The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-09-20
The Federal Government defended By q
Southern Rebel.

NJ
he was second only to Henry Clsy-"hen thai
party was In the zenith OF its glory. Mr..
stephens. on the disruption Of the Wing par
Nv became a leader OF the Democratic hosts,
and nj. mower was never denied, and his pa
,r,o,,sm was ever conceded till his final false
.,ep In the direction OF rebellion. He was
member OF the Georgia Convention that pass
ed the ordnance Of secession he opposed that
moyement In powerful speech which we give
bclow'ior the third time In our columns, but
subsequently, fell in with the current of trea-
son and accepted the Vice Presidency of the
so-called Confederacy, for which be has since
battled with a zeal worthy OF a better cause.
We invite a careful perusal of the speech re-
ferred to, as it triumphantly refutes the thrice
told tale OF copperhead politicians-that the
rebellion was caused by the outrages perpe-
rated upon the South by the people of the
North and the disregard of the Constitution
by the Congress and Government OF the Uni
Jed States. This able speech. be 1t remember
ed, was delivered long after Mr.. Lincoln's
election, but before his inauguration. Re
Mr.. Stephens said:
That this step, once taken, could never be
recalled; and all the balelal and whitening
consequences that follow will rest on the Con-
veniiol Tor all coming time. When we and
our posterity shall see our lovely South desc
lated by the demons of war, which this act of
yours will inevitably invite and call forth !;
when our green nelds OF waving harvests shall
be trodden down by the murderous soldiery
and tiery ear OF war sweeping over our land !;
our temples oil Justice laid in ashes: all the
horrors aud desolalions OF war upon US; who
but this Convention will be held responsible
ior it? and who but him who shall have given
his vote for this unwise and ll-timed measure
shall be held to strict account for this suicid-
al act by the present generation, and probab-
ly cursed and execrated by posterity for all
coming time, for the wide and desolating ruin
hat will inevitably follow this act you NOT
propose o perpetratef
Pause, l entreat you, and consider for a
moment, what reasons can you give that will
even satisfy yourselves in calmer moments
what reasons can you give to your FELLOWSHIP
terers in the Calamity that Il will bring upon
US? WHAT reason can you give TO the ma
tons OF the earth TO Justify IL? They will be
the calm aud deliberate judges in the case
and 10 what cause or one overt act can you
point, GU which to rest the plea of jusiiica-
ton? What right has the North assailed
WHAT interest OF the South has been invad-
ed? What justice has been denied, and
what claim, founded in justice and right has
been withheld? Can either Of you to-day
lame one governmental act OF wrong deliber-
ately and purposely done by the Government
At Washington OF which the South has q
right 10 complain? challenge the answer
While, on the other hand let me show the
f..xx hall II
here the advocate OF the North, but l am
here the friend, the firm friend and lover oil
the South and her institutions, and for this
reason | speak thus plainly, for yours, mine
and every other mans interest, the words oil
ruth and soberness,) of which wish you to
judge, and | will only state facts which are
clear aud un6eniable, and which now stand AZ
records authentic 10 the history of our country
When we OF the South demanded the
slave trade, or the importa ton OF African.
or the cultivation of our lands, did they not
yield the right for twenty years? When we
tsked a three-hflhs representation Congress
Tor our slaves, was it not granted? When we
isked and demanded the return of any fugi-
tive from justice, or the recovery of those
persons owing labor or allegiance, was 1t moi
Incorporated in the Constitution, and agar
ratified and strengthened in the Fugitive
Slave Law of 1850?
Do you reply that in many instances they
! aaye violated this compact, aud have no
been faithful to their engagements? As indi.
\ vidnal and local communities they may have
lone so; but not by the sanction Of the Gov
| eminent; Tor that has always been true L
| Southern interests. Again, gentlemen, looi
| u another fact: when We have asked tina
| more territory should be added, that W,
l night spread the institution of slavery, hav,
hey not yielded to our demands and givel
| Us Louisiana. Florida and Texas, out OF which
our states have been carved. aud ample ter
ritory for four more 20 be added in due time
| Il you, by this unwise and impoitic act d,
aot destroy this hope, and, perhaps, by 1
| lose all, aud have your last slave wrenchet
| rom you By stern military rule, as Soutl
! America and Mexico were, or by the yindic'
| live degree of universal emancipation which
nav reasonably be expected TO follow:
But, again, gentlemen, what have we to gair
| by this proposed change OF our relation TO the
general government? We have always hae
she control, aud can yet, II we remain in it
| and are AS united as we have been. We have
| mad a majority Of the Presidents chosen iron
the South, as well as the control and manage
nent Of those chosen from the North. w,
nave had sixty years of Southern Presidenc,
20 their twenty-four, thus controlling the Ex
scutive departm mt. So of the Judges of tn
| supreme Court, We have had eighteen from
he South, and but eleven from the North, al
hough nearly Jour ffihs OF the judicial bust
ess has arisen In the free States, yet a major
| ~ of tn Court has always been from tn,
1 south. This we have required SO as to guarG
! sgsinst any Interpretation of the Constitution
lnfavorab TO us 10 like manner we hav,
been equally watchful to guard our Interest,
IN the Legislative branch of government. In
choosing the presiding Presidents (pro tenn
Of the Senate, we have had twenty -iour, the,
eleven. Speakers OF the House, we have hat
twenty four. and they twelve. While the ma
iority OF the Representatives, from their great
-r population have always been from tn,
North, yet we have generally secured the
Speaker, because he, to a great extent. shape,
md controls the legislation of the country
Nor have we had less control in every depart
ment of the general government. Attorney
Generals we had fourteen, while the North ha'
nut five. Foreign ministers we had eighty
six, and they but fifty-four. While three
fourths Of the business which demands diplo
matte agents abroad is clearly from the Norti
from their greater commercial interests, We
we have had the principal embassies so as I,
secure the worlds markets for our cotton, TO
hacco and sugar on the best possible terms
We have had vast majority OF the higher Of
does OF both army and navy, while large pro
portion Of the soldiers and sailors we're draw
from the North. Equally so of Clerks, Audi
tors and Comptrollers filing the Executive
Department; the records show that for the
last tifty years, of the three thousand thus en-
ployed We have had more than two-thirds
while We have had but one. third of the white
population of the Republic.
Again, look at another item, and one, be as
sured, in which we have great and vital in
teresi; ii is that Of revenue, or means OF sup
porting government. From official documents