Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-09-03

First and foremost, they promised that Sc
| cession should be peacea5s.
! Secondly, They promised that if perchance
war should ensue, it would be very short
war; that it would not last sir monthS-that
the Yankees would not fght-that one South
erner could whip from ten to hundred of
| them-that England and France would speed
lily recognize Us, and tender Us every assist
ance we mi ght desire-that whatever might
| be their abstract opinions on the subject of
slavery, their interests would impel them to
promote its perpetuity in the Southern States
that if, after all, they should not be dis
posed to assist Us, Cotton scas Hing, and
would soon bring all the crowned heads of
Europe on their knees in supplcation to US;
would compel them to raise the blockade
should one be established, in thirty days, in
sixty days, in ninety days, in one hundred
and twenty days, in six months, in nine
months, in one gear at furthest.
Thirdly, They promised US that all the slave
| States, except Delaware, would Join the
Southern Contederacy; that slavery should
not only be perpetuated in the States, but
that it should be extended into all the Terri
tories in which the negro could live; that all
the grievances occasioned by the non-execu-
ton Of the tugitive-slave law should be speed
lily redressed that slave property should be
| established upon basis as safe as that of
land property.
Fomtbty, They PROMISED us that the new
government should be mere COntederacy of
| States, OF absolute sovereignty and equal
| rights that the States should be tyrannized
over by no such "centrM deSpotjSna" as the
old government at Washington; that the glo-
rious doctrine of Ssate rights and nullifca-
ton, as taught by Mr.. Jefferson and Mr.. Cal
houn, should prevail in the new Confederacy;
| that the sovereignty of the States and their lu-
dicial decisions should be Sacredly respected.
Fitthiy They promised US the early and per-
manent establishment of the wealthiest and
best government on the earth, whose credit
should be better than that OF any other ma
ton; whose prosperity and happiness should
be the envy Of the civilized world.
And, lastly, they promised US that if war
should ensue, they would go to the battlefield
and spill, if necessary, the last drop of their
| blood in the cause OF their beloved South.
The .StopcJard then shows how egregiously
these promises have failed:
While such have been their promises what
have been their performances Instead of
| secession being peacable, as they promised
| that it would, it has given rise to such war
| as has never before deSOlated any country
since the barbarians of the North overran the
| Roman Empire.
So far from the wars ending in six months,
as they said it would, should it ensue it has
already lasted more than two years; and, il
their policy is to be pursued, it will last more
than two years longer; and Notwithstanding
their predictions, the Yankees have fought
on many occasions with spirit and determin
alton worthy OF their ancestors of the Kevo
|
austere old Puritans, whose heroic spirit anC
religious zeal made Oliver Cromwell's army
the terror of the civilized world-or Of those
French Huguenots, who, thrice in the six
teenth century, contended with heroic spirit
and various fortunes against all the genius o
the house Of Lorraine, and all the power o
the house OF Valois." England and France
have not recognized us-have not raised the
| blOckade-have not shown US any sympathy
nor is there any probability that they eve
will, and that cotton is not king is now uni
: yersally acknowledged. And Maryland ha
not joined the Contederacy, nor has kentuck,
nor Missouri ever really been with US. Sla
very has not only not been perpetuated in thu
States, nor extended into the Territories, blu
Missouri has passed an act Of enaancip patton, ant
Maryland is ready to do so rather than Civ,
up her place in the Union, and the last hope
: of obtaining one foot of the Territories fol
| the purpose of extending slavery has depart
ed from the COnfederacy forever. The griev
ances caused by the failure of some OF the
Northern States to execute the fugitive slave
J law have not only not been remedied, 6u
more sldveS haze been lost to the South toreUel
since secession aCaS 0aaug100ted than aCoul0 hnu
escaped from their masters IN the Union IN fu
centuries. And how have they kept theil
promises that they would respect the sover
eighty of the States Whatever the Gov
ernment may be in theory, in tact we have
grand military consolidation which almost en-
tirely ignores the existence Of the States
and disregards the decisions of their highes
judicial tribunals.
Instead Of an early and permanent estab
lishment of the wealthiest and best Govern
ment in the world, with unbounded credit,
what have we got? In spite of all the vic
: tories which they profess to have obtained
over the Yankees, they have lost the States
> of Missouri, Kentucky, Arkansas, Texas, Lou
isiana, Mississippi and Tennessee, and IN ma
humble opinion hare lost them toreuer and il
5 all probability, Alabama will soon be added
to the number. This will leave to the Con
federacy but fye State out OF the origina
thirteen, and of these ,tf0e the Yankees haze pos
session Of many Of the most important points
; and one-third Of their territory. So FAR, TIL
: YANKEES HAVE NEVER FAILED TO HOLD EVERY
PLACE OF IMPORTANCE WHICH THEY HAVE TAKEN
and present indications are that Charleston wl
soon be added to the number The campaign o
General Lee into Pennsylvania has undoubt
edly proved failure, and with it the las
hope Of conquering peace by a successful
invasion of the enemy's country. Our arm,
has certainly been very much weakened ant
, dispirited by this failure and the fall of Vcks
burg, and how long even Richmond will b.
safe no one can tell. AS the Richmond I'm
9urer said some time ago: ''They are slowl,
but surely gaining upon US, acre by acre, mile
2 by mile" and unless Providence interpose
5 in our behalf-of which see no indication
we will, at no great distance of time, be
subjugated people.
AS to our unbounded credit based upon the
security Of King Cotton, it is unnecessary t.
= | speak When we see one of the most infu
: entail States in the Confederacy discreditin.
! | a very large part of the Confederate curren
cy and the Confederate Government itsel
repudiating, to some extent, it solemn obi
cations, we cannot but suppose the confdenc,
1 Of other nations in the good faith and credi
! OF this Government is small indeed. As re
CARDS their promise Ito go to the war and spill
the last drop of blood in the cause of thei
beloved South" will say nothing. Every
: body knows how the Secessionists of Nortl
f Carolina have kept that promise. Everybod,
+ knows that the leaders, with a few honorabl,
exceptions, will neither fight nor negotiate
: What a deplorable spectacle does the fore
: going history present to our view ! To wha
pass have they brought us, and for what p
: They say they did it because the North would
give US no guarantee on the slavery question