The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-09-07
Speech of q Confederate General.

| The following eloquent remarks were
made by Major General William T.
Martin, late of the rebel army, in the
Mississippi Convention, on the PROPOSE
ton to repeal the ordinance of seces-
sion: '
Honorable William T. Martin ,Qate
Major GeneraD said he had lately as
sisted at the burial of slavery, and he
was ready and anxious to assist at the
funeral of its twin-brother, secession.
He was surprised at 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 some
times he was considered untrue to the
South. He did not believe any govern
ment 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 a right
| It wasn't any right, only shadow, the
veriest delusiOn and mOckery. II any
State had such right, it ought to be
taken away from it. Gentlemen called
| it the right of revolution! No constitu-
| ton gives the right of revolution against
itself; could give none, Some had de-
luded themselves and Others with the
| living mockery Of "peaceable secession"
u Peaceable secession" forsooth! What
!, hose words mean? They meant
did ;, nd desolation, and want !;
war, a.. It half-rations, quarter
they mean ms at all; they meant
rations, no ratiU. hes by night, priva-
long marches, marc.- 'onies of the bat
ton and disease, the ag- -vretchedness
tle-field, and the lingering, ''ody bat
of the hospital; they meant bi. uess,
ties and defeat; they meant slcA, g
starvation, and death. PeaceaDie seSed
sion! 1t meant the isking OF an we nau
or valued; the abandonment OF an We
held dear, our homes aud 1amilie' co.
life itself. He wanted 1t ,mdersto9u, ~
all future time, that this was wha a,,a ~
meant. He hoped no one woalo ever
believe again It me,lnt independence.
He prayed God the South might never
again rebel. If at last the day shou,d
ever come Che did n OF believe It woula.
Gomez when the we light OF tyranny pc
came intolerable, as more than they
could bear, then let them resort to revo-
luton, to downrie hit rebellion, nut,
in Gods name, let them not under
take this half-hau ded rebellion they
called secessionl He had all his
life opposed seeesEi on as an absurdity
and delusion, tnoI Ugh he believed, of
course, in the RICH { of revolution. as
belonging TO all; bu. { he was thoroughly |
Southern in his fee. 'ing-not drop of
other blood coursed ( trough his veins
and when his whole &c 'ction went into the
war, he was induced to believe that it |
was a genuine revolution, and he could |
not holt aloof. He could not prove I'M
faithful to his people and the country of
his pride, and he went into the army
with ali his soul and strength, determ-
ined to accomplish southern indepen-
dence. But alas for this miserable farce
and delusion of peaceful secession -
people found Themselves mistaken.
They expected a holiday nlarch-poor
dupes land Haunting banners and an
enemy that would not fight. But after,
u few M onths they came upon different
circumstances--they got to the field of
battle--there was gunpowder there, and
lead-people got hurt and lost blood
the enemy would fight, God wot, and
not run away, and all the sport was lost.
Then came returning sense, deserters
began to drop out and go home, or steal
away to the woods and swamps-and
who were these desertefsg With shame
and bitteypseS be must say it, they were
f. ID