Weekly Trinity journal., 1863-01-03
views of "a loyal somtheruer.

livered at Buffalo, n Y, on the 29th OF October,
by Gov. Hamilton, (better known to old Texans
as Col Jack Hamilton) of Texas. Driven from
his home, as he was, for his Union sympathics,
his testimony against the rebellion and its lead
ers will be read with additional ntegcs; jast al
this time. We find 1t in the Marysville Apgeal
the first paper in the State, we believe, which
has published it
! "The people Of the South really had no heart
in the secession movement, and there has been no
/ hour when fair vote would not have poll
ed an overwhelming ajorty against it, Mr.,
Stephens the Vice President OF the rebel COned
eracy, when he was proessed Union man, and
before he made up his mind to turn traitor, said
he could count on his fingers every man respons.
ible for the rebellion. | am convinced that there
We're not more than fifty admitted to the secret
of the meaning aud purpose OF secession. The
leaders practiced upon the ignorance of the igno
rant people, intamed their minds to hatred of
the Northern Yankees, as enemies to themselves
and their institutions, oppressors and dcfamers of
their rights. They actually persuaded the igno-
rant into believing that there was something in
the Constitution that compelled South crn man
to send his cotton to New York for shipment TO
Europe, instead of putting it on board vessels of
his own ut New Orleans or Charleston. BY every
possible means they inilamed the people with ideas
of wrong aud oppression, and many poor fellow
who never owned Il negro, and never could, was
made to feel himself outraged beyond endurance
by the denial of his rights to take negro property
into the territories.
How was the rebellion organized? Pending
the election of Abraham Lincoln, more than 200
men in Texas lost their lives because they would
not bow down to negro slavery as God, and
acknowledge it to be the one pre-cmineut good.
| know this as well AS | know anything. A sys-
tenn of terrorism was brought into exercise. The
whole State of Texas swarmcd with Vigilance
Committees and X. G. C's, When the election of
Mr.. Lincoln became known as fact, secession
flags began TO make their appearance, and soon
it began to be known that any man opposing se
cession was tracked by the X. G. C's, and the
Vigilance Committees and marked for ven
geance.
When the question was taken, whether the
people desired secession from the Union or not,
the largest half of them said, this is Il thing
which we will have nothing to do with. We will
not give The movement an implied sanction, by
voting that we are not traitors The larger part
of the rest were persuaded that by taking this
step the North could be compelled to concede
IIBnts wnon IL uenleu 10 the G0uti, ana that thcn
the Union could be re-osabshed under condi
tions of perpetual peace. In some phces where
the X. G. C's were strong enough, the people
were plainly told that they must vote, and vote
for secession or suffer consequences which they
had good reason to dread.
You may say that these people ought not to
have been intimidated. | know that they ought
not, and il is to be regretted that humanity is not
always equal to its heroic duty and know, too,
that it is easier to admire martyrdom than to be
martyrs ourselves.
Less Than haD of Tie 00ie of the Sf0fe ,cas
polied, and epery poie withheH soas that of a
LOyat man. Less than one.thrd Of tie pote cast
represented a real desire for secession. But the .
leaders Of the conspiracy assumed the question
to be decided, seized upon every instrument of
power in the State, turned old Sam Houston out
of the Governors chair, and when traitor Gen /
eral of the United States basely surrendered to
them TIE forces Of the Government in the State,
the arms and arsenals, they had the people in
their power.
If you think it strange that the people should
be thus overcome, will PROFOUND to you quos-
tion. You know that the rebellion was gotten up
by the slave owners alone. | assume that no
sane man denies that fact. Now, of men, women
and children, not more than 100000 are direct
ly or indirectly interested in slave property
Why is it that you, 22 000, 900 of men, women
and children in the free States, have failed TO
successfully resist and overcome the rebellion OF
this 100000? Because you have NOT understood
and comprehended it. 1t has surprised you
gained upon you while you misconceivcd it, And
SO it was with the people Of the South.
Did JEFF Davis believe that he could accomplish
the revolution he has undertaken challenging
the public opinion of the world and arraying
himself against every lover Of liberty, except by
military power? Certainly not. lie Is traitor
but he is not fool. He knows that he must
build up government that will hedge in slavery
with bayonets and crush the people under the
heels of an army.
have been charged with speaking my resent
ments. AT home was called traitor, and one
Of the reasons for which they were determined
that should not escape was the knowledge that
] would come here aud tell the truth. This is
what am endeavoring n bonestness and SINGER
ty Of feeling TO do 1t is because know of but
one relief Of these suffering fellow citizens Of
mine that | speak as do.
jeff Davis, knowing all that the rebellion
means and all it inv0lves-do you suppose that
be ever intends to stop short Of the achievement
of his object, or death or exile? Let these men
who talk Of olive branches be permitted to go
South and try the experiment Of the policy.
Let them approach JEFF Davis, recount TO them
the enormty Of his crime--the ruin, death, mis-
cry and sorrow, that has been brought upon the
land by his hideOus treason--but tell him that II
he will abandon his schemes OF independent EN-
pre and return to his allegiance, all VIII be Tor
given hm-tbat he will be dissolved from the le-
gal penalties of his crime and suffered to so free
from punishment. lie will say to them, the
proposition looks very fair. You Will absolve
me from legal liabilities. You will not hang
me know but can you absolve me from the
moral consequences Of what have done Can
you restore me TO my social and polltcal positions;
make me the man was among you receive me
when come to New York as you used to do p
You will say, Never mind how we may feel to-
wards you ; go back to Mississippi, and your
people will honor you as they always have done
Then he will say to them, Gentlemen, you un-
derstand the people Of Mississippi less than | do
They kno,o that l hare deceived and 6ctrayed
hem and brought ruin and ,oretehedHess upon
Mem-they hate me-
tell you, my friends, Jefferson Davis dare not
go back to Mississippi, unless under the protec
ton of bayonets Nor dare any of his associates
in the great conspiracy go back to the constituents
whom they have betrayed and trampled upon
They have dug a gulf as deep as eternity between
themselves and the people-between the slave
holders and the non-slaveholders, except those