Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1874-12-24

IeScutc0 N koA3 COu4ckCuCcs NC O18CA
Republican members set themselves e
work to prevent men from being ssul
from the North to this conference VII
really wanted peace. Senator Chand.
Ter, of Michigan. wrote : letter - IL
Governor of his State, in which he pro.
fanely declased that, without littIl
blood letting, this Union would not in
his estimation be worth a curse" The
Black Republicans would be satisfied
with nothing less than q little blood
letting, aud all the efforts of the Dem
ocrats to save the Union were fruitless.
And the Southern peace commissioners,
after exhausting every effort, left Wash
ington with tears in their eyes and with
aching hearts upon the failure of this
last effort to save the Union and avert
from the country the horrors of civil
war. And was all this nothing?
Hitherto we have been considering
the status of the South upon the ques-
tion Of secession, but as it would be in
vidious to slight any section of the Un-
ion in this matter, let us see what some
of the Eastern or New England States
had to do and say about secession and
other matters. In 1912 Massachusetts,
and Connecticut refused to furnish any
troops to carry on the war with Eng
land when called on by President Mad
ison. In 1914 two-thirds of the inhab-
itants of Maine swore allegiance to the
British Government. On the 18th of
Dec 1874, the celebrated Hartford Con-
vention assembled This Convention
was composed of delegates appointed by
the State Legislatures of Massachusetts,,
Rhode Island and Connecticut, also
some elected BY counties in New Hamp-
shire and Vermont. They were in Sc
cret session three weeks. After pub
fishing an address finding fault with
the United States Government, they ad-
journed to meet in June, 1915, when
they intended, so history informs us, to
separate the New England States from
the Union and set up a government of
their own. But before that time peace
was made, and hence they did not meet.
1t would seem, therefore, that the New
States did at that time believe
in the right of secession.
Now, let us see what some of the lead
ing statesmen and some of the most
prominent men Of the North and South
had to say about the Constitution and
the Union. VIM. Lloyd Garrison, a
prominent leader, said in speech many
years after the Inauguration of the alb
clifton movement: No act Of ours do
We regard with more conscientious ap-
rroval and higher satisfaction than
when several years ago, on the 4th of
July, in the presence of Il great assem-
bly,, we committed to the flames the
Constitution of the United States. -
Again he says: The American Union
is an lmposture-a covenant with death
and an agreement with hell. l am for
its overthrow, up with the flag of dis
union" Wendell Phillips, the honest
est of the abolition leaders, said: "The
Constitution of our fathers was mis-
take. Tear it 10 pieces and makes bet
ter one. Our aim is disunion. break
ing up Of the States" But while these
men were boldly assailing the Union
what said the statesmen of the South !:
Mr.. Calhoun, in speech delivered in
the L. S. Senate May 9Th. 1850, said ::
NO man would feel more happy than
myself to believe this Union formed bv
our ancestors should live forever" JEFF
ferson Davis said in the U. s. Senate
June 9th, 1850: IF I have q SUPER
stitious reverence. sir, which governs nv
mind and holds it captive. it is a super
stitious reverence for the Union" Again
in his last speech. Dec. 9th, 1860, he
said: Long have l offered propositions
for equality in the Union Not a sim
gle Republican has voted for them. As
a necessity, not n choice. We have re-
sorted to the remedy of separation
We have never asked for concessions;
what We wanted was Justice" 1t will
thus be seen. that while the abolition
lists were preaching mad crusade against
the Union, the leaders of the South
were pleading for its preservation. A
few words now with regard to the right
of secession. President Jefferson said !:
Estates may wholly withdraw their del
egated powers" Sc. Madison affirmed
the same opinion. Nj. Chase. late Sec
r.tary of State, in a speech in the Z. s.
Senate in 1850 said I'm case of a
State resuning her powers he knew of
no remedy to prevent it." President
Johnson said: Il do not believe the
Federal Government has the right to
coerce State" / could go on and
quote volume of such extracts. but
space forbids. But in view of such facts
as these. would ask how could the
South believe that the North would
wage relentless war upon them for
doing that which the people and lead
ing men of the North bad Repeatedly de-
clared they had clear moral right to
do! OF the causes the South had
have not the space to speak. further
than that they were many. and would
tll volumes. But rs it is not nv de-
sire to open newly y-healed wounds. or do
aught else that would tend to create ill.,
feeling between the two sections of the
country. will merely allude 10 them.
But Mr.. Graves states, that at the time
Of Mr.. Lincolns election the Democrats
had a majority in both branches Of Con-
gress. Ii the Democrats had the ma
jorlty, how was it possible for the Re-
puhbcans to vote down eyerv measure
at paeification II is true Mr.. Lincoln
was elected in consequence Of tempo
rary division in the Democratic party
at that time. and he was nearly a mil
lion behind in the popular vote. This
fact deserve to be noted, for il shows