Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1863-09-17
TESTIMONY OF
ALEXANDER H. STEPHENS.
WHO is RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CIVIL
WARf ~

A COMPLETE VNDroATIoN OF TIL
NORTH Br THE VICE PRESIDENT o.
THE CoNFEDRRAcY OF KIDHAPPERs
We furnish the following extrac
from speech Of Alexander H. Ste
phens, in the Convention that tool
Georgia ont OF the Union, January
1861. This speech Of Vice President
Stephens effectually silences the Demo
cratic allies of kidnaPPers and traitors
The great argument used by them in
the North is that the North had inTa.
ded the rights Of the South. Stephens
brands them all as liars. He charges
the cival war, with all its horrors, sole
" on the South. On the floor Of the
Convention called to vote Georgia out
of the Union he declared: 81
"That this step once taken, could
never be recalled; and all the baneful
and whitening consequences that must
follow, las they would see, viii rest
on the Convention for all coming time.
When we and our posterity shall see
our lovely South desolated by the de-
mon Of war which this act Of yours
will inevitably invite and call forth ;
when our green fields Of waving har-
vests shall be trodden down by the
murderous soldiery and fiery car Of
war sweeping ell over our land: our
temples Of justice laid in ashes; all the
horrors and desoIations Of war upon us;
ssho but this Convention will be held
responsible for it? and who but him
who shall have given bis vote for this
unwise and ill-timed measure, (as /
honestly 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 DESC
latiDg ruin that will follow this act
You now propose to perpetrate?
"Pause, I'entreat you, and consider
for moment what reasons you can
give that will even satisfy yourselves
in calmer moments--wbat reasons can
YOU give to your fellow. sufferers in the
calamity that it will bring upon us?--
What reasons can you give TO the ma
tions of the earth 10 justify il? 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-
MED? and what claim founded in JUS
tice and right has been withheld
Can either of you to-day name one
government act of wrong, deliberately
and purposely done by the govern
ment of Washington, of which the
South has right TO complain? 1 chal-
lenge 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 fer this reason l speak thus plainly
and faithfully for yours, mine, and
every other mans interest, the words
of truth and soberness, of which /
wish you to judge, and l will only
state facts which are clear and undeni-
able, and which now stand as records
authentic in the history of our coun-
try.
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 Congress
for our slaves, was it not granted?-
When we asked and demanded the re-
turn Of any fugitive from justice, or
the recovery of those persons owing
labor or allegiance, was it not incor.
porated in the Constitution? and again
ratified and strengthened in the Fugi-
tive Slave Law Of 1880?
"But do you reply that in many in
stances they have violated this COM
pact, and have not been faithful to
their engagements? As individuals
and local communities they may have
done SO; but not by sanction of the
government; for that has always been
true to Southern interests? Again
gentlemen look at another fact: when
we asked that more territory should
b eadded that we might spread the in
stitution of slavery, have they not
Welded 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 un-
wise and impolitiesct 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 vindictite 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 relations to the general govern
ment? We have always had the con-
troll of it, and can yet, if we remain IN
il, and are as united as we have been.
We have bad 8 majority of the Presi-
dents chosen from The South; as well
IS the control and management Of
most Of those chosen from the North.