Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1866-09-29
Virginia and Secession.

was Governor a. the time bis opinion
may have some weight:
would be false 10 all my convictions,
false to The honored mother who gave me
birth, fsl.e TO every obligation of duty
and patriotism, if could on an occasion
like this, fail to raise my voice in her de-
fence. against lhe impu'allon, that che
and the South were chsrgeabIe with orig
mating this war. Ii is no, so, my coun-
trymen. No honest man can, in my
opinion, lay his hand upon his heart, sp-
peal to God for the truth of his convc-
tions, and conscienliously declare that
this war is justly chaigeable TO Us. Ii
was forced upon us, and mainly by the
political parsons, and the politicians Of
New England. Blu, for their unceasng
assaults upon the Institutions Of the South,
ontinueJ year alter year, we should
have never had war between the sec.
lions composing ,he Union.
For years past, II has been apparent 10
the most casual observer, that the coniro-
versy thus provoked, and carried on
would end in bloodshed, sooner or later.
No appeal, no warning, from patriotic
men 10 either section, could control or III.
huence this spirit. 1t was persistent, un-
compromising. vindiciise, malignant, and
apparently Indifferent to consequences. Ii
pursued lis objec. steadily, and with a
devotion, that neither tagged nor faller-
ed. Its purpose was the extermlna,ion
Of slavery, pesceably if possible, but il
not, then through blood and carnage. II
sought power, and demanded the control
Of The government. and ii selected the
means bes, calculated 10 secure the end,
and upon the principle lba, the end lus''
hes tho means. 1t was insolenl, over
bearing, exacling in lis demands, and
would be satisfied with nothing less than
abiecl submission 10 its behests.
No appeals or remons'rances of South
ern men were needed. The dangers
which were threatening lhe peace OF the
country excited neither alarm nor appre-
hensiOn in the North, and things cOnIln'
usd TO grow worse, until war, with all lis
horrors came upon the land, and deluged
it in blood.
But TO go still further back in the his
tory Of The nation. The Convention
which formed The Constitution leh some
important questions un.euled, which con.
,inued to be subjects of discussion from
that day until the war was declared. As
general thing, the people of the South,
and large and infuen'ial party in The
North, maintained The doctrine Of States
Rights. as taught in the celebrated Virgin
ia and Kentucky Resolutions of 1893, and
The Virginia Report of 80. These mas
,erly documents, the work Of The Creates
minds OF their day in Virginia, inculca,ed
the doctrine that the States were sover'
eign, and that The allegiance OF the Gilt
Zen therefore was duo 10 his State; upon
the principle that sovereign power snd
slleg.s .snce went together.
The Federal Government being the
result of the action Of sovefeign States,
The citizen of the State occupied ,ae rela
ZION OF fidelity towards it, so long as his
State remained one OF The Sla!es OF the
Union. But when the State Withdrew
from The Union, then. according 10 the
doctrines of the school Of Statesmen in
which | was educated, ! owe not only al.
legisnce. but fidelity, 10 The Stale in
which Twas born and raised, and with
which my interests and destiny were in-
dissoIubiy united. If had refused to &c
with her, and share her trials. would
have been guilty Of treason in the eye oI
her law, which had solemnsy sworn to
abide by and execute, as The Chief Mag.
slrale Of the Commonwealth. The Ian
gusge of the law is: Treason shall
consls, only in levying acar against the
State, or adhsring 10 lis enemies, giv.
ing them aid and comfort, &c.; and The
penalty annexed is "death." War had
been levied by the Unied States against
this State and The other States, compos.
ing the late Confederscy. The meaning
of The expression "lerying ,car.'" consists
in collecting men for military purposes,
as by enlistment, enrolment. or other
means. will illustrate i, by quoting the
18Th verse 5lh chapter OF lsl Kings.
"And King solomon raised levy out Of
all Israel, and the levy was thirty thous-
and men Before ,he State OF Virginia
passed her Ordinance Of Secession, Mr..
Lincoln made levy for $4,000 men. 10
prosecute war against The Stale Of Virgin
ia and The South and ], as Governor OF
The Commonw esllh, solemDly pledged TO
maintain and execute her laws, performed
uy duty faithfully and fully, in letter and
IN spirit. did what my conscience sp-
proved, and | have no apology 10 make.
10 excuse 10 offer, for any Of my official