Year: 1861

SPEECH OF HON. VIM A. GRAHAM.


On the occasion of the meeting of the officers of
the Militia Of the county, and large assembly of
the citizens Of Orange in the Court House in Hills


borough on Saturday last, the Hon. VIM. A. Ora


ham, who had been absent from home during the
two preceding weeks, in compliance with the gen.
era desire addressed the people the present crit


cal and exciting state of the country We are able
to present but meagre outline of his remarks,


which occupied about an hour in the delivery.


Mr.. Graham said: We are in the midst of great
events. For months past our political skies have


been dark and lowering The country has stood in
anxious suspense on the perilous edge of civil war;


AND IN despite OF the 9ounses and exertions of ma
tonal patriotic and Conservative men, at the head
OF whom It is not invidious to place the name of
the ga,ant and veteran statesmen John j. Critten-


den OF Kentucky, and as believe in despite Of the


wishes and sentiments of majority of American
people North and South. if'the voic. of the people
could have been allowed to be heard civil war is
actually upon us. In regard to the earlier causes
leading and tending to this dire event and their
sufciency to produce such result some of us have
entertained diverse opinions. It is well known that


among others, have insisted, that the election Of
Mr. Lincoln and his being invested with the power
OF President of the United States, obnoxious as
were his own avowals of sentiment in relation to
slavery in the South. and still more obnoxious as
was the spirit Of hostility to u.s. which animated the
mass of his party followers, was not sufficient
cause for dismemberment of this Government, and
the destruction Of the Union that the restraining
provisions of the Constitution the counteracting in
fuences Of the Legislative and Judicial departments
of the Government, both of which, for the present
at least were known to be in opposition to the Oh.
jectonabe creed of himself and his party, and the
well established fact that his election was effected
by divisions among his opposers, and not by ma
jority of the people, afforded sufficient security
against usurpations the abuse of his power to our
injury, should he be so inclined; and that, though
not insensible to the recreancy of many of the
Northern States to their obligations under the Con-
sttution in relation to slavery and to the gross and
persistent vtnperation Of many Of their presses and
political actors towards the people and institutions
OF the South, we yet cherished an ardent attach
ment to the Union, and feeling of veneration for
the Constitution of our fathers, and hoped by new
understanding of its provisions, and by amendments
putting its interpretations beyond all doubt that the
Government under which the country had prosper
ed almost beyond example, and had acquired name
of the earth, nigh. still be preserved to ourselves
and to our posterty. We therefore disapproved
the counsels which sought the overthrow of the
Government, upon the announcement of the result
of the late Presidential election, and in this dap
proval were sustained it is exaggeration to say,
by large majority of the people of North Carolina


The seven States. however, stretching from our
southern frontier to the confines of Mexico, one by
one in rapid succession declared themselves separa-
ted rom the Government of the United States and
formed a new confederation. They found in the
election which had taken place sufficient cause or
OCCASION in their estimation for this hitherto untri
ed course Of proceeding, and levied armies to defend
it by force. The authorities of the United States
denied the right Of secession claimed by these States
and the danger became great of collision of arms
The issue was made, but evaded under the admins
tration Of Mr.. Buchanan. It's solution by Mr. Lin
coin has been matter Of anxious contemplation to
the people of the country since his accession to DOW
er Whatever may be the true construction of the
Constitution, or the Presidents idea of his duty to
enforce the laws wise craftsmanship cannot close


its eyes to facts 1t is impossible to treat So extern
sive revolution like petty rebellion; for if sup.
pressed by force it would be at the expense of desc
lation and ruin to the country. He should have
dealt with it, as did Wellington and Peel with the
question Of Catholic emancipation, or Clay with the
crisis of 1S33-yielded to the necessities by which
he was surrounded, and adjusted by arrangement
what he found it impossible to control by force or
if possible only at sacrifice to the nation itself
never to be repaired Had Mr. Lincoln risen to the
height Of the great occasion, promptly withdrawn
his troops from Notifications which he could not de-
fend; convened Congress in extra session; recon-
mended and procured the passage of law, or
amendment Of the Constitution, acknowledging the
Of the seeded States, and granting
the guarantees proposed by Crittenden, or some
equivalent proposition to the other slave-holding
States which yet retained their connection with the
Union, "a course of measures which would have
stripped the Northern States of no rights. nor SUBJ
jected them to any humiliation.) he might yet have
maintained a Union of twenty seven contented
Sfcfa uv;th fu,op two IF ipho
and with all the sources Of great empire. And af
ter an experiment of few years, there might, and
in my opinion. probably would have been, q re-an-
nexation of the seeded States themselves .s


But instead of this bold and magnanimous policy,
his action has been vasclating. His inaugural ad
dress is equivoca Interpreted by some. its first
appearance, as portendng force, assurances are
thrown out that his intentions are only PEACEFUL
And when the public mind in all the eight slave
holding States that had not seeded, was settling
down in the conviction that the forts were to be
evacuated and repose was to be allowed so favorable
to Cancellation and harmony, Proclamation sud-
denly bursts upon the country announcing de-
termination on coercion and calling for militia
force so great as to endanger the safety of more
than the seeded States. part Of this militia is
required of North Carolina and other slaveholdng
States. lt-was not enough for the President that
the conservative people Of these States had been
Wiling W dCqueSCc III HIS ceCltOH, Apu upon y
peaceful course Of action towards the seeded States
and proper guarantees of their own rights in view
of the loss Of their strength in the votes Of Con-
gress by reason of the withdrawal of their confed
crates. and for a more faithful observance Of the
constitution in regard to their interests he should
exercise for the public benefit the functions of the
Office and distribute its patronage among his fol-
lowers. He requires more than this. Careless of
any terms Of conciliaton, or adjustment Of differ
ences with the border States he resolves, but not
till after his own adherents have been demoralized
by his hesitation and professions of peace on the
application of force to maintain the authority of the
Government in the States which have withdrawn,
and requires us to cooperate as instruments in their
subjugation This presents to US a question far
different from that Of acquescence in or resistance
to his installation into Office, in pursuance Of an
election made according to the provisions Of the
Constitution. The sober sense Of the people Of
North Carolina had met this question: and for them
selves had settled it Ardent in their attachment
to the Constitution and the Union, they had con-
demned separate State secession as rash and precpi