Delaware State journal and statesman., 1866-08-28

| HS ipfou MitlOul IutlllB lut lIullOIb.
On the 9th of january, resolutions were
introduced in the Senate by member from
New Castle County, pledging the influence
and power of the State against secession and
IN iavor of the Union. They were buried
| by vote of postponement until some future
day, Which day has not yet arrived. On the
18th of February, when seven States had
passed ordinances of Secession, four days
after Jefferson Davis was elected Provisional
President OF the Coniederacy, and while the
traitors were plotting their work of destruc-
ton at Montgomery, Commissioner from
the State of Georgia appeared at our State
Capitol, and the then Democratic Governor
sent still another message to the Legislature,
the language of which could not be mistaken
The credentials of a rebel Commissioner
from rebel State were laid before our Gen
eral Assembly, and the message charged
'the repre- resentatives of the people to receive
and acknowledge with becoming respect the
courtesy extended to us by the State of Geor.
giai" and they were invoked to ''timely and
suitable action. What that action will be, +"
are the words of this document, twill, of
course, depend upon future DEVELOPMENTS,
and should be referred entirely to the peo.
pie" And then, we have reiterated the re-
CONTAMINATION for callinga Convention, ''that
the state may be prepared TO take proper
and timely action" unless there should be
an early adjustment of our difficulties. ~
In other words if the South insisted upon a
dissolution of the Union, preparation should
be made for the secession of Delaware
Resolutions were Immediately presented to
the Senate, rendering "the acknowledgements
OF the General Assembly to the (seceded)
| State OF Georgia fol the COURTESY extended
to the State of Delaware in sending (rebel)
Commissioner KINDLY inviting our co-opera-
ton in the formation of Southern Confed-
eracy," and expressing the opinion, ''that
whatever may be the future action of the
State OF Delaware, the time has not vet ar
rived for any definite action These reso.
lutions were adopted in the Senate, but failed
to receive the concurrence of the House,
where, however, six democrats were bold
enough to display their colors by voting In
the affirmative.
On the goth of February, resolutions an.
proving the conduct of Major Anderson at
Fort Sumpter were read in the Senate, and
ten days thereafter were consigned to the
tomb by a motion forindeinite postponement
On the 18th OF the same month, the Senate
showed its contempt for the flag of the Re
public by refusing TO place ii over the Capt.
tol during the sessions OF the General
Assembly.
The same Legislature, at special session,
after the South had placed her armies in the
hSiui dlttl DloOuJ Uhltleb Qhu D6e0 1OQgnL,
and when the Union was to be maintained,
if at all, by the force of arms, refused to sup
port reso' utions piedging the State for the
Government against the rebel hordes in arms
for its subversion.
The message to this special session is q
very different document from any of those
of the previous winter. In it, we have no
rounded sentences about the faction" which
is to depend upon future developments. -"
The guardianship OF the General Govern
ment had been kindly extended to Delaware,
and although the embryo secessionists raised
the howl OF tyranny, we may never know
from what horrors our people were spared
II we losd the annals OF Kentucky and Mis-
souri,, we may family imagine what would
| have been our fate, The Democratic party
| had made no secret of its sympathies with the
| South. The expression ofthem is written all
over the prblic records; and it is natural to
suppose that, under favorable auspices, men
intend to act out what they feel and mean
There had been some false shuffling of the
arms of the State, so that the trumps might
be in the right hands when the play should
commence; but before the " time for action"
arrived, we were made aware that over and
above our State Government was a protec-
tive power, whose advent was welcomed by
those who would preserve the Union, and
was terrible only to its enemies.
A careful examination of the Journals of
the Legislature of 1661-62 cannot fail to i'm
press the most unpreiudced mind with a
true knowledge of the position of the leaders
OF the Democratic party at that time. THEY
| WE'RE SECESSI0NISTS, POWERLESS
| TO ACT. The geographical position of
Delaware between the great North and the
Capital, and not the sentiment of her rulers,
was our safeguard. The parental arm of
the National Government was our protector.
Under more favorable conditions for overt
acts of treason, the demon of secession would
have received an invitation to dwell within
our borders, and its foul spirit would have
breathed ruin and devastation over our
smiling fields and within our happy homes.
In 1862, the Union party elected Cover
nor devoted to its principles. He now sleeps
in his grave. will not stop to pronounce
his elegy When the ISLANDERS, the enmites,
and the heart -burnings of his day slumber
in the buried Post, Delaware will do full
Justice to his memory. He made noble ef-
fort to save her honored name, but the pow
er of the State is TO very limited extent
contidcd to its Executive. Repulsed by the
Legislature, lie appealed to the people; and
with untiring energy and devotion pressed
on the good work, hopeful in the result, and
undismaYed by the threats of enemies, and
the untoward circumstances which surround.
ed him.
When the Legislature OF 1868 assembled
at Dover the war had been prosecuted with
alternate success and disaster. The country
had become terribly in earnest. The Demo.
cratic Governor sent in his message, and il
was full of complaints against the General
Government; replete with charges OF violated
Constitutional obligations, and overhowing
with prophesies which time has failed to full
fill. Liberty had ceased to exist the cur,
rency was worthless, or would be in a very
short timell and the Emancipation measures
of President Lincoln would leave us without
a "glimmering hope Of restoration of the
Union"lll There must be an armistice- There
must be a Convention of States-slavery
must be preserved at all hazards How
strangely all this sounds now?
In a short time the Union Governor wal
inaugurated; and then the Legislature de
liberately set to work to insult and to check
mate him in every effort he made TO assis
the Union cause. He plead for our soldiers
but what did democrats" care for Lin
coins hirelings;" he asked pittance fo
their suffering families, but they had NJ
charity for the near and dear ones of thost
who wore the livery of the United States
What should have been done by the State a
an organized body was performed by volun
tary combination. When the Legislature
Z was entertaining the proposition to raise th
white flag on the State House, the armorla
ensigns of the State were already at the heat
of her troops in the field. While the Demo
, craticleaders and rulers were arming estate
troops, SO as to be in readiness for futur
developments" Union regiments, unaidol
by the State, were in that army which wa
charged with the salvation Of the country
+ risking all of life in the holest earthly caus
, for which man ever contended.
The Legislature of 1s63-64 made up rC
J cord which, in the light of to-day, argue
little for the patriotism, foresight or statot
| -, :.