The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1863-09-02

= word-or Of those French Huguenots, "whC
o thrice in the Sixteenth Century, contended wit
# heroic spirt and various fortunes against all 10
genius Oi the house of Lorainne, aud all th
= poSer OF he house OF Valois." England an
s France have not recognized us-haye not raise
D the blockade have not shown US any sympathy
. nor j. there any probability that they eve
siil, aud that Cotton Is not King is now univer
a -aliy acknowledged And Maryland has no
; joined the Confederacy, nor has Kentucky no
} Missouri ever really been with Us Slavery ha
not only not been perpetuated in the States, no
j extended ia the territories but Missouri ha
passed al act Of emancipation, and Maryland il
ready 70 do 80 rather than give up her place il
the Union. and the last hope of obtaining on,
foot OF the Territories for the purpose OF extend
ing slavery has departed from the Confederacy
forerer. The grievances caused by the failure
OF some of the Northern States to execute the
Fugitive Slave law, have not only not been rene
died, but more slaves have been los. to the South
forever since secession was inaugarated, than
NO ID have escaped from their masters in the
Union for five centuries And how have they
kept f-eir promise that they would respect the
sovereignty and rights Of the States; What
ever the Government NAV b. IN theory, in fac
We have a grand military consolidation, which,
almost entirely ignores the existence Of the
7
highest Judicial tribunals. The great centra
despOtism az Washington, as they were pleased
TO call 1t, vas at auy time previous to the com
1 mencement OF the secession movements, and
| even for some time after il had commenced a
most mild and beuefcent Government compared
/ with the central desp0tiSm at Richmond under
| which We are now living.
Instead of early and permanent establish
inenl Of the " wealthest and best Government
ia the world, with unbOunded credit" what have
W. go.' in spite of all the victories which
they profess TO have obtained over the Yankees,
they have lost the States of Missouri, Kentucky,
Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Ten
nessee snd, in my humble opinion, have lost
them forever; an, in all probability Alabama
will soon be added TO the number This will
leave TO the Coniederacy but fve States out of
the original thirteen, and of these FIVE the Yan>
KEGS have possession Of many Of the most i'm
pOriat points and one third Of their territory
So far, the Yankees have never failed to hold
every place of importance which they have
taken, aud present indications are that Charles
ton will soon be added to the number. The
campaign Of Gen. Lee into Pennsylvania has un
dOubtedly proved failure, and with it she last
| hope OF cOuquering peace by q successful in
vasiOn OF the enemys country. Our army has
certainly been very much weakened and diepiri-
ted by 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 slG ely gaining upon Us acre by
acre, mile by mile, and unless Providence inter
poses in our behslf-of which | see no indca-
tions-we will, at no great distance of time, be
subjugsted people.
AS to our unbounded credit based upon the
security of King Cotton, it is unnecessary to
Wa If ba inf
tia States in the Confederacy discreditiRg a
very large part of the Confederate currency,
and the Confederate Government itself repu-
dating, to some extent, its most solemn obliga
tons, we cannot but suppose that the confidence
Of other nations in the good faith and credit OF
this Government is small indeed. As regards
their promise 70 go to the war and spill the last
drop of their blood in the cause OF their beloved
South" will say nething. Everybody knows
how the SecessiOnists of North Carolina have
kept that promise. Everybody knows that the
leaders, with a few honorable exceptions, will
neither fight nor negotiate.
What ceplorable spectacle does the fOrego-
ing history present to our view To what
desperate pass have they brought Us, and for
what? They say that they did it because the
North would give US no guarantee on the Slavery
question | have before stated that not one Of
the Conventions of the seven Cotton States ever
demanded any guarantee whatever. Nay, they
even refused to accept of any if their friends of
the Border States NOud procure it for them
The Legislature OF North Carolina, at its regu-
lar session in January, 1851, adopted resolutions
appointing Commissioners to the Peace Congress
at Washington City, and also to the Convention
which assembled at Montgomery, Alabama, in
February, 1861, and for the purpose of adopting
Constitution, and establishing a Provisional
Government for the Confederate States Of Amer
ca. On the motion of the writer of this, the
resolution appointing Commissioners to Ment-
gOmery was amended so as 10 instruct them i" to
act only as mediGtors, and use every effort pos
sible to restore the Union upon the basis of the
CriHenden propositions, as modified by the Le-
gisldture of Virginia" The Commissioners un-
der these instructions we're the Hon. d. L. Swan,
Gen. VI. W Ransom, and John L. Bridgers, Esq,
who, upon their return submitted 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 that
they had the most ample opportunities of ascer-
tanning public opinion on the cotton States, and
then add: I'VE regret to be constrained to
state, as the result of our inquiries, made under
such circumstances, that only very deciGed mi
ROTtty of the community in these States are dis
posed at present 10 entertain taVOrably an pro-
position OF adjustment which look toward re-
construction 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 Con-
gress. The resolutions Of the General Assembly
are upon the table OF the Congress- and having
submitted them as peace Offering, We would
poorly perform the duties assigned to US by en-.
tering into discussions which would serve only
20 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 accep-
| ted. 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 30 amend the
Constitution as TO perpetuste Slavery in the
States. What stronger guarantee could De given
40 far as the States we're concerned, il 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, scts we're passed to pro-
vide temporary Governments for the three re-
naming new Territories, 10 wit: Colorado. Ne
vsda, and Decotah. These acts contain DO trace
or indication OF the Wilmot Pro=iso. nor any
prohibition against the Introduction of Slavery,
tut on the other hand, expressly declare among
other things, that no law shall be passed i'm
pairing the rights Of private property nor shaI
any discrimination be made in taxing different
kinds Of property, but all property subject tC