Year: 1871

! supremacy Ol CIVIL law, uSdillHt Ahot
President, who has again unsheathed
his sword at the bidding Of partisans,
and who, in his willingness TO crush
our section of the country, may yet
strive to ride into power by the com
plete subversion of the liberties of all ?
There is but one leading question in
the choice of the next Democratic
Convention: To select tie strongest
candidate, | have not word to allege
against any Of the distinguished cham
pions, who seek the honor of carrying
our colors. But in a crisis like this
| deem it incumbent upon every man,
who has a drop of patriotism in his
veins, TO discard all personal consider
ations, and to have an eye single to the
destiny Of the country, and the conse-
qucnccs which our failure in 1872 may
entail; and more especially is this com.
pulsory on every Southern man. We
absolutely require rest and peace and
years Of solid prosperity to regain what
we have lost in the past ten years cf
war-for 'ce hare not get had peace
nor is it likely to be vouchsafed to us,
50 long as the bauble Of power Is within
the clutch of Radical ambition, or the
rich prizes Of Southern FL Dorados
are to be attained by hungry adyen-
turers.


In 1860 there we're hundreds of
thousands like re, who followed such
leaders as Alex. Stephens in regard to
the policy Of the South. We believed
that the battle for the constitution
should have been fought inside Of the
Uniun, where we had the Supreme
Court to protect our interest, before
partisan Legislation had stricken down
our legitimate detcnces; and where the
thirty Southern Senators by the aid
of the Northern Democrats, could have
foilcl the Vaccinations Of the Radicals.
The majority overrulcl US and said
that the proper course was the Mont,
gomery Congress and Government.
Did we, because Of that, fllter in our
devotion to Southern interests? The
battle fields of the South will attest
that the Wings AMI Conservatives,
who laid down their lives upon the
altar of love for their States and breth.
ren, were among the bravest and most
selfsacriiicing of the gallant legions
who faced death so courageously during
that long and dreadful war. Nor have
we, nor do we now propose to cast a
shadow of rcproach upon our friends
tor what might be considered an error
of Judgment orr policy might have
avoided the carnage, the distress and
the havoc; it might have saved the ten
thousand millions of property which
have been lost, and it might have
avertod the dreadful vassalage which
the Radical politicians, with an utter
want of magnanimity, have now so
long compelled us TO endure. 1t was
not foreordained that our views should
even have the privilege of essay'ng the
peaceful battle. Our people, a min.
ority Of the United States, accepted or
proaered the gage of battle. Those
who urged action did rot thoroughly
understand the Northern mind. and
that delusion was fatal one which
induced the belief of a divided North
in sectional war.


The SS'Yfascnt is crisis in our fate,
fully as vital as was -thrs of 1860.


And, again, ! venture TO piead for
calm, well considered and wise action.


If we misunderstood the tone of
Northern sentiment, the error that We
may commit may destroy US as well as
our friends in the North. There are
men in the South who believe that our
section will ultimately secure its former
ascendancy in the councils of the ma,
tion. / am not one Of them. The
laws Of nature are irresistible, and so
are those Of events. We might as
soon expect to reverse the current of