Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-05-07

1HOsss seu ~ehhy 80 Y"
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The JUSTIFICATION FOR THE REBEL
LioN.--One can hardly take up = copper
head newspaper without finding therein
long articles stigmatizing the north as he
cause of the war now desolating the oosn-
try. The southern traitors are rarely
mentioned by them, except in connection
with some labored excuse for their unpar-
alslled crime, while their columns abound
in denunciation of the north, descending
IN many cases even to the lowest personal
abuse Of our most estimable and pat
riotic citizens. All this is too potorions
torequlre argument or proof; and we re-
fer TO it only to compare Herewith the Ian
gaage of a distinguished traitor, uttered
before his State had formally seeded from
the Union. The individual referred to is
no less person than A. II. Stevens, Vice
President of the rebel Confederacy, and
the language we quote is portion of a
reported speech made by him in the Geor-
gia Convention of January, 1861. His
language at present would very likely CO.
incide with that of northern copperheads
as TO the justification which the rebels
have tor their treason but the following
extracts from his speech delivered in the
Convention referred to, before the formal
secession Of that State, in opposition to
its secession, and while he was at liberty
70 speak freely, must be taken as an ex-
preston and admission Of his real senti
ments upon the subject. These extracts
show how clearly he perceived the iniqnity,
the utter impossibility of justification, and
the terrible results, of the proposed meas
ure.
This step, he said, once taken, could
never be recalled, and all the baleful and
whitening consequences that must follow
(as they would see) will rest on the con-
vention for all coming time. When we
and our posterity shall see our lovely
South desolated by the demon of war,
which this act of yours will inevitably in
vite and call forth; when our green fields
Of waving harvests shall be trodden down
by the mnrderous soldiery and frey car of
war sweeping over our land our temples
Of Justice laid in ashes all the horrors and
desolatlon Of war upon US; VINO but this
convention will be responsible for it and
who but him who shall have given his
vote for this unwise and ILL., timed measure
Gas / 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.
Pause, ! entreat you, and consider for
moment what reasons you can give that
will even satisfy yourselves in calmer mo-
ments-what reason can you give your
fellow sufferers in the calamity it will
bring upon us2 What reason can you
give to the nations of the earth to 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 assalled P
What interest of the South has been an
vaded2 What justice has been denied ?
and what claim founded in Justice and
right bias been withhold Can either of
you to-day name one governmental acl OF
wrong, deliberately and purposely done by
the government at Washington, of which
the South has right to complain |
challenge the answer!
Now for you to attempt to overthrow
such government as this, under which
we have lived for more than three quarters
of q century-in which ...sn we have gained
our wealth, our standing as nation, our
domestic safety while the elements of peril
are around us, with peace and tranquility,
accompanied with unbounded prosperity
and rights unassailed--is the hight OF mad
ness, folly and wlckedness, to which | can
neither lend my sanction nor my vote.
TENNEssEE.-The Mississippian, reb-
81 paper, from a careful survey of the ''sit-
uation" which the movements of the fed
eral armies present, is convinced that the
f,,nrr ANN