heart of the Coufed:racy re
could and would ~sucv:vo such losses aud final
ly secure our independence. He was moi at.
al Discouraged at the IFIhrapt-nc neTer had
tl.c dues hiHlsclf hai no resneet OF sympathy
for croskers. The enemy hes already appre,
priatcd $27O;O0A,Q0a and l,0JD,9ol Of men
for our s~,:hlGssiior; aud after two years Of
war had utterly failed: AMI ifthe war cortin-
ondT two year, iouger they would TAIL to ac-
complish our suljuss,ton: 50 far they lad
no broken the shelFu1 Ito Confectionery. 10
the Revolutionary war the British atnnetime
had possession of North Carolina, South Car.
olina and other Slates-they touk Piiilaiel-
2hia aad dispersed Congress, and for a long
Time held alm9-t a complete sway in tie Col
onies-yet they did not conquer our furs-
fathers. In the war ofl8l2 the British cap
tured- the capital Of the nation, Washington
City, aud hurntit, yet they did Tot conquer
Us, aud five are true 10 ourselves now, true
to onr bicthright, the Ya-kee nation will Ut
terry fail to s~utjugate Us. Su!jugalion would
lie utter ruin and etsrnal dealt, - Southern
people sndall Tat they hold most dear. He
exhorted the people to give the Government
a cordial support. tn frown down oil croaker,
and grutnblers, ard to remain nnitsa and
fight to the hitter end for liberty aud indie
pendeuoe. AS for reconstruction, said. Mr..
Stephens, such a thing was inpossible-!uch
OH idea must not be tolerated for an instant.
Reconstruction W, uld not end the war, but
would produce q more horrible warthan that
in which we are new engaged. The o,iy
terms on which We can obtain permanent
pcac. is final and complete separation from
the North-rather than submit to anything
short OF chat, let Us al-resplve to die like men
worthy Of freedom.
In regard to foreign intervention, Mr.. Ste
phens advised his hearers to build no hopes
on that yet awhile. He. did not believe that
the pleading. foreign powers ever intended that
the North and South should be again united.
they preferred that the separation Should
observation-disclosures they considered bothsides
too strong nov, ind did not deem it good pol,
Icy on their part 70 interfere and put an end
to the war. Foreign nations see that the re-
suit o fthe war will be to establish aaespotism
at the North, and are therefore willing toat-
low it to continue awhile Longer.
The whole tone Of Mr.. stcl,hens's speech
was very encouraging and showed net the
slightest sign OF dependency. He said many
things and related several facts hy way Of
encouragement to the ,Aoathcrn people, and
concluded by expressing entire confidence in
the ability Of the C~onfaderacY to maintain ON
cause and achieve Observation-Disclosures
Democrat. {.