Year: 1862

through your columns, my humble opinion in
relation to the present state Of our national
troubles, that ! may in some degree represent
feeling which has already taken deep root in
the minds Of my brethren and countrymsn
who are now i'm arms against the United
States. f"


| will acknowledge that ! was among the
earliest advocates of the secession movement
and I warmly supported the cause in which
was staked our honors, our fortunes, and our
lives; firmly believing it to be in defence of
our rights, our homes, and our institutions !;
which considered were on the eve Of destruc.
ton, through party and power, who for
the first time had assumed the control of our
government, and who believed to be wholly
intent upon the immediate overthrow Of a
system of labor, which to every southerner,
seems TO be as much in the order and course
Of nature as the sun that shines abovs.ns.


Under the influence Of such feelings and
anicipations, we felt 1t our duty to guard
against the threatened dangers, and we have
struggled to establish more solid and perma-
nent basis for those principles which are dearer
to US than our lives


To accomplish this end, we have taxed our
energ o. and resources TO such an extent, that
our strength is now on the waue We have
humbled ourselves in quest of aid from Eng
land, France, and all other foreign powers, but
in vain. We have made the most desperate
efforts to establish our independence, and even
in our defeat as such. seems to be our DOOM
every true Southerncr may well feel proud of
tho noble sacrifice and resisa ance which We
have made against great and powerful enemy
Let it prove to the world that although VIC
may yield, we never can be conquered. The
Lincoln government the representatives of
Northern sentiment; whose ghosts frightened
US into this cruel war, have not even proved
themselves sufficiently disastrous to our inter
csts politically speaking) to stimulate us With
sufficient vengeance to continue this barbarais
struggle much longer. We have already
given them sufficient cause tc sweep oursolyes
and our institutions fom the face Of the earth,
and Whatever ihcy+have done, If anything
to our disadvantage, has been forced upon
them by ourselves. Their abolition procvites
have not proved so destructive TO US az We
were prepared to expect, and the emancipation
proclamation which it was feared would max 0
It's appearance in the earliest stages of their
administration has not yet come to light, on
the contrary we see that they scarcely know
what to do with the lugitives who desert their
good homes and seek for protection in the
Federal camps, and VIC also take notice that
the people of the Free States arc petitionIng
their Legislatures, and the Legislatures are
passing laws, 10 prevent the settlement Of Free
blacks within their borders. Their adherence
to the Constitution has been as faithful as that
OF any preceding administration, and in word,
the bark Of the Lincoln government has been
FAR worse than their bite, consequently III.
Southern .eoniedsracy is now Aoundsrins in
the folly Of its own misconceptions, and dearly
bought experience proves that /. must die in
the rom5.


Now comes the sober second thought
What is best for us 10 dor Shall we Yield to
the North, or shall we still continue to bring
ruin and desolation to our hearts and oul
homes, while the end may now be seen. VIZ
have already sacrificed thousands Of valued
lives, proving TO the world the lofty and heroic
determination Of our race, therefore let oul
courage be guided by our wisdom, and rather
than continue this unholy strife, let us take Q
look at our foe and sec what he has done ,c
enlist our admiration and why We shall yield
to the power with whom We now in var
contend.


/. Because, Notwithstanding the great cry
against Lincoln's Aibcs, Northern hordes, &c..
they are Of our flesh and blood, and hav,
proved themselves throughout this contest
| NolttJ tuN itlHNlUi't u NOuiu Uc iUdutfNs
and fratrcidal on our part to continue IN arms
against po"cr so much greater wi hose resour
ccs are unlimited


2. Because as soldiers and as sailors, they
have proved themselves equal to any power
upon earth. They are at this moment the
grandcst army upon the face of the globe, and
their proof of Naval superiority is lesson tc
the whole world.


.. Because their wisdom as rulers during
this great crisis have shown that they do moi
desire to itjure our interests or our institution s.
That TO be one great people and one great
country is their only object, ever aiming al
the gradual progress oI civilization, of liberty,
of Independence, of education, Of self reliance,
and of the continued advancement of man, in
all that relates to his happiness and welfare.


Therefore for these reasons brethren Of the
South, what nation on earth ia more worthy
our alliance. Extend 10 them the olive branch
and let the sword fall to the ground, let us
once moro join our interests in one common
bond and since they have proved that in war
fthey are worthy of our steel, let us together
prove that IN peace we may hereafter unite
our interests 80 that the constitutional rights
of all citizens and the right Of all States to
manage their own affairs and institutions shall
be forever respected. Hang all political
Janaties, and may God in his mercy assist us
in obtaining speedy restoration Of the Union,
that we may once more rally around the flag
of our forelathers, the Star Spangled Banner