Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-08-19

Tvs loi tue purpose Vi extending slavery has
departed from the confederacs fofcrer. The
grievances caused by the failure of some of
the northern states to execute the fugitive
slave law have not only not been remedied,
but more slaves have been lost to the south
forever since secession was inaugurated. than
would have escaped from their masters in the
Union in five centuries. And how have they
kept their promise that they would respect
the sovereignty and rights of the states
Whatever the government may be in theory,
in fact we are a grand military consolidation,
which almost entirely ignores the existence of
the states, and disregards the decisions of
their highest judicial tribunals. The great
central despotism at Washington, as they
were pleased to call it, was, at any time pre-
viOus to the commencement of the secession
movement, and even for some time after it
had commenced, a most mild and benefcent
government, compared with the central deS-
potiSDl at Richmond, under which we are now
living.
Instead of an early and permanent estab-
lishment of the ''wealthivst and best yOvern-
ment in the world, with unbounded credit,
what have we got? In spite of all the victo-
rics which they profess to have obtained over
the Yankees, they have lost the states of Mis-
souri,, Kentucky, Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana,
Mississippi, and Tennessee, and in my hum
bic opinion have lost them forever; and. in all
probability, Alabama will soon be acded to
the number. This will leave to the confeder-
acy but fire states out of the original thirteen,
and OF these five the Yankees have possession
OF many OF the most important points, and
one third of their territory. So far the Yam
KEGS have never failed to hold every place of
importance which they have taken, and pres
hat
be added to the number. The campaign of
Gen. Lee into Pennsylvania has undoubtedly
proved failure, and with il the last hope of
conquering peace by successful invasion
OF the enemy's country. Our army has Ger
talnly been very much weakened and di spir-
tied by this failure, and the fall Of Vicksburg.
and how long even Richmond will be safe no
one can tell. As the Richmond enquirer said
some time ago, "They are slowly but sRJclB
gaining upon us acre hy acre, mile by niie,"
and unless Providence interposes in our be-
half-ol which | see no indicatons--we will,
at no great distance Of time, be II subjugaed
people.
As to our unhounded credit based upon the
security OF King Cotton, it is unnecessary to
speak. w hen We see one of the most influ-
entail states in the confederacy diScrediting a
very large part of the confederate currency,
and the confederate government itself repudi-
atlng, To some extent its most solemn 0bllga-
tons, we cannot but suppose that the conf
dence OF other nations in the good faith and
credit OF this government is small indeed. As
regards their promise ito 90 to the war and
spill the last drop of their blood in the cause
of their beloved SOUTH | will say nothing
Everybody knows how the sccessionists of
North Carolina have kept that promise. Ev-
erybody knows that the leaders, with afew
honorable exceptions, will neither fight nor me-
gUtiate.
What a deplorable spectacle does the fore
going history present to our view To what
desperate pass have they brought u.s. and
for what! They say they did it because the
north would give MS no guarantee in the slave
ry question. | have before stated that not one
of the conventions OF the seven cotton states
UlieN even reIuSCu 10 accept OF any II their
friends Of the border states would procure
them for them.
The legislature of North Carolina, at its
regular session in January. 1861, adopted re-
solutions appointing commissioners to the
peace congress at Washington city, and also
to the convention which assembled at Mont
gomery, Alabama, in February, 1861, for the
purpose OF adopting constitution, and estab-
lishDg provisional government for the con-
tederate states of America On the motion
of the writer Of this. the resolution appointing
commissioners TO Montgomery was amended
so us to instruct them ito act only as aiedt-
atorS, and use every effort possible to restore
the union upon the basis of the Criitsaden
propositions as modified by the legislature Of
Virginia" The commissioners under these
instructions were the Hon. ID. l.. Swain, Gen.
NJ. w. Ransom, and John l.. Bridgers, Esq,
who, upon thcr return, submitted a report to
his eXcelency, Gov. Ellis, which was by him
laid before the Legislature, and was printed
among the legislative documents of that year,
where it may be consulted. In this report
they say they had the most ample opportuni-
ties of ascertaining public opinion in the cot
ton states, and then add: eve regret to be
constrained to state, as the result Of our en-
ouires. made under such circumstances, that
only very decided ,ninorlty of the commune
ity in these states are disposed at present, to
entertain favorably, any proposition Of adjust
ment which looks towards reconstruction Of
our national union. In this state Of things
we have not deemed it our duty to attend any
of the secret sessions of the congress. The
resolutions of the general assembly are upon
the table of the congress, and having submit
ted them as a peace offering we would poorly
perform the duties assigned to us by entering
into discussions which would serve only to
enkindle strife
But it will be said that these guarantees
could not have been obtained from the north
This | admit TO be true, and only produce this
piece of history to prove that whatever might
have been obtained, nothing would have been
accepted. But the congress of the United
States did pass by the constitutional majority
of two-thirds, the proposition reported by Mr..
Corwin, from the committee of twenty-SiX, to
so amend the constitution as to perpetuate
slavery in the states. What stronger guaran-
tees could be given so far as the states were
concerned, it would be difficult to conceive
What then would have been left to quarrel
about? The territories. During the session
of congress which closed on the 4th of March,
1861, acts were passed to provide temporary
governments for the three remaining new ter
ritories, to wit:-Colorado, Nevada and Da-
cotah. These acts contain no trace or indica-
ton of the Wimot proviso, nor any other
prohibition against the Introduction of slavery,
but on the other hand, expressly declare
among other things, that emo law shall be
passed impairing the rights Of private proper
taxing different kinds OF property, but all
property subject to taxation shall be in pro-
portion to the value of the property taxed"
Now, when ii is considered that all three of
those territories are north of SO deg. 80 min.,
and that in the new territory now owned by
the United States south of that line, slavery
actually exists and is recognized by territorial
law, the question may well be asked 'what
was there worth quarrelling, much less fight
ing about?" Here was a settlement of the