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Speech Of Gov. Stanley

Speech Of Gov. Stanley image
Parent Issue
Day
4
Month
July
Year
1862
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

At Washington, C-, on the 17th of June Feli.ow-Qitizkns - My appearmicó hero to-day calis to mimi many scènes of tho pust. I thank God thut vt are permithxj to meet in council onceioro. Ever since tliis infernal war, brjglit on by wieked politiciaos who dwred power, I havo had no comfort. My Ihoughts have been directed toward these battle-tields. Night and duy havo 1 been watch'mg ovents. I could not hear a word f rom iny nativo State, consequeiilly I was unablo t' le'rn ;inytbiug definite in regard to you. However bad I may have boen, no man can say I ever decuivl him in i.ny particu lar, or intentionally led him astray. I come to you with a bloeding heart, honest and sincero motives, desiring to sec .so many of my oíd frleoda who have been eo true to me, some of wlioin gave me a start in the world. It is tö thein I como to talk. Five thousand nilea havol como to reasnn with you. [ desira no promotion; I came for no ove ol'gain; I :sk nothing for my. self. I did not support Mr. Lincoln. Bell md Everett weio my choice. I understood the vricked intuutions of these southern leaders. I have knovvn thoffl ong and well. I looked lurward to this outbreak. I saw that it waa ïnevtable, and undor the circumstanees I considered Bell and Everett the most acceptablü men. I do not desire to discuss, or enter into all tho features oí this war, nor talk about politics. You all know Wtiat ray politics have been for tho past twenty-tívo years, llow carne North Carolina out oí the Uniun ? You say that President Lin coln's proclamation drew you into this war. Huw so? What was his duty when he look tho oath of office, when he was iworn to mmntain the Uniorr and enforeo the lawa ? Has he not done right in doing vvhat the oaBfltitution required bina lo do? How difierently V Was he to act tho paipf a politica! triekster and umlijBum! witik at the unlawful attumpt F'-s' eion ? What would have beenro fa ie hud he attempted thus to trille with the sa;;red rights of the people, and ed the govermnent to be brukcn up which ho had eworn to preservo ? - Would he not have been impeaohed and justly hung i'or thus violating hls oath of office ? I ngain ask, how could he do ditferently ? "Wh at are the duties of a sheriff? - Is he not expectcd to enforee the law ? Should a mob attempt to resist him, isjit not hia dnty to cali upon Ihepeople for assistance, to enableliirn to enforco the law ? This is what the President has done - he could do nothing else, he could nut pursue ay other course. Suppose New Jersoy should attempt to secede, and New York and thu neighboring States sho'.tld refuso to assiat in obliging hor to respect the constitution and laws of the country. Would it not bo the duty of Nortli Carolina to furnishtlie President wilh troops to enuble him to execute the laws ? If seqcssion iá !ohe recoguized, what would it leadtoï Lot LüuUiumi kccede, :ind tlien, after it ianccomplisbed, wliat binders lier froin banding tlrat Stato over to England, or any other Power, cornmariding as it does tlie íno u th of Üie great Father of Waters 'r This F.hu vvonld most assuredly have :i right to do, ií she has a righl to seeede, ihus dainini ng up the greut rSvor, und excluding all tho States on i;s borders lrom a market. Would tho greut Northwest subn.it to thfdf Ooulfl not any seceded State hand itself over to any power it migbt choose, thua giving aa uiouarehical goverumunts ol eveiy kind. VVhat has North Carolina to complain oí ? What rights ol hers have baen violated ? Wheruin has the governmentof tho Unked States distressed her, or any of her citizeus ? Yv"ere her citizns ualled upon to pay a direct tax to support the government? Vrere not all of her rights and lOBtitutiODB under the protecting tlug ui the United States ? My doctrines are those of Washington, Marshall, BadgttT, Graham, Gil mer and Donnell ; doctrines 011 whieb the government was f'ounded. Secession is treason. It jsust be put down, otherwise tho Kojllblic ia gono, and we are involved in %n eternai war. The government must b maintiiined. We aro ono people, nne we vvill remain, ons we will cjie. Soceasion is eterna] war. If it s'ucueedf republiuan liberties are lost torever. What do tho rebels eay ? What die thevtellyoaV First they said seces sion woulu be peaceaüle, that wie northerners would pot