Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1863-07-04
1s.t,moay OF Al.sapasr n. stephens. .
VINO Is RESPONSIBLE n1

|
Alexander II. Stephens, 10 the Couveotion tba
took Georgia out of the Uoion, y January, 1861
II silences oil Democratic allies Of kiduappers
and traitors 10 the North. The great arga.
ment used by them 10 New York, Pennsylva-
MIA. Indiana aud Illinois is, that the Mort had
invaded the rights Of the South. Stephens
brands them oil as liars. LIE charges the 'civil
war, with all its horforst solely on the eS6uth.
He leaves the traitors not shadow Of 40 ex-
cuse. He declared on the AooF of the Con-
vention, called to vote Georgia ont of the
Union, and plunge it-ipto the impassable aud
bottomless gulf secession, anarchy and ruin
That this step once taken, could never
be recalled; and all the baleful and With
erng consequences that must follow, Gas
they would see, will rest on the Convention
for all coming time. When we and our
posterity shall see our lovely South desoi
lated by the demon of war which this act
of yours will Inevitably invite and call forth
when our green l6eids Of waving harvests
shall be trodden. down by the murderous
seldiery and fiery car of. war sweeping ovef
our land our temples OF Justice Slaid 10
ashes :, all the desolatiops Of war upon us I;
who but this Convehtion Will be responsi.
bic 70. it and who CIT him who shall la We
given his vote for this uDwise and 'illtimed
measure, (asTI honestly think and believe.
shall be beld to strict aeceaitsfor this SUI.
cidal act, by the present generation, and
probably cursed and execrated by posterity
for all coming time, for the wide aud desc
= tp foil . r.,
act you now propose to perpeirate r. i2no'
Z Pause, entreat yon, and consider for d
momeut what reasons, you can giveothat
will even satisfy yourselves inacalmer mo-
ments - what reasons you can give to
your fellow-Suferers 10 the calamity that II
will bring upon us ? What reasons eau
YOU give to the nations of the earth TO jns
lify it2 They will be the calm and deIibe.
rate Judges 10 the case aud to what cause
or one overt act can you name or point, on
which to rest the plea of Justification Z
What right has the North assiiled ? What
interest of the South has been invaded
What Justice has been deaed (? and what
claim founded in justice and right has been
Withheld Can either of YOU to-day name
one governmental act of wrong, deliberate
ly@ and purposely done by the
government Of Washing oI,a,ui9 of
which the South has right to complaint
I challenge the answer While, on the
other hand, let. me show the facts, (and
believe me, gentlemen, aml not here The
advocate of the North but Iami here the
FREUD. the 6rm friend aud Hover of the
1 South and her institutions, and foro this
reason speak thus plainly and faithfully
4 for gours. mine, aud every her mama i'm
4 terest, o the words Of truth and soberpess,9
| of which I wish you 10 .judged aud will
odIy state flcts which are clear aud pdde.
niableo and which now stand as: fPeeords
authentic iu the history of our countryoq o
When we of the 9Septh demanded the
slaye trade, or the Importation Of Africans
for.thel cultivation of our lands, did othey
| not, yield the right for twenty years J?
When eve asked three ff,hs representa-,
! tiou iulCougress for our slaves, was it not
! granted1? When we asked and demanded
the return of any fugitive from justice or
the recovery of those persons owing labor
or allegiance, was it not Incorporated in
the, Constitution and again ratified and
strengthened in the Fngiuye Slave LAW Of
1850? --
But do You reply That in many instances
they have violated this compact, and have
not been faithful to their engagements?
As individuals and local commodities they
may havejdo so butinot by The sanction
Of goyernmeHtI !; for that has always been
true to Southern interests. Again, gen tle
men, look at another fact when we have
asked that more territory shonld be added,
that we might spread the Institution OF
slavery, have they not yielded to our de-;
mands in giving US Louisiana, Florida, and
Texas, out of which four States.haye been
carved, and ample territory for5 four more
to be added in due time, ,,ifyon, by this IN,
wise and impotie act, do not destroy this
hopo, aud, perhaps, by it lose all. and have
your last shave wrenched from you by stern
military rule, as South America and Mexi.
co were i or by the sndicive decree of q
universal emancipation, which may reason
ably be expected to follow. 'i'A''"
But, again, gentlemen, what have We to
gain by this proposed change Of our rela,
ton to The general governmeut?, We have
always had The control Of 1t, aud can yet,
if we remain IN it. and are as united as we
have beon, We have had q majority of the
Presidents chosen from the South, as, well
as Che co1trol and management OF most OF
those chosen from the North, We have
have had sixty years Of Southern Presi;
dents to their twenty four, thus controlling
the Executive, department, 80 Of the
Judges Of The Supreme Court, we have had
eighteen from the South, and but eleven
from The North although yearly fouig. hfths
of the Judicial bpsiaess has arisen 10 ,be,
Free States. yet "a majority Of the Court
has always been from the South, This we,
have required SO as to guard against any
Interpretation of the Constitution unfayor.
able to US. In like manner we have been
equally watchfui to g 1ard our interests 10
the legislative branch of government Iu
choosing the presiding Presidents (pro
tenn. Of the Senate. we have had twenty
four to their eleven. Speakers Of the
House, we have had twenty three. and they
twelve. While the msjority OF the Repre-
sentatives, from their CREATE, population,
have always been from the North, yet we,
have so generally secured the Speaker, be-
"a nsa 4he1 10 n great extent shapes and