The Howard union. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1865-1866, 1865-09-21
A REBEL sOLDIER's SPEECH.

In tne Iate mississippi OonSutulonai
Convention, body which, besides setting
a good example to all its rebel sisters in
the tone aud temper of its proceedings,
displayed an ability and wisdom recalling
the best days Of Southern statesmen, a
speech was made by the Hon. William
M. Martin, late a rebel Major General,
which we commend TO the Southern poll
ticians ~
He said he had lately assisted at the
burial of slavery, and he was ready and
anxious to assist OF the burial of his twin
brother, secession. He was surprised at
this discussion, for he thought that if any
thing was settled by the late war, it was
secession. He had always opposed the
right from his youth up, and SO strenousiy
that he was sometimes considered untrue
to the South. He did not believe any Gov
ernment was worth stroke of the sword
which was held together by mere rope Of
sand. 1t was right he did not want. No
State ought TO have such right. 1t wasn't
any right, only show, the veriest delusion
and mOckery. If any State had such a
right it ought TO be taken away from it.
Gentlemen called It the right of revolution!
No Constitution gives the right of revOlu.
tion against itself; could give none. Some
had deluded themselves and others with the
lying mockery of peaoeable secession.
"PeaceaJle secession, forsooth! What did
these words mean? They meant half
rations, quarter-rations, no rations at oil ;
they meant war, and desolation, and want ;
they meant long marches, marches by night,
privation and disease, the agOnies Of the
battle field, and the lingering wretchedness
of the hospital; they meant bloody battles
and defeat; they meant sickness, starvation
= and death. Peaceable secession 1t mean
the riskng of all we had or valued; !ht
abandonment Of all we held dear, our home
s and families, of life itself. He wanted
understood, for all the future time, that thi
was what it meant. He hoped that no on
: would ever believe again that it mean
independence. He prayed God the. Soutl
v might meyer again rebel. If at last th'
day should ever come Che did not believ
it would come) when the weight OF tyran
L ny became iptolerabe, was more than the,
could bear, then let them resort to revolu
ton, to downright rebellion, but in God
name, let them not undertake this half
handed rebellion they called secession H
had all his life opposed secession as a
!. absurdity and delusion, though he believe
of course, in the right Of revolution, q
u belonging to all; but that he was thorough
Southern in his feelings-not a drop c
other blood coursed through his veins
and when he saw his whole section goin
into the war, he was. induced to believ
- that it was genuine revolution, ard h
could not hold aloof, He could not prov
unfaithrul to his people and the country
his pride, and he went into the army wit
all his soul and strength, determined
y, accomplish Southern independence. Bl
alas for this miserable farce and delusiOn
"peaceable secession" people found then
D. selves mistaken. They expected holida
~ march poor dupes land Haunting banner
:, and an enemy that would not fight. B
after few months they came upon diffe
ent circumstances-they got to the field
battle-there was gunpowder there, al
,st lead-people got hurt and lost bloOd-tl
enemy ,couId fight, God wOt, and not RI
81 away, and all the sport was lost. Tht
lte came returning sense; deserters began
=, drop out and go home, or steal away to Il
ga woods and swamps-and who were the
S4i deserters? With shame and bitterness
64 must sag ii, they ucere the very people ~
irs had brought on the war, and their delad
Uictims the ignorant people. But the w
/. went on, and lis weary years dragged the
lot slow length along, and he thought only he
n; he might best promote the cause he h
in taken up, while others about him, the pr'
nat IL. 1,,oooo,,os ,,,ho ,rool ;,,,J ,oooaaL
tO tIlllb uCihhEOEH0S WI" IHOb'HHhNH PN"SS"~
IN secession to the people-these sneak
,at away. to escape the dangers Of the frol
p. Their wreched victims aso-weary a
Of wounded and sick surfeited with lies a
of the vain promises of their treacherous po
ticians-crept away to die, the ranks gre
lys thin about him, and defeat aud ru
fit stared them in the face, They came at Ia
and overwhelmed him and the little han
full that stood around him. And who we
,me ,ne they who were found fighting to the la
ly. intent only on saving the eountry's hon
old and her liber'y9 Were any among the
ry. who were so loud in proclaiming "peac
ION able secesson?" Not one. In Coo
the name, let the South never again rebel up
'No such miserable delusion as the rig
Of secession ! 1t was stealing away {
of the Union; If they went out at