New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-04-29
The Cause Of Rebellion.

couple OF weeks or SO since, stating that
| the recent rebellion was caused by desire
on the part OF the white people of the South
to perpetuate slavery, and was justified on
the ground Of the alleged right Of State
| OF the Union to secede, which was practi.
cally denied by the national government;
| that the attempt to secede could not be
defended logically on any other ground,
and that as the leaders of the Democratic
| party, North as well as South, still defended
this principle it would be dangerous to the
| perpetuity of the Union to put the control
| of the national government into their
| hands.
The Lynchburg ,iryinidn, one of the old.
est now in its sixty-seventh year, and one
of the most ably conducted news journals in
that State, printed forcible article in re-
ply, apparently intending to retute our po-
| sition, stating that the people Of the South
| ern States had many causes iustifying Sc
cesslon, growing out of the violation of their
constitutional rights by the Northern peo-
pie in matters relating to slavery; alleging
generally that the latter people had enacted
and enforced unconstitutional laws and
| murdered owners of slaves while IN the
North in pursuit OF their property.
To this indictment the Chronicle respond
ed, reminding the Viryinian that the indi-
vidual acts Of lawless men could not be
relied on to convict State or the national
government of unconstitutional acts; that
involuntary servitude was not only distasie-
full to the Northern people, but a crime
| under the State laws; but that, neverthe-
less, the laws for the rendition of fugitive
slaves had been uniformly enforced in all
the States of the Union until slavery itself
was legally abolished throughout the coun-
| try, and that persons who attempted lille
gally TO Obstruct its execution had been as
uniformly arrested and punished for their
| otfenses. We also reminded our contem-
| porary that several States and the gov
| ernment OF the United States could only
act through the adoption and enforce
| ment Of laws; and that no such uncon-
| stitutional law could be enforced with
out the completely of the Supreme Court
of the United States, a majority of
whose justices up to the date OF the COM
mencemeut OF the rebellion we're known to
agree with the Southern people on the ques
| tion of controversy. From these premises
! We drew the conclusion which appeared to
us to be irresistible, that the constitutional
rights of the people Of the South had not
been and could not have been violated by
| any State of the Union or By the United
States preceding the war without presup-
posing that the judges of the Supreme
Court had deliberately peri jured themselves
in deciding questions adverse to their con-
victions, which we regarded as moral lm-
posslUlHty, duu dS d CUTOlldTy W UIilS con.
clusiOn it followed that the Southern people
did not rebel against the authority of the
national government on account of the
violation of their constitutional rights,
because they had not been violated, and,
morally speaking, could not have been
violated, with the Supreme Court as
tribunal of last resort, constituted as it
then was, the Southern people themselves
being judge.
the utmost that could have been pleaded
on that point in favor OF secession would
have been reasonable appreheI sion that the
constitution might be violated to the pre-
jndice OF the Southern people by the incom-
ing administration, with Mr.. Lincoln at its
head as chief magistrate, and the Republican
party at its back. But the Iiyyini0n must
pardon us tor reminding it thai the South
ern people could not have deliberately enter
tanned such an Apprehension without losing
faith in the honesty of mankind, for Mr.
Lincoln and the whole Republican party
were publicly pledged not to interfere with
the institution of slavery in the States where
1t existed. And, moreover, in coming into
power would be compelled to deliberately
swear to support the constitution. To sup
pose that he and all his subordinates and
the judges OF all the courts would deliber-
ately perjure themselves for the purpose of
doing what the whole party was publicly
-
The masses of the intelligent portion of
the Southern people did not entertain any
such conviction. and did not attempt to
secede from the Union for any such impos-
sible reason. But they fully understood
that public opinion throughout the North
and Northwest was strongly adverse to
slavery. They apprehended that the moral
influence OF this sentiment would in time
pervade the Southern States, whose people
would be lead to abolish slavery by their
own voluntary act, unless the Union should
De dissolved and new confederation
formed composed of slave territory alone,
with sufficient power to extend its dOmin-
ion southwark around the Gulf of Mexico.
SO as to embrace all of the best cotton and
sugar producing lands Of the continent,
finally including the West India islands, !
and making the gulf "closed sea-" This |
was the ambitious scheme proposed by the
leaders of the rebellion to create a new en-
pre-. where all the landowners would be |
Interested in the perpetuity of slavery. |
strong enough to DEFY the sentiments of the |
North and public opinion throughout the |
civilized world.
The cOnsummation of this grand scheme |
required for its commencement dissOlu- |
tion OF the Union. No sufficient cause had |
been given to justify the sunderng of these
bonds. Hence the assertion of the right of |
any State to withdraw from the sO-called
compact of States: and this right being
denied by the national govern
ment in the attempt to provision a United
States fort within the limits of South Caro-
ina, furnished reason, and the only
ogical reason, for the commencement of
1ostilities. The first gun fired by South
Carolina was avOwedly in defense OF the |
right of the State to secede from the Union,
md not to avenge any wrong suffered or to
edress any violated right under the cOnsti-
ution of the United States. The attempt
ITO coerce State to remain in the Union
vas the only grievance which could be
ruthfnlly assigned to justify the commence
nent OF this conflict OF arms.
And, as we have heretofore stated, the
Democratic party North and South still |
INSIST that South Carolina was in principle
light, and the government of the United
tates wrong; and the FUg;nian of the tif-
eenth instant, in its three column rejOinder
0 our second article. virtually admits the |
OuDdness of this position. 1t says that its [
ditor then as now opposed the secession
1861; that
He did all he could to prevent it, believ-
lg that, although the South had griev-
noes, it was unwise to relinquish the
overnment to Mr.. Lincoln and his asso- I
ates and held that we should contend for
ur rights IN Me Union. Being Wing and
'ver of the Union always, he supported
ell and Everett on this platform: The
onstiturion. the Union, and the enforce (
ent of the laws and never abandoned all
ope of peaceful adjustment of our then !
ksting sectional difficulties until the Pres t
ent OF the United States actually declared I
ar upon the sovereign States of the South. !
Q 'rebelled,' if you please, then, and the d
tryaioa was the last journal of any prom t
ence, if not the very last, in this State to a
ccept the situation" c
There it is; the Virginian opposed &C. a
,ssion until the President of the United {