New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-08-21
ference. il Massachusetts, had alone declareu
her independence in ms, rejecting every .p'
peal for cooperation with her sister colonies
Mr.. Stephens proceeds 20 say that -

l.,
After Mr. Lincon's proclamation OF waF.a h ans ma,
illegal and unconstitutional call for GTh
pension OF the writ OF Habeas Corpus ,0 v e he peo.
were ever more in any cause IMAM Wee oned
pie OF the Southern States In defense OF so5
the great essential principles OF AmetS ., ne neople
tons There not In ten thOusanu Va e PTt and
in 1T least OF the Southern Sates "nOso nor aid
soul were not thoroughly e reater or more heroic
sacrifices for its success during four long ye"'o Vi
tation blood and carnage. go, -, ulo
No doubt of it, The Southern Whites WHO
had resisted and voted against Secession "eIo
easilv brought to resist to the death "naV
thew were taught to regard and de'est as
"coerciop," Invasion and "suDJugatlol'
That is the very issue which we for months
labored earnestly, though fruitlessly TO aVoiu;
for if was plain from the outset that, II the
question were put in this form " Ill you
L" consent to see the South subjugated and
"trampled on by the North 9"-every oouthron
would answea No Hence we protested against
any identification of the Union cause WIN the
idea of Southern subjugatlon, urging that u
majority of the People of the south were Tor
the Union. and would so show themselves on
a fair. straight issue after due discusslOh'
Hence we said in the very outset OF the open
movement for DisuniOn-
aWbeneyer a considerable section OF our Union shall
deliberately resolve to 80 out we sa resist an
designed to keep IN We nEo 70 The
ina Republic WHEREOF o"O ''0''O" 10 P''"'"
Bg IN While we thus uphold the practical liberty i not
tho abstract right OF Secession, we must ihsst tna he
atom he taken n ever shall be- with the deDeraton
and bedttng mOmentous an issue Let ample
time he given for reflection let tho subject be fully can.
vassed before the people, andlet popular VOC De
i'm avery case before Secession is decreed Let the people
be told Just why they asked to break UP the OEede
ration let them have both sides or the question uy pre-
ented let them reflect deliberate then vote ana lot the
act Of Secession be the echo Of an unnlsakaDe popua
fat Judgment thus rendered demand Tor separation
attlIa hp
on ~ blood or those who rushed upon carnage TO defy
and defeat IL would place themselves c'eary III '"o
wrong"
This was our overture to the South di-
rectly after the peoples votes had decreed Mr.
Lncoln'5 elevation to the Presidency how 1t
was flouted and secuted, the world knows full
we'll. And we here repeat the avOwal oil our
conviction that it was so treated because the
Secession conspirators knew that the Southern
peonle were against them-that they would DO
beaten on such an appeal to that people as we
urged and demanded Listen to the following
testimony of Hon. Jere. Clemens, given at a
Union meeting in Huntsville, Alabama, March
IS, 1884
Before declare this meeting adjourned. wish to
st,e fact in relation 20 the commencement OF the war
time after the ordinance OF secession Was PaIsou
was In Montgomery and called upon fIesiue5s DsHis
who was IN that city. Davis hennhhgeI Iie oeCletaI
Of War, Gchrist the member from S~ndes oo1y a
several others, present AS entered he converse
tlon ceased They were evidently discussing tho pIo
prety OF firing Fort sumter Two or three 9i Ins
Withdrew to in the room ana heard uilGhIs
say 10 the Secretary OF War. II must De done Deds
too months aud Alabama says y, ne Un'o"' 10" mas
sprinkle blood ~ The faces Of me people
Such were our efforts to avert the tragedy
that followed-such were the means whereby
they were rendered abOrtiye. We submit the
case to the verdict of History.