The Xenia sentinel. [volume] (Xenia [Ohio]) 1863-186?, 1864-03-22
Speech Of A. H. stephens.

l SnO USo4S "a Cldu6 OOuf fSAtLOui III = Lu 4dA 3
1861, three years ago. Let the rebel ad-
vOcates Of this war Peluse this speech,
and weigh we'll its facts andits arguments.
1t is a crushing reply to Southern advo-
Gates Of the rebellion, and when they
vOciferate &c the South has been injured,
and had been denied her rights in the
Union. We indOrse the sp, ech now, mad
we iudorsed it when delivered. How is
it with those who made him Vice Presi-
dent? Mr.. Stephens said:
This step (of Secession) once taken
can never be recalled and all the baloful
and withering consequences that must fol-
low will rest on the convention for all
coming time. When We and our poster
ity shall see our lovely South desolated by
the demon Of war, l0hich this act Of yours
l0iU ineUitaJly inUite and call forth; when
our green fields Of waving harvest shall
/ be trOdden down by themurderous sOldiery
and fiery cry Of war sweeping over our
land our temples Of justice laid in ashes;
all the horrors and desolations Of war
upon US; lChO but this contention t1iU be
held responsible for It ? and who but him
who shall have given his vote for this un-
wise and il-timed measure, as honestly
think and believe, shall be held to strict
account for this suicidal act by represent
generation, and probably cursed and exc
Grated by pOsterity for all coming time,
for the wide and desolating ruin that will
inevitably follow this act you now propose
to perpetrate?
THE NORTH BLAMELEGs.
Pause, I entreat you, and consider for
moment what reasons you can give
that will even satisfy yourselves in ealmer
moments-What reason you can give to
your fellow sufferers in the calamity that
it will bring upon as What reason can
you give to the nations of the veafth1=to
justify it Z? They viii be calm and delib-
crate judges in the case. Or what cause
or overt act can you point to, on which 10
rest the plea of justification? ? l0hat right
has the North aSsailede What interest
Of the South has been invaded /? What
Justice has been denied, and what claim,
founded in justice and right, has been
withheld? Can either Of you name one
governmental act Of wrong, deliberately
and purposely done by the Government Of !
Washington, Of which the South has a
right to complain ? challenge theansWer. |
While, on the other hand, let me
show thefacts (and believe me, gentlemen,
[ am not here the advocate-of the North, |
but I am here the friend, the firm friend |
and lover of the South, and her institutions,
and for this reason speak thus plainly |
and faithfully for yours, and mine, and |
every other mans interest, the words of |
truth and soberness), F., Of which I wish you
to judge, and will only state facts which /
are clear and undeniable, and which now
stand as records authentic 10 the history of |
our country.
When We of the South demanded the
slave trade, or the importation of Africans
for the cultivation Of the land, did they
not yield the right for twenty years ?
When we asked a three-ffths representa-
ton in Congress for our slaves? WhenRe
asked and demanded the return Of any
fugitiVes from justice, or the recovery of
those persons owing labor or allegiance,
was it not incorporated in the Constitution,
and again ratified and strengthened by the
Fugitive Slave Law Of 1850? But do you
reply that in many instances they have vi
olated the compact, and have not fulfilled
their engagement? as individuals and local
communities they may have done so, but
not by the sanction of Government, for
that has always been true to Southern
interests.
Again, gentlemen, look at another fact;
when we have asked that we might spread
the institution of slavery, have they not
yielded to our demands, in giving Us
Louisiana, Florida and Texas, out Of
which four States have been carved, and
ample territory for four or more to be ad-
ded, if you, by this unwise and impolitic
act, do not destroy this hope, and perhaps,
by it lose all and have your last slave
Wrenched from you by stern military rule.
IS South America and Mexico we're or
by vindictive decree of a universal eman-
,ipatiOn, which may reasonably be expect
I'd to follow?
WHAT THE SOUTH HAD IN THE UNION.
But, again, gentlemen, what have we to
gain by this proposed change Of our rela-
ion to the General Government? We
lave always had the control, and can yet,
f we remain in it and are united as we
lave been. We have had a majority of
he Presidents chosen from the South, as q
veil as the control aud management of =
most of those chosen from the North. We
lave had sixty years Of Presidents to their
wenty- four, thus controlling the Execu-
i've Department So of the Judges Of /
be Supreme Court, we have had eighteen
rom the South, and but eleven from the =
North; although nearly four-6fths of L
judicial business has arisen in the free t.
itates, yet a majority Of the Court has al
rays been from the South.
This we have required, so as to guard Il
gainst any Interpretation Of the COnsti- Il
utiOn unfaVorable to US. In like manner 81
re have been equally watchful to guard
ur interests in the legislative branch of
Government. In choosing the presiding G
residents ( pro tenn of the Senate, we C
ave had twenty-four to their eleven. i
peakers Of the House, we have had twen- \
y-three and they twelve. While the ma
,rity Of the Representatives, from their to
reater population, have always been from NJ
lie North, yet we have so generally seeur- Ii
the Speaker, because he, to a great cx- ..
mt, shapes and controls the legislation :,
the country. III
Nor have we had less control in every
her department of the General Govern .-
ent. Attorney Generals we have had =
urteen, while the North have had but u
7e. Foreign ministers we have had u
ghty-six, and they but 6fty-four. ca
Thile three fnurths of the business which mr.
,mands diplomatic agents abroad is clear n,
from the free States, from their gre tier
numerical interest; yet we have had the 10
iucipal embassies, so as to secure the on
1rld market for cotton, tobacco and sugar, ba
the best possible terms. We have had cal
vast majority of the higher Offices of tb,
tn army and navy, while large portion -
the soldiers and sailors were drawn from Id.