Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1863-02-26


trinc taught us by such pure patriots as
Washington aud Jefferson, becomes at once
the target Of such foul eEithets as Black
Republican, Abolitionist, 60, spoken by
those who, with much graduation, regard
themselves, as the simon pure Jeffersonian
Democrats. We will hear Mr.. Irwin again.
In speaking of this war which commenced
mot less than thirty years ago." he says,
''the weapons used until about seven years
ago" wero ''The mild arms Of truth and
love. " Now If Mr.. Irwin is to be believed,
the North and South went to war 10 real
earnest about the. year 1855. But Mr..
Irwin continues In speaking Of the Har.
per's Ferry raid, he says, 't0ld Jehn Brown
fred the first gun and spilled the first blood
inithis warla ia apreass from these state
ments that Dir. Irwin must be in posses.
sion of at least four years history of this
war which belongs to nobody else would
advise him to write book and give to the
world complete history of this dreadful
conflict for the four years during which
time not gun was firod nor a drop of blood
spilled. Give US the history. Pitch in, and
immortalize youself 1t will make one Of
the most remarkable histories ever publish
ed. But am fraid, Mr. Irwin, that you
have attempted to falsify history in order
to exhonorate your Southern brethren"
from the charge Of inaugurating this the
most wicked and causeless rebellion the
world ever saw. Hence your attempt to
date this war back at least seven years. But
l would ask, what was the condition of our
country during the year preceding the last
Presidential election? Was it in state of
actual war? Most assuredly not But Mr..
Irwin says that during this year, the "Abo-
litionists sent an armed force into the South
for the purpose Of freeing their slaves p
This is grave charge, but the proof is
wanting 1t is true that John Brown, with
some half dozen deluded followers, commit
ted murder in the State Of Virginia, in the
autumn ofl859, for which they were arrest
ed, tried, convicted and hung. But to say
that he was sent there by the Abolition par
ty Tor the purpose OF making war aud free
ing the slaves of the South, is base
calumny; and | believe am speaking
within the bounds of truth, when say that
ninety nine out Of every hundred Of the
supporters Of Lincoln said Old Wise served
him right. From tho time Of the Harper
Ferry raid until after the election of Mr..
Lincoln, where did actual war sxist in these
States2 No where. Where was any man
or body of ;nen making preparations to in.
wade the Southern States and free their
slaves? No whore. And to say that j ohm
Browns raid was the commencement of this
war, and that he was sent there by the Re-
publican party, or that they promised to
help him make war upon the South to free
her slaves, is simply not true and the man
who will thus attempt to ialsify history to
frame an apology for traitors, in arms
against the Government, must be besuted
with ignorance, or drunk with treason.
When and by whom was this rebellion
first inaugurated? Let history answer
The old Democratic State of South Caro-
lima was the first to secede, Dec 10th, 1860.
That old Democratic State was the first to
take down the Stars and Stripes, and raise
the Palmetto flag oyer the Custom House
and Post Office in Charleston, Dec. 2sth,
1860. 1t was by the authority of the Gov
ernor Of this same old Democratic State,
that South Carolina troops took possession
ofthe Upitad State Arsenal at Charleston,
Dec Both, lS60.- 1t was by the authority
of the Democratic Governor of North Car
olina, that North Carolina troops We're dis.
patched to seizo Fert Macon, the forts of
Wilmington, and the United States Arse.
nal at Fayetteville, Jan, I'd, 1861. The old
Democratic State Of Mississippi passed the
Ordnance Of Secession Jan. 9th, 1861. 1t
was by the suthority Of this Rebel Demoo
racy of the Cotton States that the Star of
the West, with supplies for the famishing
garrison Of Fort Sumter, was fred into from
Morris Island and Fort Moultrie, and driven
from Charleston harbor, JAN 9th, 1861.
By continuing this research, we find that
during the administration Of James, ,Bu-
chanan, the President elected by the Demo
cratic party, which Mr.. Irwin so eloquently
eulogies, and previous to the inauguration
Of President Lincoln, no less than six Dem
ocratic States had seeded from the Union,
and, by authority Of their Democratic Gov.
ernors, had taken possession Of not less than
a dozen United States Forts and Arsenals.
And now l might ask, why did these South
ern States secede from the Union, and take
up arms to destroy this Government? Was
il because the rights Of any State, or the
rights of any citizen of a State, had been
abridged in the Union2 No. DO Messrs.
Irwin, Foster, and kindred spirits, tell US
that it was on account Of Abolition interu
NEEDING with slavery? If So, they. have
surely forgotten the declaratipn Of .Yanoey
4 asd his fellpwrcnnspirators, that it was from
i1no fears for the safety of slavery .ith at
they went into this conflict. It'was sim
| ply becapse the Southern slave. lords were
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