Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1865-10-19
Causes and Results of Secession
An Apology for Southern
Union Men.
Letter from Hon. Kenneth Ray
ner. Of North Carolina.

Hen. Kenneth Rayner, of North Carroll
IA, has written long letter to Dr. William
Elder, of the Treasury Department at
Washington, in which he explains how he,
who had long been strenuous opponent OF
secession, was induced to yield to the move
ment and cast in his lot with the rebels. -
MIR. Rayner also makes many interesting
comments on the question at issue between
the North and South. We present synop-
sis of the letter, which is far too lengthy to
be inserted entire.
MIR Rayner says that on first taking seat
in the National House of Representatives, in
1889, he foresaw and predicted that slavery
agitation, it not arrested would end in the
destruction Of the Union. In his spec ches
in Congress in lS4l and lS45 he used the
strongest arguments he could bring to bear
to restore harmony between the opposing el-
ements, and in his address to the graduating
class at West Point in 1853 implored the
cadets, next TO liberty. to love and reverence
the Union: In 1854 he was a prominent
member OF the National Guard Council of
the Know Nothing Order, and was the sole
originattr Of the third or Union degree, the
NutOu tOth u tuUSt StTlnEHut Out II
to employ their greatest energies in support
OF the Union and in opposition to secession.
In the session Of the North Carolina Legis.
loture Of 1928, he made what he consid
cred his ablest speech against q series of
resolutions affirming the doctrine of seces-
sion. ln lS56-57 he opposed the repeal of
the Missouri Compromise, aud rhe bred
Scott decision. which he regarded as mon.
strous perversion of the laws OF the land
and as dragging the judicial ermine in the
dirty puddle Of party politics. The very
day the news OF the repeal of the Compro.
mise reached Raleigh, he declared publicly
IN the streets that il had given the death
blow to slavery, aud, he feared. to the Union
also After the election of Mr.. Lincoln, in
1860, he still maintained-the caase of the
Union. The failure of the Peace Congress
in March, 1861, made him sick at heart. and
the fall of Fort Sumter made him feel that
dark rkness had enveloped the land, but on the
10th OF May, 1861, in common with every
other member Of the North Carolina Oo1.
yention, he voted for secession. He saws
he cannot defend his consistency in so do.
ing, and that it would have been for his
peace of mind had he voted no, although
standing alone in doing so. He however,
thinks there were palliating, circumstances
in the course which he and other Union
men then pursued, He says:
North Carolina was the most thorough
Union State in the South, except, perhaps,
Kentucky. She was, | believe, the last State
to secede except Tennessee. She waited
long and anxiously to see ifsome compromise
could be made to preserve peace. Her
people had voted down by an overwhelming
majority, a proposition for calling Con.
yention, in February. 1861, under the hope
that an amicable adjustment would be ar
rived at. Our people were looking to
Washington, to the Buchanan adminis...ss.
tion, as, representing the national power
az And authority, to see what they would do.
iiiey looked 10 vain. And here must say
that ! regard james Rgohapap a. more re-.
sponsible for the disasters and horrors Of
the last four years than any man in the ma
ton. The people Of the South had very
kindly feelings for bin, In fact, he was
more popular with the ultra men of the
South, on account Of his connivanoe at the
Kansas outrage, his dogma about having