Year: 1863

/


We give the testimony OF Alexander H..
Stephens, the Vice President Of tho SO called
Confederate States, and next to jeff. Davis,
the highest rebel officer. The speech was
made at Montgomery, Ga, in JAM, 1861, at
convention called by the legislature for the
purpose OF voting the State out Of the Union.
Mr.. Stephens was union man and had not
then been bought over to the rebellion by
the Office which was subsequently, given him.
We have no comments to make upon this
testimony, so true and so crushing to that
insane cry that the South had been unjustly
treated. Not only does Stephens state the
fact that the South has ruled the nation, en-
joycd its Offices, shaped its.policy, lived upon
its treasury, purchased territory for slavery
and carried on war for the same purpose,
but he adds his voucher that the facts hayo
existed and will continue, il they remain in
tho Union. lie distinctly states that tho
South has not one ground of complaint but
il she commits treason all the horrors Of that
act will bc chargcablc alone upon tho South
Ills declaration is conclusive, and does not
leave the shadow of an excuse to rebels for
their treason.


Stephens stood up in the Convention and
perceivng the uselessncss of an appeal to tho
patriotism of these traitors of thirty years
preparations, he addressed himself to their
self interest, and said:


This step, once taken, could never be re-
called and all the baleful and whitening
consequences that follow will rest on the
Convention for all coming time. When we
and our postcrity shall see our lovely South
desolated by the demon Of war, which this
act of yours will inevitably invite and call
forth, when our green fields of waving har-
vest shall be trodden down by the murder.
Gus soldiery and fiery car Of war sweeping
over our land; our temples OF justice laid in
ashes; all the horrors and desoations OF war
upon us who but this Convention will be
held responsible for IL? and who but him
who shall have given his vote for this unwiso
and ill.timcd measure shall be held to strict
account for this suicidal act by the present
generation, and probably cursed and cxecra-
ted by prosterity for all coming time, for tho
wide and desolating ruin that will inevita-
bly, follow this act you now propose to per.
pctratc?


Pause, entrcat you, and consider for a
moment what reason you can give that will
even satisfy yourselves in calmcr moments
what reasons you can give to your follow.
sufferers in the calamity that it will bring
upon us? What reason can you give to the
nations of the earth to justify it? They will
be the calm and deliberate judges in the case |!
and to what cause or one overt act can you
point, on which to rest the plea of justilica-
ton? WHAT RIGHT HAS THE NORTH AssAILED?
WHAT INTEREST OF TIE SouTm HAS BEEN IN
vADED? WHAT JUSTICE HAS BEEN DENIED
AND WHAT CLAIM FOUNDED IN JUSTICE AND RIGHT
HAS BEEN WITHHELD? CAN EITHER OF you TO-
DAY NAME ONE GOVERNMENTAL ACT OF WRONG
DELIBERATELY AND PURPosELY DONE by TIE
GOVERNMENT OF WASHINGTON, OF WHICH TIE
SouTu HAS RIGHT To COMPLAIN? / CIIAL-
LENGE THE ANSWER! While, on tho other
hand. let me show the facts, (and believe me,
gentlemen, | am not here the advocate of the
North, but am here the friend, the firm
friend and lover of the South and her insti.
tutons, and for this reason l speak thus
plainly and faithful for yours, mine. and
every other mans interest, the words of
truth and soberness,) Of which wish you
to Judge, and will only state facts which
are clear and undeniablc, and which now
stand as records authentic in the history OF
our country.


When wo Of the South demanded the slavo
trade, or the importation of Africans for the
civilizations of our lands, did they not yield
the right for twenty years? When We asked
a three fifths representation in Congress for
our slaves, was it not granted? When we
asked and demanded the return of any fugi.
tive from Justice, or the recovery of those
persons owing labor or allegiance, was it not
Incorporated in the Constitution and again
ratified and strengthened in the Fugitive
Slave Law OF 1850?


Do you reply that in many Instance they
have violated this compact, and have not
been faithful to their engagements? AS in
have dono 50, but not by the sanction of Gov
ernmcnt, for that has always been true to
Southern interests. Again. gentlemen, look
.
more territory should be added, that Toe might
spread The institution Of slavery, hare they
not yielded 10 our demands, and given us
Louisiana, Florida and Texas, out of which
four States have carved, and ample territory
for four moro to be added in due time, II you
by this uuwise and impolitic act do not de-
stroy this hope, and, perhaps, by II loose all,
and have your last slave wrenched from you
by storm military rule, as South America and
Mexico were; or by the vindictiye decree OF
an universal emancipation which may reason.
ably be expected to follow.


But, again by this proposed change Of our
relation to the general government? We
have always had the control. and can yet, ii
We remain in it, and are rs united as we have
been. We have had q majority Of the Pres
idents chosen from the South, as we'll as tho
control and management of those chosen from
the North. We, have had sixty years Of
Southern Presidents to their twcnty-four,
thus controlling the Executive department.
So of tho Judges Of the Supreme Court, we
have had eighteen from tlp South and but
eleven from tho North although nearly four
filths of the judicial business has arisen in
the Free States, yet majority OF the Court
has always been from the South.-This wo
have required so as to guard against any in
tcrpetration of the Constitution unfavorable
to us. In like manner we have been equally
watchiul to guard our interests in tho Lcgis-
lativc branch Of government. In choosing
the presiding Presidents pro tenn OF tho
Senate, we have had twcnty'iour and they
eleven. OfSpeakcrs Of the House. we have had
twcnty.four and they twelve. While tho