Year: 1861

ures was devised and prosecuted tor the purpose
derng insecure the tenure oil property in slaves tanati
cal organizations, supplied with money by voluntary
subscriptions assiduOusly engaged in exciting
amongst the slaves spirit of discomfort and revolt
means were furnished Tor their escape from their
and agents secretly employed entce them to abscond
the constitutional provision for their rendition to their
owners was fist evaded, then openly denounced as a
violation of conscientious obligation and religious duty ;;
men we've taught that it merit to eude, dlsobey,
and violently oppose the execution OF the laws enacted
to the performance OF the promise contained III
the constitutional compact owners OF slaves were mob
bed and murdered in open day, solely for applying
to magistrate for the arrest OF fugitive slave; the
dogmas of these voluntary organizations soon obtained
control of the legislatures OF many OF the Northern
States and laws passed providing for the punish
ment hy runOus fines and long continued Imprisonment
in als and peniteutares, of citizens OF the Southern
States who should dare to ask aid of the officers OF The
law for The recovery of their property Embodened by
success the theatre of agitation aid aggression against
the clearly expressed constitutional rights of the South
ern States was transferred to the Congress Senators
and Representatives sent to the common councils
of the nation whose chief title to this distinction con-
sisted in the display Of spirit OF ultra fanatclsm and
whose business was not to promote the general wei
fare or domestic tranquility but to awaken the
btteres hatred against the citizens OF sister States Oy
violent denunciatOn of their institutions the traDsac
ton OF public affairs mpeded by repeated efforts to
usurp powers not delegated by the Constitution for the
purpose of mrairng the security OF property IN slaves
|
dtion of nteriority. Finally, great party organ
lied for the purpose Ct obtaining the administration OF
the government with the avOWed object OF using its
power for the total exclusion Of the slave States from all
participation in the benefits OF the public DOMAIN, ac-
Cuired by all the States IN common, whether by
quest or purchase OF surrounding them entirely by
States in which slavery should be prohibited OF thus
rendering the property in slaves SO insecure as TO be
comparatively worthless, and thereby annhllang IN e
ect property worth thousands OF millions OF dOliarS.
. TINS Or01niZfd. succeeded the month OF
November last D the election OF its candidate Tor the
! Presidency OF the United States.


| Ip the mean time, under the mild and genial climate
of the Southern States, and the increasing and
ttuton for the well being and comfort OF the labOring
class dictated alike by interest and humanity, the AT
rcan slaves had augmented in number from about 600
600, at tie date OF tie adoption OF the constitutional
compact, to upwards OF 100000. La moral and So
cal condition. they had been elevated from brutal
ages into dOcle, intelligent ami civilized agricultural la
boers and supplied not only with bodily comforts but
with careful religious instruction. Under the supervs
ion of superior race, their labor had been directed
as only to allow gradual and marked amelOratlOn
of their condition, but to convert hundreds OF thou
sands of square miles of the wilderness into cultivated
lands, covered with prosperous people,; towns and
cities had sprung into existence aud had rapidly lbcreas
ed in wealth and popuation under the social system OF
the South the white population OF the Southern slave
holding States had augmented from about 100000 at


the date of the adoption OF the Constitution, to
than 95O0OO0 in 1860 and the productions of the
South in Gotten ricer sugar, aud tobacco, for the ui
development and continuance OF which, the labor Of
African slaves was, and is, Indispensable had swollen
TO an amount which formed nearly threeourths of tue
exports of the whole United States, and had become
absolutely necessary to the wants OF civilized man.
With interests of such overwhelming magnitude i'm
pered, the people of the Southern States driven
by the conduct OF the North to the adoption OF
course of action the danger with which they
were openly menaced With this view, the Legisla-
lures of the several States invited the people to select
delegates to CCG7entiOns to be held for the purpose OF
determining ior themselves what measures best
adapted to meet so alarming crisis in their history.


Here it may be proper to observe that from period
early l798 there bad existed in all of the States
Of the Union party, almost uninteruptedy in the
orty based upon the creed that each State n the
last resort the sole judge well of its wrongs of the
mode and measure OF redress Indeed it is obvious that
under the law of nations this principal is axiom
applied the relations of independent sovereign States
such those which had united themselves under the
constitutional compact. The Democratic party of the
United States repeated in its successful canvass in 656
the declaration made in numerous previous political
tests that it would faithfully abide by and uphold the
principles laid down in the Kentucky and Virginia
resolutions OF 1898, and in the report of Mr. Madison
the Virginia Legislature in 1899; and that it adopts
those principles as constituting one Of the main founda
! tions OF its political creed"


The principles thus emphatically announced embrace
that which have already advered the right OF each
State to Judge OF and redress the wrongs OF which it
complains These principles were maintained by
whempg maOrites Of the people OF all the States of the
Union different elections especially in the elections OF
Mr. Jefferson in 1903, Mr. Madison in 1909, and Mr.
Pierce in 1852


In the exercise OF rig ght so ancient well estab


shed and necessary for seprtservation the people
of the Confederate States in their Conventions deter
mined that the wrongs which they bad suffered and the
evils with which tGey menactd required that they
should revoke the delegation of powers the Federal
Government which they had ratified in their several
Conventions. They consequently passed ordinances re-
sumng all their ri ighs as sOvere gn and independent
States, and dissolved their connection with the other
States of the Union.


Having done this, they proceeded to form new
compact amongst themselves, by articles of con-
federation, which have been also ratified by the conven
tOns OF the several States with approach to unar-
unity for exceeding that Of the conventions which
adopted the constitution of 1887. They have organized
their government G all its departments; the func


ons of the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial mags
trates performed accordance with the will of the
people dispayd not merely in cheerful acquescence
but in the enthusiastic support Of the thus


shed by themselves and but for the interference the
of the United States in this legitimate exercise
of the right of people self peace happiness
and prosperity would nov smile on our land.


That peace ardeIty desired by this government and
people, and has been manifested every possible form
Scarce had you assembled in FEBRUARY last when prior even
to the Inauguration of the Chief Magistrate Won had
you passed resolution expressive of your desire for the
appointment of commissioners be the
of the United States or the purpose VT negotno friend
y between that government
Of America and for the settlement of all questions
disagreement betV cen the two upon principles
of right, justice, equity and good faith


1t was pleasure as we'll as myduty to cooperate with
you in this work OF Indeed in my address to you
the communication Of this resolution had las necessity
choice, have resored to the remedy of separation
and henceforth energies must be directed the
duct of affairs and the perpetuiy of the Conedera
Fey which have formed If just perception of mutual in
teres shall permit peaoeaby pursue separate po


tica career my most desire will have been fulfil
led"


1t in furtberance of these accordant views of the
Congress and the Executive that made choice of three
Greet able and distinguished citizens, who repaired to
Washington. Aided by their cordial cooperation and that
of the Secretary of State effort compatible with self
respect and the dignity of the Conederacy exhausted
before allowed myself yield the conviction