The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-10-18
Extracts from the Address of Gen.
Randall Gibson.
BEFORE THE YOUNG MEMS DEMOCRATIC CUB
- OF NEW YORK CITY.

II
tracts from an address recently delivered by Gen.
Randall Gibson, before the Young Mems Demo-
cratic Club of New York. 1t is Q calm, thought.
full and lucid exposition Of the political questions
of the day, and we regret that We have not space
| to publish it in full:
| losc-citizens-To every thoughtful man the
| spectacle Of 30,000.000 Of free people In the
| Northern States Of the. Union, bringing before
themselves for final settlement questions that
have for more than three years aud half occu-
| pied every department Of the federal govern
ment-tbe spectacle of great and prosperous
people still in the enjoyment of all the inestimsble
| privileges OF sef-government in the Union is rem
| dered the more impressive-the more interesting
| from the fact that the ten Southern States com
| prising one-third Of the entire of the Union,
greater In extent than any European kingdom
aiming more than 10000 900 of inhabitants
are deprived of this inesmable right of self gov
| eminent in the Union, are covered with the dark
shadows OF military despotism living under gov
| ernments which have been imposed upon them
and are now maintained over them. at great ex-
| the causes be what they may, no man who looks
upon united America - his country, can fail to
| feel Inundated st the sad and deplorable condi.
ton Of these ter American States, or to indulge
painful apprehe nsions, lest time shall disclose that
| the power of the sword alone was not the surest
cement to bind great and powerful people to
the destlnies OF the Union through all the tests of
| fortune.
will you vote to maintain these negro military
governments over the Southern people? How
lorg will you insist upon fastening upon them sys-
tens OF government you would not tolerate for
an instant over yourselves? i propose to show
you hat these systems of government are in vic.
latioD of the Constitution OF our common country
and disastrous to all its interests not needed to
secure the legitimate fruits of the war to your.
selves, destructive of cur republican liberty, and
contrary to the humane spirit of the age. These
constitute objections which no American not
slave of party can trample under foot, fail to
consider calmly before committing himself in
|. favor OF measures 80 obnoxious. You know as
well as do, that before the government es-
tabished In the convention In which it was framed,
two opposite opinions prevailed to the character
of the government that ought to be established,
and when IT was finally established, as to the COR
rect construction of the Constitution for it was
evident to all thinking men that the character OF
the federal government would be controlled,
wonld depend entirely upon the Interpretation
of the Constitution. The Northern opinion
has been that the allegiance of the citizen
was due the federal government. and that the
contest between the federal government and a
State, the federal government was to be the sole
Judge Of the measure Of its own power over the
State and the people thereof. The opposite theory
always obtained at the South-that allegiance was
due the State. and that whenever the people
of State feel that their rights or institutions
were unsafe within the Union, they could invoke
the reserved right Of secession, and retire alike
from the benefits and obligations of the Union.
A divided or double allegiance is as impossible as
that two differing supreme powers should exercise
sway over the same persons at the same time.
These States also differed in ths-that negro
slavery till existed in the Southern States but
had ceased to exist in the Northern States Of the
Union. These differences, and the animosites
they induced led to the recent war. Had the
South not attempted to exercise the right of
secession, or had the North permitted her to
rocede, " to depart In peace" the war would not
have occurred. Had negro slavery disappeared
in the South in 1860, it had done under the laws
Of trade and population in the North or had there
been no hostility in the North, that appeared to
the people of the South to threaten the destruc-
ton OF negro slavery and the disruption OF
society, the people Of these States had not in all
human probability deemed that their Safety and
interests demanded that they should set up the
right of secession and attempt to withdraw from
the Union.
Fellow citizens, I echo the sentiment, 'let us
have peace; but why have we no peace. why are
we denied it, and why do we clanor for it three
years and half after peace was thus established
and proclaimed? Have the people of any State
attempted to revive and exercise the right of
secession! Have the people of any State at
tempted to re.establsh negro slavery! Have the
chiefs attempted to reorgsnize the proud armies
of the South! Has the dead body Of the Conied-
eracy sprung to its feet? No, no, no. The cause
then NUT be sought outside the issues involved
in the recent civil war. What can be the cause
will tell you. The Congress, or Radical party in
Congress, at once broke up this settlement that
the county. aDnulled the amnesty Of the pfes-
dent, thut the doors of the Senate and lower
House in the face Of the representatives of the
people OF the Southern States, chosen in accord
aDce with the constitution, spurned their honest
Iroteststions, declared war of legislative enact.
meDt against them, struck down their State govern
ments and first condemned the people to the
rule OF the sword, and finally to new State gov
errments based upon negro supremacy, maintain.
ed by the military power of the Union. And you
behold this very day three American States, and
among them Virginia, whose people, when Massa.
chusetts was deprived of her charter by the Brit
ish king. declared that the cause of Boston was
the cause of all, who first set the ball of the revo-
luton in motion; who. when Independence was
achieved. first proposed to form the Union; the
home OF Washington, the father of his country;
OF Madison, the father of the Consultations of
Marshall, the father of our judiciary; of Jeffer-
son, the author Of the Declaration Of Indepen-
depce-snd the home Of their children and de-
scendants-liviDg under the sword. And in this and
two other States IT is made punishable ohenss to
attempt 10 vote for president; and in other
States only the negroes and small number of the
white people are permitted to participate In any
elections. And there is no peace. Now, I ask,
did Congress, which derives its existence and all
Its powers from tie Constitution Of the United
States, get the right to deprive these American
States OF self-govefDment in the Union, to blot |
them out of existence and upon the Of all their
civil and political liberties to erect despotisms of
The sword and the negroes? Radical politicians
say that these States persisted In the war and it
became necessary to reconstruct them. They did |
not perish during the war, for they were in full
operation at its close, and were recognized for
may by every department Of the federal govern |
meut. The fact is, the war was undertaken avow. |
eddy to save the States to the Constitution and the
Union. and the war, for this object was unques- |
tionsby' successful. Nay, it was held that the |
States could not be permitted to withdraw from |
the Union because they were indispensable to the
very existence Of tie Union and the Constitution
that they were the colossal pillars by which the
national edifce was supported and II they were
removed the whole fabric would fall to the EARTH
II. then, the States persisted in the war; the Con-
sttution and the Union persisted with them. and
there survived only government of usurpation. |
Upon the only theory that could justify the war, |
saved by it,
Assuredly then, fellow citizens, you perceive |
how hostile, not only TO the Union and the Consti
tuition but to the principles upon which they we're |
foundsd and to the objects FOR which they were |
formed, is that Radical legislation which despoils |
the people of ten American States of their birth.
right, of self government of their municipal insti-
tutions and consecrated customs of liberty, and |
substitutes new systems of government, based
upon acknowledgements. prescription, the negro /
and the sword. But while it Ia admitted by the |
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