The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1865-09-14
a Rebel GeneFnI on seecssion-

The following speech made by Qate)
Major General Martin, of the rebel
army, in the Mississippi State Conven-
tion, will do to refresh ones self with
after reading the speeches of a Northern
"Democratic' State Convention. What
loyal man does not feel more ready to
clasp fraternal hands with this rebel
General than with half the Copperhead
politicians of the North. We copy the
speech rs reported by the correspond
ent of the Cincinnati Commercial:
Hon. Wm. IT. Martin, Qnte Major
Generall said he had lately assisted at
the burial of slavery, and he wns ready
and anxious to assist at the funeral of
its twin brother, secession. He was
surprised mt this discussion, for he
thought that if anything was settled by
the late war, it was secession. He had
always opposed the right from his
youth up, and so strenuously that
sometimes he was considered Untrue
to the South. He did not believe any
government was worth n stroke of the
sword which was held together by n
mere rope of sand. 1t was right he
did not want. No State ought to have
such right. 1t wasn't any right, only
shadow-the veriest delusion and
right 1t ought to be taken away from IL,
Gentlemen called it the right of revolu-
toni No constitution gives the right
of revolution against itself; could give
none. Some had deluded themselves
and others with the lying mockery of
ceSSiOH," forsOoth! What did those
words mean? They meant war, star
walton and want; they meant half rn-
tionS, quarter ratiOns, no rations Mt all :
they meant long marches, marches by
night, exhaustion and disease, the ago
nies of the battle field and the lingering
indebtedness of the hospital theT
meant bloody battles and defeat; thev
meant sickness, starvation and death.
| Peacenble secession! 1t meant the risk
ing of all we had or valued !; the aban-
donment of all we had dear, our homes
| and families, of life ITSELF He wanted
it understood, for all future time, that
this was whit 1t meant. He hoped that
no one would ever believe again that il
meant independence. He prayed God
the South might never again rebel, II
at last the day shOuld ever come (lle did
not believe it would GOMEZ when the
weight of tyranny became intolerabIa.
| was more than they could bear, then
| let them resort to revolution, to down
right rebellion, but, in Gods name. Lei
them not undertake this hnl1-handed
rebellion they called sPcessiOni
He had all his life opposed secession
as an absurtlity and n delusion, though
he believed, of course, in the right oI
revolution as belonging to all but he
was thoroughly Southern in feeling
not drop of other blood courSed
| through his veins-and when he found
his whole section going into the war, hC
| was induced to believe that il wis n
genuine revolution, and he could MOI
hold back; he conld not prove unfaith.
full to the country of his pride, aud he
went into the army with all his soul
| and strength, determined to accomplish
! southern Independence. But aIus foI
this miserable farce and delusion oi
| "peaceable SecesSionN-people fOund
themselves mistaken. They expected
a holiday mnrch-poor4 dupes land
haunting banners and an enemy thai
would not fight, But after a few months
| they came upon different circumstances
1 they got to the field of battle-thert
| was gunpowder there, and lead-peo
pie got hurt and lost blood-the enemy
lDOutd L1ht, God wot, and not run away
and all the sport was lost. Then came
returning sense, deserters began to droT
out and go home, or steal away to the
woods and sw0mps-and who were
these deserters2 With shame and bit.
terness he must say it, they were tll6
very people who had brought on tllt
war, and their ,deluded victims, the iq
norant people. ' fl- 2
But still the war went on, and Its
weary years dragged their slow lenrtl
along, and he Thought only how hI
might best promote the cause he hnG
taken up, while others about him. TIN
prnting delnHgogues who proclnimet
peaceable secession to the pe0ple-thes,
sneaked nwny, to escape the dnngers o
the front. Their wretched victims. lls,
'I--weary, and wounded, and sick2sur
feited with lies und vain promises q
their trencherouS politicians - creD
away to die, and the ranks grew thiI
about him, and defeat and ruin stareC
4 them in the face. They came Mt last mn,
overwhelmed him, and who were theI
who were found fighting to the last. in
tent only on saving the countryss homo
and her liberties ? Were any anon,
them who We're SO loud in proclaimin,
"peaceable secession ~ Not one. 7,
Gods name let the South never agail
rebel upon such a miserable, 9niSeJnbi
delusion as the right of secessionl ]
: was stealing away out of the Union
3 they went out at all let them go out no
3 as the fox, stealthily and slyly creer,in
, forth in the night, but as the lion goes
/, with head erect and proudly biddin
, defiance to his foes, Let us not secei
: but rebel. He hoped most devoutl
I that there would never again be any al
/. tempt to separate from the national gov
ernment. He was tired and sick of wa
Cl-tired of fighting the battles of otI
erS, who euttCed him; and MANY Othoy