Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1863-06-18

Great Anti-sec secession Speech by the
Vice President Of the Southern
Confederacy--Th Most Convlno-
ing Argument on Recor
The following is an extract from speech
of the Hon. A. III. Stephens, now Vice
President of-the Southern Confederacy,
made ct Convention called for the purpose
of inducing the people Of Georgia to join
the Confederacy, q measure which MIR.
Stephens at that time strongly opposed
This step, once taken could never be re-
called; and all the baleful and whitening
consequences that must follow las they
'all coming time. When we and our DOS
terity shall see our lovely South desolated
by the demon OF war, which this act of yours
will inevitably invite and call forth; wher
'our green fields Of waving harvests shall be
'trodden down by the murderous soldiery
and fiery CRY of war sweeping over our land
our temples OF justice laid in ashes; all the
horrors aud desolations OF war upon us, who
but this convention will be held responsible
for it and who but him who shall have
given his vote tor this unwise and i'll timed
measure, as l honestly think and believe,
shall be held to strict account for this sui
cidal act by the present generation, and
probably cursed and execrated by posterity
for all coming time, for the wide aud DESC
lating ruin that will inevitably follow this
act you now propose to perpetrate? Pause,
lstitrest you, and consider for moment
whit feas0ns you can give that will even
satisfy yourselves 10 calmer moment nts--what
reasons you can give to your fellow. ulferers
in the calamity that il will bring upon cs
3 What reasons eau you give to the nations
Of the earth to justify /? They will be the
calm and deliberate Judges in the case ; aud
to what cause 0t0ne overt act can you name
or point on which to rest the plea OF justi-
6oation What right has the North as
sailed2 What interest OF the South has
been invadedf What justice has been de-
nied2 and what claim founded in justice
Z and right has been withheld2 Can either
OF you to-day name one Governmental act
of wrong deliberately and purposely done
by the Government OF Washington of which
tho South has right to complain? / chal,
lenge the answer. While, on the other
hand, let me SHOW the facts land believe
me, geallemea, am not here the advocate
Of the North, but am here the friend, The
firm friend and lover Of the South aud her
institutions, and. for this reason l speak
tuu1 poiuy au4 Aeuuiuuy iOr yours, mine
! and every other mans interest, the words
Of truth and soberness,) OF which wish
you to judge, and ! will only state facts
which are clear and undeniable, and which
now stand IS records authentic in the his
tory of our country. When we of the
South demanded the slave trade, or the i'm
portation Of Africans for the cultivation Of
our lands, did they not yield the right foi
twenty years2 When we asked three
fifths representation in Congress for oul
slaves, was it not granted2 When we asked
and demanded the. return of our fugitive
from Justice, or the recovery of those per
sons owing labor or allsgian nee,- was it moi
incorporated Ia the Constitution, and agar
ratified and strengthened in the Fugitive
Slave law of 1850? But do you reply thai
in many instanves they baye violated thi,
compact, and have not been faithful 10 theil
engagements? Asindividual and local com
munities, they have done 50, but not BY ths
sanction Of Governnent,j for rthit has I'll
vsysbssp tsvg " SVqthsrn intspsts. Again
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