Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1863-04-02

Nol far deeper must we search for the
trne cause. II is plainly set forth in the
latter paragraphs Of the Declaration, in
special laws, but Of "the action Of the non.
slase-holding States" ~. j.
1t declares that these States have "de-
MED the rights Of property established in
fifteen of the States and recognized by the
Constitutions" that they "have denounced.
as sinful the Institution of slavery" that
they ''have united in the election Of Q man
to the high Office of President Of the Uni
ted States whose opinions and purposes
are hostile 10 slavery" who declares that
";hc Government cannot endure psrma-
nently half slave. half free" and that 1.-THE
public mind must rest in the belief that
slavery is in the course Of ultimate ex-
tinction;" and it winds mp by this asssr-
ton: ..All hope Of remedy is rendered vain
by the fact that the public opinion of the
North has invested a great political error
with the sanctions Of an erroneous religious
belief"
These South Carolinan sentiments. af-
terward indorsed by every seeding State.
are doubtless in substance, sincere. They
may be received as the secession creed
Though loosely worded. they are intelligi-
BILE. Taken in connection with the stead
lily progressing increase, disclosed each
ten years by the census. Of population and
Congressional votes and consequent polit-
ical influence in the free States compared
with the slave, they disclose, as beyond
question. the true cause of the gigantic in
surrection that has made desolate so many
domestic heatths. and spread war and de-
vastation where peace and tranquility used
to reign
1t is of course not true that the North
ern States. as States. have denied the
rights of Southern property, or denounced
slavery as sinful The Convention could
only mean that certain citizens Of these
States had expressed such sentiments; or,
as they afterwards phrase it, that public
opinion in the North had given the sane
tion of religion TO a great political error.
pray you to remark that the South
sc, edes from the UEion because of these
opinions She will not remain in fellow
ship with States in which such opinions
are expressed. She holds that men ought
not to be allowed to say or to write that
slavery is sinful. or that religion does not
sanction it, She hangs tho,e who say or
write such things within her own borders.*
To satisfy her, such opinions must be sup
pressed also among MS. But the Consti-
tuition provides that Congress shall make
no law abridging the liberty of speech or
Of the press, Here is a difficulty. How
shall we Of the North satisfy slave
holding South unless We not only surren-
der the dearest Of freeman's rights, but
also either violate the Constitution or else
amend it so that free thought and free
speech shall be among past and forgotten
things?
But these oatspokcn sentiments are not
our only offense. We are accused of hav-
ing elected President "whose opinions
and purposes are hostile to slavery" and
who believes that slavery is in the course
of ultimate extinction"
Because Of the election Of such fresi-
dent, the Shareholders of the South Sc
cede. They do not wait 10 see what he
will do. They sccele before he is manga
rated. They secede. then. not because of
his acts. but because Of his opinions.
His opinions on the subject of slavery;
the same opinions which, for q century
past. have been spreading and swelling in
to action throughout the civilized world;
the same opinions which have taken prac
tical form and shape-which have become
law-till not one Christian nation in Eu-
rope, Spain alone excepted, stands out
against them. Look al the array of names!
England led the way. In 1884 she eman-
cipated all her slaves. King Oscar Of Swee-
den followed her example in 1916. Then
came Denmark in 1917; France in lS48;
Portugal in 1856; the vast empire of Rus
sia in 1862. Finally. with nearly thirty
years experience in English colonies. and
fifteen years experience in those of France
before her eyes. plain.1 practical. unimag-
inative Holland. by avote in her Cham
bers of 40 tos7. gave freedom with COM
pensation. to her $4,000 slaves, to take
effect on the first day of July next.
And our offense in Southern eyes-an
offense so grievous that it is held to justify
insurrection and its thousand horrors--our
unpardonable sin is. that we have elected
President whose opinions regarding ns-
gro servitude are those of all Christendom;
whose belief that slavery is in the course
Of ultimate extinction" is but the plain.
inevitable deduction from the last thirty
years history Of the civilized world.,ra 3
Observe.I l pray, that in thus setting
forth the causes which produced this frat
ricidal war have let the South speak for
herself. Nor have Icited against her va
grant opinions. carelessly expressed by her
citizens. L have quoted, word for word.
from her solemn deliberate Declaration
of Causes" that document which is to Sc
ceshiondom what the Declaration of Inde-
pendence was to the United States. = Out
of her own mouth have condemned her.
~ Yet | lam not assuming to sit in judg.
ment on her motives. but show you
where the difficulty lies, and how deep
sunk and radical it is. Opinions (she de-
clares) stand in the way. Based on q re-
ligious sentiment. these opinions render
vain she says) all hope OF remedy; for
her Government is founded upon opinions
diametrically the reverse. + And show
4 you further. that in this she stands alone
among the nations calling themselves CIV
ilized. Alexander H. Stephens. whom,
in February, 1861, she named her Vice
President. with commendsble frankness sd :
mits that. she does so. In Savannah, the