The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1864-03-08

denuuciation to make of those who are moving this
question They are as sound men, no doubt, as
am, as you areas anybody; they are my friends;
but I think it is wrong. Suppose you cali Con.
veution without any design, it shall put the State
out of the Confederacy You merely call it with
the hore that it may be able to make some pfopo-
sition for peace or accomplish some result, n the
direction of peace that the Legislature or the Elk
ecutive are unable to bring about Suppose you
call Convention for this purpose; you elect your
delegates, and the FIRST thing they do on taking
their seats is to swear the Holy Evangeliss, to
support the Constitution of the Confederacy. Now,
having done that, take it for granted that they,
as honorable men, will keep that oath. What does
that Constitution say? Why, in article l, section
@, it reads as follows sNo State shall enter into
any treaty, alliance or confederation And IN ar.
ticle 2, section IL, it says 1.-The President shall
have power by and with the advice and consent OF
the Senate, to make treaties, provided two-thirds
of the Senate concur" Now, you see that the
Constitution your delegates have sworn to support
expressly provides that the power to declare war
and to make peace shall be vested in the President
and Senate of the Confederacy; and the moment
one of your delegates makes proposition or prof.
ters treaty Of any kind to the enemies OF his
country, he is traitor by the law and has fore
sworn himself. (Arplause) That is so; net be-
cause say it, but because it is written IN the Con-
stitution we have all agreed to support If you do
not intend to instruct your delegates to take your
State out of the Confederacy, you see, from this
aspect of the question, your Convention assembled
can do nothing more towards realizing the end in
view than your Legislature or your Governor can
accomplish. 1t can't turn wheel.
Well, suppose you go little further, and say
you will instruct your delegates to take the State
out of the Confederacy, because when it is out 1t
is relieved from the obligation of the Constitution
aud rests upon separate and independent basis.
Surprising also, that it is not your design to JOIN
the United States government again, but only 70
20 out as an independent sovereignty for the pur-
pose of securing peace to yourself ana Possloiy
effecting the same desirable end for all parties
Well, you pass an ordinance of secession-take an
other dose of this political hoarhound tea-and
nothing [ know of is more bitter unless it is a
boneset decoction-( Laughter -and set up for
yourselves. Is that going to give you peace Will
that restore your sons and fathers their homes
Will that hush the cry of the orphan and dry the
widows tears? Will. that fill your land with plenty
and prosperity? So far from it, can assure you,
my fellow citizens, it will involve you in new
war, bloodier conflict than that you now depore.
"But," you may say, "Mr Davis and his govern
ment will not dare to make seeding State,
because the right of secession is recognized in the
friends; but you see, by that time you have thrown
off that Constitution, you have gotten from under
its obi cations and sworn you would have nothing
to do with it DO you expect the Contederacy to
be bound by document you refuse to recognize
as affecting yourselves? So soon as you announce
to the world you sovereign and independent
nation, a matter of course the Confederacy has
the right of declaring war against you, for sutf-
cert cause, equally with the right she holds of de-
Anlla
This right is inherent in all soyere gnties.
But wha: would Uncle Abraham say to it-that
old gentleman whose personal pulchritude has been
the subject of so much remark x Laughter )-and
who, they say, can tell more BAD jokes than can.
Naughter.) How would he receive the lntelli-
gence that North Carolina had seeded from the
Confederacy and set up for herself: He would
put bis thumb up to his nose and make certain
gyrations and evolutions with his finger and say :
"Waul, ole North Carolini, I'm tarnation glad ter
see yer come outer jeff Davis's little consarn,
swow; but yer don't mean to go for to say yer amt
in the Union agin and under the perfection of the
best government the world ever saw? Bin filth
yer too long to let you sneak out that way" (Con-
tinued laughter and applause)
Why, of course, if such "a proceeding on the
part Of North Carolina would secure her indepen-
dence it would only be necessary for State to
secede at time, get herself acknowledged, and,
alter all were OUT turn round and form Such
Confederacy as best pleased them. Old Abraham
is fighting US not because we are part Of the
Southern Confederacy, but because we are in re-
bellion to the Old Union; and SO long we re-
fused obedience to him he would continue to fight
us. The idea that Lincoln would recognize or
abate his claim to allegiance and obedience, is pre-
postereus. WE'LL would the Southern Confederacy
recognize your independence and make a treaty of
peace with you? This is entirely owing to con-
tingencies. If you went out of the Confederacy
and declared yourself independent, you would have
70 announce and enforce your position OF neutrali-
ty with reference to the other belligerents there
would be occasion for war. How could you pre-
serve your neutrality when once announced The
only railroad communication between the armies
of Gen Lee and of Gen Johnston, between Virginia
ard the remainder of the Confederacy, is through
North Carolina. You do not suppose We could, as
neutral State, permit the Government at Rich
mond to communicate across our territory with its
Southwestern armies. Gen Lee sends some of his
veterans down here, takes possession of the rail-
roads-the very arteries of the Confcderacy-and
hugs anybody who nterferes with him-and so
you have fro wars instead of one There is an
other consideration involved great portion of
the provisions that feed Gen Lees army are OBJ
tanned in North Carolina. AS neutral State you
could not sell them, and he would be forced to
have them it is not difficult to foresec how speedi-
ly North Carolina would become the seat of war
Moreover, his troops would say: "Thesc fellows
have basely abandoned US, left TO fate and
don't deserve mercy. Old Abe would send
his troops here also, because we would no longer,
be neutral, and if you will pardon the express
ion we would catch the devil on all sides