Year: 1860

Hon. VIM. L. Vance, of Alabama, spoke at
the Cooper Institute, New York, Wednes-
day night, to an oyerfiowing audience The
anxiety among the people seemed to be quite
as great to see the speaker as to hear him, and
after the conclusion of his address, it was with
difficulty he could force his way out of the hall
He concluded his speech with answering some
questions which had been put to him, fol-
lows:


He had been asked to answer several ques-
tons, and he thought he might as we'll do it at
this time The first was, whether he would
consider the election of Lincoln sufficient cause
for the secession of the South; and the second
whether he, in case Lincoln was elected, and
the South attempted to secede, would he sup
port the government in suppressing the attempt,
and aid to maintain the integrity of the Union !?
The first question was a mere speculation, and
a political speculation at that He was now
engaged in endeavoring to avert the very thing
here spoken of-the awful catastrophe of the
election of Lincoln. He was showing his allie
glance to the Constitution by abandoning his
own private business, and going to all parts of
the country to endeavor to prevent that cleo
tion and if others would labor as faithfully as
he had for this end, Lincoln would never be
President Applause. What was propound-
ed in the question was matter to come after
the decision of the ballot box. Cries of "Ques-
tionr'] Don't be impatient, gentlemen, and
above all keep your tempers. This is not the
time to fight now, certain. Laughter. 1t was
the time to vote. [Another interruption, and
cries of Put him out!'] You're impatient, my
friends, said Mr.. Yancey. If gentlemen, he
continued, were so anxious to know his opin-
ions they should abide by them when he gave
them. [Applause.]


This question mere speculation. 1t
ociyin rrryho
another should happen. He was no candidate
for the Presidency, and his views had nothing
to do with the contest. In the first place,
there was no such thing as the South seeding.
There was such thing as a State seeding.
He could see how the State could secede, and
he had no answer to give with regard to the
seeding of the South He was States-Rights
man. The Constitution told them that all the
rights not delegated to the General Govern
ment were reserved to the States. He believed
In the right of secession. The original COM
pact was made between the States willingly
asserting to it, and either, by her own will
might withdraw But this was mere specula-
ton, predictated upon contingency Ala
bama had passed law requiring its Govern
ment to consider this question if Black Re
publican Was elected. His State in that event
was to decide this question: not he. If she
went ont of the Union, he went with her. LAp-
plaugel If she remained in, he'd remain IN
f"Good"l 1t was a grave matter. and he
hoped that some man opposed to the irrepres-
sible conflict would be elected President. But
when the time came to decide it, ne would con-
suit with the men in Alabama and act with
them, and they of New York had nothing to
do with them. For him here to commit him
self on this question, with the future undevel
oped, merely to crafty some political antagon-
ist, would be the widest folly The answer to
the question, he would give to his State when
she asked it. ,''Three cheers for the answer"
were proposed and given


To the second question he replied that he
would aid in maintaining the integrity of the
Union with his life's blood. He was lahoring
now for it. But if it was meant to ask wheth-
er he would aid in the preservation of an Ad-
ninistration that was trampling on the rights
Of the South, he replied that he would aid any
State in resisting it with his blood Revolu-
ton was justifable before the last expiring
-h.ces Of oppressed nat:ocalities.