The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-11-16
nd the administration of the COVE, n.

LIS it to be wondered, therefore. that.
following the advice of her great and
patriotic son, she did cherish q cordial
and habltual attachment to the Union of
the StatesP and that she was slow to re-
cognlze the necessity for the dissolution
OF that Union, of which she regarded
herself the chief architect, and for which
she had made such great sacrifices2
Such aods the cnse, gentlemen, and.
strong III her faith in State sovereignty
and the ultimate sense of Justice on tho
part OF the people, it was hard for Vir-
glnla to realize tho fact that the masses
IN any portion of the country-of what
We were accustomed to call our common
country be led into deliberate
attempt to subvert the principles of the
Constitution, and destroy the rights of
the States and tha i'i,crties of the neo.
pie, though mischievous faction. amid
high political excitement and under
strong party rule, had obtained posses
sion OF the Government. Under the in
anence OF such considerations as I have
indicated, Virginia did struggle long and
earnestly to preserve the Union; but the
Union for which she struggled was one
OF equal rights. equal privileges and
common duties, in which the States
were to be held together by mutual obli-
gauons and a cordial regard fer and
strict observance of the rights of all.
In her efforts in that direction Virginia
met with no corresponding sympathy
from the masses at the North, or the
powers at Washington. When, at last,
sne did realize the fact that the Union
she had 80 fond)y cherished was to be
replaced by one of force and coercion,
aae shlvered the idol of her affections
ana took her stand by the side of her
southern sisters, with the determination
TO DO battle, to the last extremity, for
the principles she had always upheld and
wh1on she now perceived we're involved
IN the sncoess of the confederation of
eecoded States. How she bore herself
IN tue struggle which ensued it is not
necessary Tor mo to tell you-nor is it ne
cessary TO state how Massachusetts repaid
ner obligations to Virginia-nor how
Virginia has been compensated for her
magnificent bounty to the Union-nor
how the States which were her own
daughters turned upon her in the hour
of her trials. Can YOU saw. gentlemen
that the reluctance of Virginia to sur
render the Union was an unnatural nm
unreasonable one? We can all now nee
how our ancestors erred in not hecd;no
the warnings of Henry, and Mason. and
'Lowndes, and how ace erred in not be-
ginning the struggle to regain our indie
pendence long years before we did: but
1t required sad experience to make this
apparent to oil of us-some saw it sooner.
others later. None but Virginian can
iui;y understand the anguish with which
the people of that State recognized the
fact that the Union of their affections
was gone forever. I must say that I
fully symPathized with the people of nv
State IN their anxiety to preserve the
Union, and in the anguish with which
they came to the conclusion that it must
ne surrendered. When did come TO
tnas conclusion, went into the struggle
with my whole heart and soul; not mere
~ because felt it to be my duty to fol-
low my State and my section, but be.
cause, also, l felt that the cause for
which we wero called on to fight was nv
cause as well as theirs, and because T
oeiieveu 1t to be right, just and holy
ana L then believed it had been 40 from
the beginning. In that faith have re.
NAMED up to the present time, in that
ialth L will live and in that faith I will
die, though might did prevail over right
IN the struggle. Never, during the pro-
gress Of the war, did I upbraid any adj
vocate OF secession for bringing on that
war; and now that our cause has failed
OF success. would teel TINT I was nm.
worthy to be called man, could I be in
duced to cast the responsibility of the
war on the original advocates of seccs
sion. During its progress the only re-
Proacn l had for any secessionist, was
when l found one who was not willing to
hight for the cause he had advocated: ::
ana, am sorry to say, there we're some
OF that character. Now, when I see one
who has turned renegade, and affiliated
with the enemies of his people, turn
from him as 1 would from q loathsome
reptile.
Gentlomen of Sonth Carolina, you do
not require, Mt the hands Of any one. n
vlndlcation OF the course of your State.
III lnaugurating steps for the assertion of
your right to f-government. Our
enemies and oppresSors have furnished
the most full and complete vindication
OF oil you did, not only by the manner
In which they conducted! tho war. but
by their course since its close-if il be
indeed closed. Let any one look abroad
over this fair and once happy land. from
the fotomhc to the Rio Grande, end
view the desolation and manifold wrongs
which have been heapcd unon onr non.