The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-05-22

rest the plea OF luStiHcauonI WHAT right has
the North assailed? What interest of the
South has been invaded? What justice has
been denied? and what claim founded in
Justice and right has been withheld? Can
either of you to-day name one governmental
act of wrong deliberately and purposely done
by the Government of Washington, of which
the South has right to complain? chal-
lenge the answer. While on the other hand,
let me show the facts, land believe me, gentle
men, am not here the advocate Of the North,
but am here the friend, the firm friend and
lover of the South and her institutions, and
for this reason i speak thus plainly and faith
fully for g0urs, miP, 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 undenlabe,
and which now stand as records authentic in
the history of our country.
When we of the South demanded the slave
trade, or the importation of Africans for the
cultivation of our lands, did they not yield
the right for twenty years? When we asked
a three-fiiths representation in Congress for
our slaves was it not granted? When we
asked and demanded the return of any fugl-
tive from justice, or the recovery OF those per-
sons owing labor or allegiance, was 1t not in
corporated in the Constitution? and again
ratified and strengthened IN the FugluVe
Slave Law of 1850?
Do you reply that i'm many instances they
have violated this compact, and have not been
faithful to their engagements? As lndvdu-
ais and local communities they may have done
so: but not by the sanction of Government;
for that has always been true to Southern in
terests. Again, gentlemen, look at another
fact: when we have asked that more territory
should be added, that we might spread the
institution of slavery, have they not yielded
to our demands and given us Louisiana, Flor
ida and Texas, out of which four States have
been carved, aud ample territory for four more
to be added in due time, If you by this I'M
wise and impolitic act do not destroy this hope,
and perhaps, by it lose all, and have your last
slave wrenched from you by stern military
rule as South America and Mexico We're; or
by the vindictive degree of a universal eman-
cpation which may reasonably be expected to
follow?
But, again, gentlemen, what have we to
gain by this proposed change of our relation
TO the general government? We have always
had the control, and can yet, if we remain in
it, and are united us we have been. We
have had majority of the Presidents chosen
from the South as well as the control and
management of those chosen from the North.
We have had sixty years of Southern Presi-
dents to their twenty-four, thus controlling
the Executive department. SO of the Judges
of the Supreme Court, We have had eighteen
from the South, and but eleven from the North
although nearly four flths OF theJudiclal bust
ness has arisen in the Free States, yet ma
iority of the Court has always been from the
South. This we have required SO as TO guard
against any Interpretation of the Constitution
uniavorable to us. In like manner We have
been equally watchful to guard our interests
i'll the Legislative branch OF government. In
choosing the presiding Presidents (pro tenn
of the Senate, we have had twenty-iour and
they eleven. Speakers of the House, we have
had twenty -four and they twelve. While the
majority of the Representatives, from their
greater population, have always been from
the North, yet we have generally secured the
Speaker, because he, to great extent, shapes
and controls the legislation OF the country.
Nor have we had less control in every depart
ment of the general government. Attorney
Generals we had fourteen, while the North
had but five. Foreign ministers we had eigh-
ty six, and they but fiity-four. While three
fourths of the business which demands dplo-
matte agents abroad is clearly from the North
from their greater commercial interests, yet we
have had the principal embassies SO as TO Sc
cure the worlds markets for our cotton, tobac-
co aud sugar on the best possible terms. We
have had vast majority of the higher offices
of both army and navy, while a large proper
ton of the soldiers and sailors were drawn
from the North. Equally SO of Clerks, Audi
tors and Comptrollers filling the Executive
last fifty years, of the three thousand thus
employed, we have had more than two-thirds,
while we have mad but one-third OF the white
population of the Republic.
Again, look at another item, and one, be as
sured, in which we have a great and vital in
! test; it is that of revenue, or means OF sup
porting government. From 9fiieipl SdagcyyWs99tts
eminent has uniformly been raised from the
North.
Pause now, while you can, gentlemen, aud
contemplate carefully and candidly these inn
portant items. Look at another necessary
branch of government, and learn from stern
statistical facts how matters stand in that de-
partment. l mean the mail and Post Office
privileges that we now enjoy under the gener-
al government as it has been for years past.
The expense for the transportation Of the
mail in the Free States was, by the report of
the Postmaster General for 1860, little over
Sl3,O00,0O0, while the income was sl9O00,OO0.
But in the slave States the transportation of
the mail was Sl4116,000, while the revenue
from the same was SS,000,26, leaving a deficit
of 81, 1875, to be supplied by the North for
our accommodation, and without which we
must have been entirely cut of from this most
essential branch of the government.
Leaving out of view, for the present, the
countless millions of dollars you must expend
in war with the North there will be thousands
and tens of thousands OF your sons and BROTH
ers slain in battle, and offered up as sacrifices
upon the altar of ambiton,-and for what, we
ask again? Is it for the overthrow of the Amer
lean government, established by our common
ancestry, cemented and built up by their sweat
and blood and founded on the broad princi-
pies of Rigid, Justice and Humdnitya And,
as such, must declare here, as l have often
done before, and which has been repeated by
the greatest and wisest of statesmen and patri-
OTIS in this and other lands, that 10 is the best
and .freest gorernment-the most equal in its
rights-the most just in its dectsions-the
most teniem in its measures, and the most in
spring in its principles to eleodte the race Of
men, that the snn In hearen erer Shone upon
Now, for you to attempt to overthrow such
government as this, under which we have
lived for more than three-quarters of centu-
ry-in which we have gained our wealth, our
standing as a nation, our domestic safety while
the elements of peril are around us, with
peace and tranquility accompanied with I'M
bounded prosperity and rights unassailed-is
the height of madness, folly and wickedness,
to which can neither lend my sanction nor
my vote.
Letter from a Washington Hospital.