Year: 1863

Complete Vindication of the North


by the Vice-President of the Reb-


el Confederacy. .....


The subjoined extracts from a speech
of Alexander II. Stephens, in the con-
vention that took Georgia out of the


Union in January, 1861, silence all
Northern apologists for the rebellion
Their great argument is that the North
has invaded the rights of the South
Stephens brands them all as liars. He
charges the civil war with all its horrors
solely on the South. Ho leaves the
traitors not a shadow of an excuse.


Mr.. Stephens said


"That this step once taken, could nev-
er be recalled; and all the withering con.
sequences that must follow, Gas they
would see, } will rest on the Convention n
for all coming time When we and our


posterity shall see our lovely South des.


olated by the demon of war which this
act ofyours will inevitably call forth;


when our green fields of waving har.
vest shall be trodden down by the mur-
derous soldiery and fiery car of war
sweeping over our land; our temples of
Justice laid in the ashes; all the horrors
and desolatio9s of war upon US; who but
I this convention will be responsible for
it? and who but him who slal give his


vote for this unwise and ill-timed meas.


ure, Gas honestly think aud believe. )
shall be held to strict account for this


suicidal act, by the present generation,


and probably cursed and execraied by


post rity for all coming tune, for the


wide and desolating ruin that will iney


tably fol low this act you now propose
to perpetrate?


Pause, l entreat you, and consider
for a moment what reason you can give
that will even satisfy yourselves in calm.
er moments--w what reason you can give
to your w.suffercrs in the calamity
that you 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 name or point, on which to rest
the plea of justification? What right
has the North assailed? What interest
Of the South has been invaded? What
injustice has been demanded? and what
claim founded in justice and right has
been withheld2 Can either of YOU to
day name one Governmental act oil
wrong, deliberately and purposcly done
by the Government of Washington, of
which theSouth has n right to ocomplain?
[ challeOge the answer! While, on the
other hand, let,me show tho facts (and
believe me, gentlemen, l am not here
an advocate of the North; but am here
the friend, the firm friend and lover ofI
the South and her institutions, and for
this reason speak plainly and faith
full for yours, mine, and every other
mans interest, the words Of truth and
soberness) ofwhioh wish you to Judge,
aud l will only state facts which are
plain and undeniable, and which now
stand as records authentic in the histo.
ry of our country.


"Whon we Of the South demanded
the slave trade, or the importation off
Africans for the cultivation Of our lands
did they not yield the right for twenty
yearsP When we asked a three fifth
representation in Congress for our
slaves, was it not granted? When we
asked and demanded the return of any
fugitive from justice, or the recovery ofI
those persons owing labor or allegiance,
was it not incorporated in the c onstitu
ton? and again ratified and strength
Gned in the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850?


"But do you say that in many nstan.
ces they have violated this compact, and
have not been faithful to their engage,
meuts? AS individuals and local com.
munities they may have done so hut
not by the sanction of the Government,
for that has always been true to South
ern Interests. Again, gentlemen, look
at another fact; when we asked that
more territory should be added, that we
might spread the institution of slavery,
have they not yielded to our demands
in giving us Louisiana, Florida and Tex
as, out of which four States have been
carved, and ample territory for four
more to be added in due time, if you by
this unwise and impolitic act do not
destroy this hope, and perhaps by it
lose all, and have your last slave
wrcnched from you by stern military
rule, as South America and Mexico were
or by the vindictive decree of univer-
sal emancipation, which may reasonably
be expected to follow.