Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1864-04-20
Srui- lUpPktg 6tau1llar4.
SPEECH OF HON. ALEX. H. STEPHENS

for The AtIiHtG IHtetGigeRe6F by Il. u. AdFStdtt,
and revised 6y himSeJ. --.ss 10 80 10 i54'is
At the hour of II o'clock, P. ~ the Hail had
been filled to its utmost capacity by members of the
Legislature aud citizens generally and as the vast
assemblagc within saw the beloved form Of Georgas
proud and noble son, every eye grew bright with
Joy, and hearty and unanimous applause bid him
welcome. ---... . .. ~ .r--5l-,ls
Mr.. Stephens aseeniicd the Speakers stand and
spoke as follows: fsa-
Gentea,en IF tic Senate ana 80 -
-. Noase Of Representatives.: 49, %
In compliance with your request or at least with
that Of large portion Of yeur respective bodies, Il
appear b;fOre you to night to speak OF the state OF
public aiflrS. Never, perhaps, before, have risen
10 address public audience under circumstances
of so much responsibility and never did feel more
deeply impressed with the weight Oft Questions
OF the most mOmentOuS importance are pressing up
on you for consideration and action. Upon these |
am to address You. Would that my ability, ply
sically and in all other respects, were commensurate
with the magnitude of the occasion. Wearc in the
midst Of dangers and perIls Dangers without and
dangers within. Scylla on the one side and Cha
rybGis On the other. War is being waged against
us by q strong, INSCRIPTIONS and vindlcuve foe;
war for our subjugation, degradation and extermi-
nation. From thus quarter threaten the perilS with
out Those within arise from questions Of policy as
to the best means the wSeSt and Safest to repel the
enemy, achieve our independence, TO maintain and
keep secare our rights and liberties. Upon the de-
Csi0n of these questions, looking to the proper de-
selo?ment of cur limited resources, wisely AMI pa
trotcaly, 50 that their entire efficiency may be
exerted in our deliVeranee, with, at the same tme
watchfu vigilance to the safety of the citadel it.
SELF as much depends upon the skill OF our COM
naEderS and the vaior Of our citizen soldiers in the
ded Every thing dear to as freem2n is at stake.
An error in Judgment though Springmg from the
most patriotic motives whether in councils OF
mr. q thlretOrp
who rises under such circuIS stances to Oler words
Of advice, not only assumes a position CT great &C.
:ponsibility, but stands OF dangerous ground In
pressed profoundly with such feelings and convic
tons, / should shrink from the undertaking you
nave called ne to- out for the strong consciousness
hat where duty leads no one should ever fear to
tread Great as are the dangers that threaten US,
perilous as is situalion-and do not intend to
0verState or undeTstate neither to awaken undue
apprehension, or to excite h pcs and expectations
never to be realized. Peril0uS, therefore as our
,ituaton is it is far, far from being desperate or
tlopeless and feel no hesitation in saying to you,
a all frapknesS and caTdGr that if We are true to
ourselves, and true TO cause, all will yet be we'll
In tie progress Of the thus far it is true there
is much to be seen of suffering of sacrifice and of
,lesolation much to scken the heart and cause
blush for civilization and Christianity. Cities have
been taken, towns lave been sacked, vast amounts
nfpropertv have been burned, fields have been laid
been desecrated, women and children have been
driven from their homes, unarIned men have been
ut to death States have been OverTHn and WHOLE
populations made to groa2 under the heel Ct des-
potism; all these things are seen and felt, but IN
mem nothing is to be seen TO cause dismay, much
ass despair; these deeds of ruin and savage barba
litY have been perpetIated only on the outer Dor
LerS on the coast and the line of the rivers
where by the aid of their ships of and gunboats
he enemy has had the advantage; the great
breadth of the nterior-the heart OF our country
las never yet been reached by them; they have as
ct after struggle of near three years, with IN
limited means at a cost of not less than four thou.
and millions of dollars chow much more is un-
inown) and hundreds IF thousands of lives, been
able only 10 break the outer shell Ct the Conledera
Y. The Cnly signal advantages they have as yet
;ained have been on the water, where their land
nd naval forces were combined Tha: they should
lave gained advantages uDder such circumstances,
IS got matter-0i much surprise. Nations in war,
Ike individual men animals, show their zeal
over in Combat when they stand upon the ad
antagcs that nature has given them, and fight
"a their own ground aid in their own ee-
Elent. The lion though king cf the forest, C n
rot contend successfully with the shark i'll the
later. In conflict Ui aruls away from gunooats,
curing the whole war since tie first battle of Ma
to that Of Ocean Pond, have gallant SOL
d ers failed of victory when the numbers each
s:de were at all equal The farthest advance into
the interior from the base and protection of their
i:unjoas, either the coast the rivers that the
lemy has been able to make for three years was
ne late movement from VIchsbGrg to MerdIan and
ne speedy Turn Of that movement shows nothing
more clearly than the difficulties and disadvantages
attending all such these things should be noted
and marked in considering our present situation
and the pr0sI ecs of the future. In all our losses
up to this tine, vital blow has ever been given
either to cur cause Il our energies. We still hold
i F., ,ixTh
force and strategy. We still hold ON the Gulf Mo-
bile, and on the ocean front, Wilmington, Savan.
uah and Charleston. These places have been, and
are still held against the most formidable naval
armament ever put atlJat
At Charleston the enemy seem to direct all their
power, land and naval that can lie brought to bear
IL combinatlOn-all their energy, rancomr and ven
geance. "Cutha50 deLehdq est is their VOW SIS to
this devoted city. Every means that money can
command and ingenuity suggest, from the hugest
engines Of war never before known to the fendish
resort of Greek fire, have been and are being ap-
piled for its destruction. For nearly nine months
the city, under the skill CT our consummate CON-
mander, his SubordnateS, and the heroic virtues OF
our matchlcss braves in the ranks, still holds out
against all the disadvantages of defence without
suitable naval aid. That she may continue to hold
out and her solnever be polluted by the unhallow.
ed foot print Ct her vandal besiegers is of course
the earnest wish of all. But if so great dis
aSter should happen to US as the loss of Charleston
be not dsmayed, indulge no sentiment akin to that
of despair-Charleston is not vital part We may
lose that place. Savannah, Mobile, Wilmington, and
even Richmond, the seat Of the government, and
still survive. We may lose all our strong places
the enemy may traverse our great interior as they
have lately done in Mississippi, and we may still
survive. We should, even under such calamities,
be no wc=Se off than cur ancestors were in their
struggle for Independence. During the time that
"trled mems souls with them, every CITY on the
coast from Boston TO Savannah, was taken by the
enemy. Philadelphia was taken, and Congress driven
away. South Carolina, North Carolina portions Of
Georgia Virginia and other States were overrun and
occupied Gy the enemy as completely as Kentucky,
Missouri, L:u!aiala, and Tennessee are now. Take