Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-05-16

But suppose Nj. VaIandigham's party, unanimous
for peaceful settlements his task accomplished by
proving as he has attempted in his speeches. the great
advantage the North is to gain by reunion He urges
not solitary reason why the South should desire it
Perhaps as he was addressing Northern audience, this
was no part of his plan. But coercion is out Of the
Question. and the South must be consulted to any
agreement it is not little odd that consent should
be taken for granted We have had long and bloody
war in order TO get out of the Union Why should we
desire 10 resurng Is il to share the Yankee War Debt
or the benefits of Zo verein with them Or shall we
be allared back, by the profits Of the trade, Mr. " Of
fers He seems 70 assume that the slavery contro-
versies caused the Union to break up; and they be-
ing removed, all other difficulties would disappear OF
themselves. Now this q sad mistake--these contro-
versies were never than secondary cause OF the
trouble No part of the history Of the times Is more
ncontsstabe than this That the four Border States re-
fused finally and all the time to 90 into secession, be-
cause OF the triumph Of the Abolition Party in the
Federal elections Of 1862 Every effort was made to
wheedle csole and drive them but in vain Assuredly
hey we're no less sggeved than others by the govern
nents bs.g handed over to the AbotOnists YeS they
persisted in their course.
Nor was the Southern doctrine OF secession the cause,
as some Northern men hold True, this was the popu.
r political creed OF the South but itwas by no means
universal Yet, when the Federal Government pro-
claimed its purpose to invade the seeded States diff
ference was found among people of all parties TO resist
to the DEATH NO-the prime cause Of the was the
attempt to coerce the seeded States INFO the Union
The aagitiogs wrong done them made their cause that
of every freeman in the Confederoy. Every one felt
that the Northern States had abured the first principles
Of their own and Of all free States and that an inva
sion Of the South made in defiance Of the Constitution
Of reason humanity and civilization, better than
the wholesale naraudng Of freebooters aud assassns
Apart from the disputed doctrine of secession it was
always absurd 10 pretend that the Federal Government
possessed supreme power the people OF these
States Most of the functions proper to the Political
State always belonged to the home governments Nine
tenhs of the laws that concerned person and property
the life and estate of the citizen and the administration
of those laws too came from this source The other
tenth we got from Washington but these were nowise
superior in dignity and importance to the former.
Returning TO Mr. Vallandgham: 1.-The merely means
10 soothe the wounded pride of his eauntrymen and
lead them by degrees to contemplate the downfall of
their criminal ambition then, perhaps his policy is not
amiss But if he be serious in his plan of 0mcable
uniOn be ought to know that his oOuntTymen, Demo
Gratis as well as Republicans have done the Southern
people wrong in their attempt to subjugate them, that
il will take them five hundred years to pardon. They
were minority party in the Federal Government, aud
fixed in that relation to the Northern States by estab
shed Institutions and rreconciable interests. What
other redress than separation remained TO them or how
shall We ever regard the Northern States otherwise than
in former times held the British and the Algernes-
Enemies in war, in peace friends!"
There are reasons unconaec;ed with this wal, and all
things that gave rise to have grown out OF it why the
South should refuse reunion with the North, and
forever The former had all the elements of distinct
character and nationality. They were stunted and
dWared and dejormed by enforced uniogwith people
differing from them in spirit manners aud opinions. BY
the natural course ofthngs too aud theaetioR Ofthe COM
mon government, they became mere tributaries and
subordlates the Others and there remedy for
it under the old state Of things. Perhaps our present
causes Of dsunion in some future generation shall be
held Of small account compared to those which now lie
hafhiddcn from Us. Saul out 10 seek asses, and
found kingdom.