Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-03-13


LECTURE OF MR. WELD.-The lecture of
Theodore D. Weld, Esq. before the Library
Association last evening, at Brainard's Hall,
drew very large audience, who we're much
Interested both in the matter and manner of
the lecture. he proceeded in the outset of
his lecture to show the false issues and lying
pretenses upon which the so-eallCd Southern
GOnfsdsracy is founded. JEFF. Davis in bis
inaugural justified secession on the ground
that each of the Southern States was SOW
/ erign, and msintained that each State had q
legal right to seeede from thu Union at its
pleasure. Such principle is destructive to
a national government, and in antagonism to
the obligations of the Constitution. If tho
Constitution is q ligature simply, to bind
States together, then we arc but confed-
sracy. The Constitution is meant to eonsol
idate the states into nation. It vas not by
accident, but through design, that the word
@ Confederacy'' was excluded from the Con
stitution. Washington, who was President
Of the Convention that ft1msd the Constitu-
tion, believed, and taught the doctrine that
the States should be consolidated in ns ion.
The grand purpose Of that OonvOnt. w+s
to consolidate the Government, and on that
account there was less rigidity on points Of
lesser magnitude. There was weH-ground-
ed conviction Of the inadequaey Of a eon-
.ederacy in contrast with a consolidated gov
eminent. The speaker quoted from speeches
Of Madison, who has been called the father
of the Constitution, to show that he believed
a confederation 70 be productive Of anarchy
and confusion, and prey to all manner Of
dissensiOns.
A Constitution constitutes a Government,
establishing civil policy and fundamental
law Traitors to the Government sought to
overthrow it by faIsifying truth and de-
bauching public faith The first shot was
not fred atsumter, but at the dictionary
For thirty years traitors have eoYertly pois-
oned the public mind by traitorous mouth
ings. stealthily At FIRST, but growing bOlder
by degrees, they have affirmed the sovereign
rights Of States, while notification and Sc
eessiOn have been their watchwOrds. Their
course has been persistent State exaltation
and national disparagement.
The speaker eulogized the statesmanshiP
of the men who formed the Constitution of the
United States. It was their intention and
design that the rights Of the nation should
eparamOunt to the rights of States. South
Carolina forty years ago decided that if the
laws Of the Union conAi ct with those Of the
State, the laws Of the Union must prevail
South Carolira may tear that decision from
her records, but it lives still When the
voice of Andrew Jackson gave utteranee to
the undying words, q The Union must and
shall be preserved" /" the South echoed then
and there is not word to show that the ques
ton was raised as to whether or not the gen
eral Government had the power to provide
for its own perpetuity. It was afterwards
that sectisnal jealousy, tIls- ella shing Of aIis
tOCratic with Democrat principles, CAV
birth to those doctrines Of State tights Wbic
have proved 56Inihicab le to-the Union.
The speaker proceeded to show how great
Iy the rebels were deceived with regard t
the probable uration of the war. Walker
Of JEFF. Davis Cabinet, on the eve Of tn
attack on s umtsr, prOphscisd that By the Is
Of May tb e secession flag would float owe
the Capt. ol at Washington; and Mrs DaTi
tOok stsyps to secure the old houss-keeper a
the White House il her situation, as she wa
fsvOrite Of hers. The design Of the reb'
States, as expressed BY themselves, was
withdraw as quietly as possible from III
Unions aad then they desired to be "I
alone.,'
The speaker maintained that they new
meant 10 sfav ont ~ the Upier. but Til