The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-12-11
WHO WAS TO BLAME4
Alexander III. Stephens on South.
ern Grievances.


The following speech of Mr.. STEPHENS, the
present Vice-President of the rebel Confeder-
aey, was delivered in the Georgia State Con
vention, in January, 1861. 1t will be remem-
bersd that Mr.. Stephens, just before that time,
made Union speech to the people. The Ian
guage Of this address to the convention is even
stronger than that OF his more famous speech.
1t is = crushing reply to those northern SYM
pathizers with the rebels who are constantly
proclaiming that the South was injured, and
came short Of it's rights in the Union.
Mr.. Stephens said:
This step f0f secessiOn) once taken can never be
recalled; and all the baleful and whitening conse-
quences that must follow will rest on the convention
for ali coming time When we and our posterily
shall see Lovely South desosted by the demon Of
war, which this act of yours will inevitably invite
and call forth; when our green fields of waving
harvest shall be tr0dden down by the murderous
eoldiery and fiery Car of war sweeping over our
land our temples of justice laid in ashes all the
horrors and desoations of war upon us who but
this convention will be held responsible for its and
who but him who shall have given his vote for this
unwise and ill-timed measure, as l honestly think
and believe shall be held to strict account for this
suicidal act oy the present generation and probably
time for the wide and desoaling ruin that will inev
taby follow this act you now propose to perpetrate?
THE NORTH BLAMELE$S.
Pause, ] entire at you and consider for moment
what reasons you can give that will even ga i-fy
yourselves in camer moments what reasons can
you give your fellow sufferers in the calamity that it
will bring upon us. What reason can you give to
the nations of the earth to Justify it? tn will be
the calm and deliberate judges in the case: and
what cause or one overt act can you name or point
to, on which to rest the plea of Justification: VIII It
right has the North assaed? What interest of the
South has been invaded? What JUS ice 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 complaint? ! cha-
lenge the answer. White on the other hand, let me
show the facts lard believe ne gentlemen am not
here the advocate of the North: but | am here he
friend, the firm friend and lover of the South and
her institutions and for this reason l sDeak thus
plainly and faithfully for yours mine, and every
other mans interest the words of truth and sober
ness> of which wish You to iudge and will only
state facts which are clear and undenabie and
which now stand records authentic in the history
of our country
When we OF the South demanded the slave trade,
the i'm O-tatOn of Africans for the cultivation OF
our lands did they not yield the right for twenty
wears? When asked a three fifths representation
i'm Congress for slaves WAS II not granted? When
we a ked and demanded the return of any fugitive
from Justice the recovery of those persons owing
labor allegiance, was 1t not Incorporated IN the
constitution and again ratified and siren ethened by
the Fugitive Slave law of 1S'n? But Go you reply
pact and have not been faithful 10 their engage
metlts AS individual and local communities they
must hsye done so. but not by the sanction of gov
eminent for that has always been true to southern
interests
Again, gentlemen, look at anothe- fact when we
have asked that more territory should added that
we might spread the institution of slavery have they
not vie dea to our demands in givin us Louisiana,
Florida and Texas, out of which four States have
been carved and ample territory for four more to
he added in due me if you by this unwise and i'm
Dotic act, do n destroy this hope. and perhaps,
bv il lose all, and have your last slave wrenched
from you by stern military rue. as SOu'h America
and Mexico were: or by the v'ndictivc decree of a
universal emancipation, which may reas oanby be
expected to follow?
WHAT TIE SOUTH HAD THE UNION.
Put agan gentlemen, what have we to gain by
this proposed change of our relation to the general
government! We have always had the cont!ol, and
can yet. if we remain in il and ure as united
have been We have had majority Of HE Presi-
dents chosen from the South; as well as the control
and management of most of those chosen from The
North We have had sixty years OF southern presi-
dents to their twenty four thus cont O'ling the ex
ecutive apartment So of the Jndges of the ST.
creme Court we have had eighteen from the South,
a. but eleven from the Moth; although nearly four
fths of the judcia, business has arisen III the free
States vet majority of the court has always been
from the South This we have required SO as to
guard against any Interpretation of the constitution
unfayOrable to us In like manner we have been
equally watchfu to guard our Interests in the egis
larive branch of government. In choosing the pre-
siding pres dents tpro tena) Of the Senate we have
had twenty four to their eleven. Speakers of the
House. we have had twenty three, and they twelve
their greater population have always been from the