Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1863-06-03
ALEx'R H. STEPHENS A PROPHET.
SECESSION JUDGED BY IT'S FRUITS.

ALEX'R H. STEPHENS A PROPHET.
SECESSION JUDGED BY IT'S FRUITS.
II is well known that the present Vice Pres-
dent of the Confederscy made speech strong
ly opposed to secession in the Georgia Con-
vention of January, 1861. The following ex-
tracts will show how clearly he perceived the
iniquity, and foresaw the results of the meas
ure:
ssThat this step once taken could never be
recalled and all the baleful and whitening con-
sequences that must follow Gas they would
see) will rest on the convention for all coming
time. When we and our posterity shall see
our lovely South desoated by the demon OF
war which this act of yours will inevitably in
vite and call forth; when our green fields of
waving harvests shall be trodden down by the
murderous soldiery and fiery car of war sweep
ing over our land temples of justice laid
in ashes all the horrors and desolatons of
war upon us who but this convention viii be
held responsible for it 2 and who but him who
shall have given his vote for this unwise and
ill-timed measure (as honestly think and be-
lieve) shall be held to strict account for this
suicidal act, by the present generation, and
ptobaOfy CufocU anu eAcCTdiSu ny pOSteFuS
for all coming time, for the wide and desola-
ting ruin that will inevitably follow this act
you now propose to perpetrate.
.:sPause, l entreat you, and consider for q
moment what reasons you can give that will
even satisfy yourselves in ealner moments
what reasons you can give to your fellow suf-
ferers in the calamity that it will bring upon
/.
nations of the earth to justify it? They will
be the calm and deliberate judges in the case,
and TO what cause or one overt act can you
name point, on which to rest the plea of
justification! What right has the North as
sailed What interest of the South has been
invaded : What Justice has been denied
and what claim founded in justice and right
has been withheld3 Can either of you to-day
name one governmental act eS wrong, deliber-
atey and purposely done by the government
of Washington, of which the South has right
to complain 1 challenge the answerl -.
sI must declare here, as have often done
| before, that which has been repeated by the
greatest and wisest of statesmen and patriots
in this and other lands, that it is the best and
freest governmeut-the most equal in its rights
1.-The most just IN its decisions-the most le-
nent in its measures, and the most inspiring
in its principles of elevate the race of men,
that the sun to heaven ever shone upon.
Snow, for you to attempt to overthrow
such government as this, under which we
| have lived for moro than three quarters of a
century-in which we have gained our wealth,
! our standing nation, our domestic safety
while the elements of peril are around us. with
peace and tranquility, accompanied with un-
bounded prosperity and rights unassailed-is
! the highth of madness, folly and wicacdness,
! to which can neither lend my sanction nor
| my vote.''
| The correspondent Of the London Times,
writing from r ichmond under date of March
23d, uses language strongly corroborative OF
Mr. Stephens, predictions. He says;
| " If the civilized powers of Europe could
| only witness the misery which is, from every
acre of this once favored continent, CRYING
aloud to Heaven, il could scarcely be but that
| they would risk some chance of failure rather
| than permit humanity to be outraged by con
| tinuance of such excess of anguish as has Wis.
| tied no nation since the sword first leaped
| from its scabbard and the human heart was
| first sown with the bitter seed of vindctiye-
| ness and hate.
|
/ T.. - II