Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-06-12


me to say that Thousands Of men wiser aud bet.
ter than / am, insist that the doctrine Is sound.
But say they thought, and trey seemed TO
have some mea ure Of right TO bslieve in the
doctrine Of State sovereignty. Wig Because
Of the high authority forthis doctrine In the rst
place. In the second place, because OF the wide
prevalence OF this doctrine. Now, let Us en-.
tighten ourselves by reference to history. Scarce
" was our nation organized under the Constltu'
ton before il divided itself into two great politl'
cal part:es-the Republican and FEDERAL Emil
nent leaders In the Hepupacan party"
ve,. ure. eminent leaders, Jefferson and Madi'
son. very soon began TO teach that the
Constitution favored the doctrine OF state
soyereiQptv. The Republican larty became
more or less leavened under it, all over the land.
The South very soon generally accepted IL
Il IS true that the attempt OF South carolina
about the year 1882, TO reduce the ooctrine 10
practice met With very little favor outside Of that
etate. But the doctrine was never gwen up any.
where, though tie great mass Of thoss who held
Il thong ht no occasion had as yet arisen for pFae-
tlcally asserting the doctrine. Bat in the nrst
election of Abraham Lincoln the south saw sueh
an occasion. A large number OF persons at the
North-hundredi and neutrality-suspicious.
with them. But 1t is due to them In Jeslce, 10
saw that they preferred we should still hold our
selves from violence and should not go to extremts
In redfessing their alleged wrongs. Now, IN the
light OF these facts is t not proper TO admit that
TIE South had strong show OF reason for being
led away by this doctrine OF secession and one
thing more, is 1t not proper for US TO admit that
until now, this doctrine Of State sovereignty mas
been an open question before the American
peopleq loud applause. But let US thank
God for this quest GA is NJ longer open for US to
discuss; /. has been settled forever on the bat
tie field and at the balot-box. Applause. +
This doctrine has cost the American people
so much bloot that they Will have no patience
TO endure its future advocates. but II we are not
hencelorth to recognize il, ask II il be not tlken
as fit ex use for the great cIme OF the nation,
drawn by the influence Of This doctrine into the
commission OF c. iminal actions. certainly hold
the Davises, the Lees, the Breckinridges, greatly
to blame for having chosen Patrick henry, JEFF
ierson aud Calhoun in lieu OF Webs'er Tor their
guide but yet pity rather than blame them.
Had we beea in tn,ir circumstances, would net
we have been tempted to take these distinguished
men for our modes, and inevitably fallen under
their influence SOW perft CT and beautiful Is the
religion OF Jesus Christ and yet think that its
perfection aud beauty all lay IN one point which
the young anu the old, the weak aud wise, the sim
pie and learned con alike understand that
s,uIce of all grandeur ~ IN rule: do as you
would be done by" rolonged appiause.l oh
II we only hzd the magnania.ily now tO apply
this rule and 70 throw the arms OF pity, forget.
fulaess and .oYe around our Southern brethren
[rrolonsed spplause.l And then how qul,kly
we should reach beautiful blessed and blood
less peace | call the Southtrners brethren-it
will not hurt you to call them thus-for they ale
indeed my brethren, dearest 10 my heart. would
loathe MI self If there were within me particle
of hatreu or revenge toward thtm! Applause
Ii we hated them when rampant enen,es, can we
not love them now, when they are fall, toes !
have spoken these words OF kindness toward
our Southern brethDn-l repeat ct Us call them
thus; il cannot hurt us-l have spoken these
word. of kindness toward our Southern brethren
with no reierehce 10 the impeachment Tor Urea
son.
Ii ever there were a time on earth when men
should he HONEST il is now for IN our dlsho4eS-
~ lies the danger Of committing an awful crime.
Ii We punish The South we would be guilty Of q
piece Ut hypocrisy equal TO that vi solomon s
adulteIess, who wiped Ter mouth and said, 81
have done no wickednesS. APP ause. My
fricnds, tie first duty OF the North, OF all the
duiies she has to perform IS to humble herself
by the side OF the SJuth, in com non repentance
Tor common sins. Prolonged applause.
Permit me to make one point more. Let me
sneak OF the assassination, OF which the Sou,h
is not guilty. At the very time Of the assassi-
nation, the wish Of the Southernels Was well nlgh
unanimous TO retain Abraham LrncVln IN tie
presidential chair; for the oOuth well knew that
she had not at the North one friend who would
deal with Ler more justly than that dear, great
man. whose heart was all tenderness. Applause. ]
Whence arose that cline From the prO-slavery
spirit. That pro.slavery spirit prompted assassl'
nation, and il dwelt at the North AS well Is the
ooutn. | am going TO make singular remark.
don't want you 10 mob me, for ! have got you
thus lar on o pretty & Id line. ask you whether
Booth, even Booth, was not as much tile result
of the NOrtrern spirit as lie was OF the South
ernl Was he not moulded by Northern pu pits,
Northern presses Northern us4ges, as welI as
Ly Southern pulpiIs, southern presses, and
southern usages applause. Yes, and slavery
is Us murderUus at tne North Us 1t Is NJ the
south. There never was woryc eyideAce OF the
pro slavery spirit regnant throughout this land
than thai presented in this city two years ago,
when negroes were hung, slam aud burned IN
the very streets. You s.e that need not pro-
coed further than your own city to ind reasons
Tor which we should compassionate the South.
apJlnuse.1 an really disguised with the g.eat
mass OF newspapers. | take up mass vi re-
ligious and political organs and lind mat The
entire blame is laid upon the South and none
whatever upon ourselves. such demonstrations
are the very worst plague that was ever let .ouse
op IN earth by God OF the devil, and when they
c0me into contact with the spirit Of the aristo
crazy there is general inHamIn stion Tor biisto'
cracy is set on the hre VI pro'slsyery, and pro-
slavery Is BET upon the power OF he'll! lap
plause
TAT this stage OF the proceedings MI. smith
was interrupt d by spectator, VINO inq Tired as
IN lie punishment 10 be dealt out to the loaderS
Of the eouth, ii any evidence was given estab
lI,hipg their guilt IN treason. Mr.. smith re-
D led and continued
ppnis6ed enough, aye, aud too much! PRO,
ionred spplsuse.l When We reflect that tbs re
bslion Strung from common political fallacies Of
the North AID South, arose from their common
crime against humanity, Lay again that II ID
our duty 70 repeat rather than to punish.
After touching upon the right Of the negro to
vote, and some ether subjects not particularly
connected with the one uLder discussion Tic
speaker concluded, when Horace Greeley wa'
called for and eano forward on the platform. He
endorsed Mr.. smiths remarks. lie said he was
in favor OF trying evoy person who had aid ID
in starving or shooting prisoners-he did not care
whethc he was in the Northern or Southern
aud r,uu;sbfno, tInr,