The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1863-03-06
The Root of the Conspiracy.

The Root of the Conspiracy.
1t is well never to lose sight of the real
source of the Shareholders conspiracy-more
frequently termed the rebellion-for then We
shall always be aware Of its terrible nature
and scope and shall not be SO likely to fail
in its proper treatment. The out tbreak was
not an accident, or sudden freak of mas
sion, but the Development of fell purpose,
of a pre-arranged conspiracy. Its root was
the increasing conviction that slavery could
not staIi popular government in this age
of the world. Hence arose the determination
on the part of the shareholders to break away
from TINS government established bv our
fathers, and to set up another with-as AL
ex'A!er IL. Stephens of Georgia acknowledg
Ell" slavery for its chief corner stone"
Abundant proofs of this position are to be
.)lnd in the confessions of the leading minds
OF the South. Mr. Garnett of Virginia SAYS,
IN letter recently captured in South Caro-
Ina, Democracy, in its original philoso-
pAlcal sense, is incompatible with slavery and
the whole system of Southern society,"" De
Bows Review declares that "those pestilent
and pernlclous dogmas-" the greatest good
OF the greatest number - the majority
shall rule ARE, in their practical appica-
ton, the trighttul source of disorders never
to be quieted." The same writer concludes
that the institution of an hereditary Senate
and Executive is the political form "best
suited to the genius and most expressive of
the ideas OF the South" Col Hamilton Of
Texas testlties that these doctrines have
spread throughout the South to such an ex-
tent within twenty-five years, that freedom
Of opinion was entirely extinguished Mr.
Sherwood, long resident of Texas, in re-
cent pamphlet, thus quotes Mr. Spratt, the
noted South Carolina secessionist
81" He assumed that there was no man in
the South who deserved the name OF states
man Who would pretend that secession was
caused by any aggression of the North upon
the rights Of the South that it was still
less the result of any act of oppression on
the part OF the United States Government
tia. The reason was because of the differ
e"rc il the organization Of slaveholding
states, from the Very fact that every man
vas 4 freeman, the North was naturally
Democratic - every man being a freeman,
The result was That the laboring class in the
non-saveholding states had the power of
government, and II required but little argu-
m'nt to prove, when that was the case, gov
ernmcnt. instead of being in the head. was
il the heels Of society," Mr. Splatt further
Assumed that no greater truth was ever ut
tered than by MrSevari when he said. there
WITS an rrcpreSSble conflict between the
'7' 7ystcmS OF societv.'"
|; wonld be useless to multiply the evi-
GeAces of this fixed conviction of the leading
S,avehodcrs, that our republican form OF
government, our free institutions, were essen
tall, hostile to their interests, and must,
therefore, be thrown off. And yet there are
men at the North who will close their eyes
to this great fact-men who affect to believe
that were they and their political associates
only in power, the rebels would gladly make
peace ard return to the Union. They might
i. the irecmen Of the North would only con-
sent to forswear the great rights of free
speech, a free press and the rule of the ma
.lority, and all those other precious immuni
ties secured to them by the constitution
Otherwise, the reckless managers of the
Shareholders rebellion wan: nothing more
to do with US. And the only effect of giving
full sway to the Seymour and Vallandigham
party would be to enable their honest follow
c:s to discover at length, what is now plain
to the rest of the loyal country, that the reb-
e. leaders are irreclaimable, and the rebel
lion must be conquered or it will conquer US
thus merely protracting the struggle dur
ING the time these men were gaining the
light which, were their eyes open, is now
beamng full upon them. We cannot wait
for these slow learners. The government
must act up to its convictions promptly. See
ing the root Of this rebellion, it must lay the
ax there boldly and vigorously, and fear not
the consequences. Thousands are silently
coming over every day to a just perception
Of the issues of this great crisis. The surface
movements may be doubtful and Auctuating,
but The undercurrent is all one way. When,
in The history of our country, have the peo-
pie ever failed to sustain in the end the right
measure and the just man ? Let the gov
ernment, then, strike home with all its wis
dom and all its vigor, and the country will
surely upholl it