figbt, and that foreisfn Powers would recognize tho "Southern Confederacv," that the dein ocrats in tho North would assist th South in souuring hor independente. - llave any of these prodiutions been re aüzed? Al'ter secession took place you were told that tho northern troops ware coming South to free all your alavés, confibcate all your property, devástate the land, nluughter your vvomen and , chiWrea, outfaffo your daughters, and so on. Has this been reafizedf Havo not your righcs and property been respeoted ? Oatrsges will to a certain estent, be committed by the best diecipiïner] armies in the It must bd expeoted ; fiuoh ara the fruits of war. The property and rights of no people have been respected so well in times of war, as your property and rights. And, whatis more, the govsrnment holds itselt in ruudinepB to remunérate all loya citizuns l'or all tho losses they have sustained. Gould there be anything mort. fair? Will the üonlederacy do this 9 What is their money fMtb a bushei? - Not a cent. You say your slaves aro all lo be oinaueipated. Wïiat courso Has the Federal goverrmient pursued ihua far in regard to your elaves ? Wlien Freninnt, Hunter and Pholps isstied thei proclamations oi emancipation, did no the President revolco theni all? Ha he not said, over and over again, tha he liad no constitutional right to ernan cipato the slaves ? Has he not ar hered Btriotly to tho constitution and lawa of the country ? Does he not insist that all theStates hall be protected in all thoir rights ? What more can bo aoked of hitn, whV is the President of uil the States? Wby thea are we invol ved in war ? Muoli is s;ii .1 übout tho laves eomiag into Lho Federal lines, nnd many oonfluints made beeause ihey are not pramptly given iip. Are they not in the Confederad linos, nnd nre they not used to build fortitications tnd do tlic work of rebtfle, ai d in many i.nstancos used to man rebol guna and fight against lho Union ï Tlio FediPJll ar my cnn't inake a business of natchiog nugroes and de'jivoring theni up. Xhey have come here to put down trcason, anda war whioh tho rebels inaugunited. Suffi'iing-s must be expected, losjes will be inouned, you must abide bv event.s. The -outh U to blumo Jbr afl the disasters vvhich may occur. If this war continúes look ut the consequentie, Roe vvliat bftu aiready taken piuco, me what must f'cillow. In Newbern the re aro nearly ñ.O'JO flaves; they are here, more continue to come. Should the war-eontinue and Lbo Federa! anny is obliged to advanco into the interior, theti will the conscquences bu ujion your own heads. Then.yonr instiuition and cvei-ything you have mul own wiil necessarily bo in peril. The people must move. CM your meetings in ewry count . Ijut your conventiona know your wishes. Let trade be oponed, let trade be' opened,' let the blmsknde be wthdtawn. Come und bo restored to the inestimable privileges of American citi.ens. Any in;ui who will take up arms againct such a govcrnment as tliis ou glit to loso liis propcrty. I ain indignant at sneh men, and cannot reirain from expresuing my feelings. Much has been said about the negro sclíools in Newbern. When I caine I iound thern there estabüshed by Mr. Colver, lio cama to me and asked my opinión. --1 gave it to liim, and told him that I thought it inj'idicious at this tiintS - that it would lonk lus tliougli I intend'd to di.srfgard the laws of the State, which would destrny all my intluence and make me a very unwicome visitor, to ihe people of North Carolina. I treated the gentleman ki;nl]_V, made no threatsto hi:n, nor did I give hiin ac.lvice or instruutionn. J have been itiisrepresented in the whole matter, which has unnecessarily engendered a bad feelintr. Mr. Lincoln is no abolitionist. lie is the be3t frienrt the South has got. - Look at his irocluniation to Huneer. - It is full of menning. If yuu will not tako these things into your own bands you must abide by the consequences Your porta and custom houses can be opened in lcss than thirty days. I am here f'or your benotit, to ge you out oí' i bad scrape, and bring vou back to your ajleginnoe. Tll your leaders whut I say. G and tell tho people what I have said. - If this war laste, what ia to be done what will be your oonditiou 'i I can' say long I can renniiu with you or liow long ït wul be in tny power to avert tho approaclung daDger. M interest calis n:e away ; niy uÖeCÜOHï and hopo of doing good keep me here. '1 he adrninistration wants peace. - The governtnent did not Oomftwfloe the war. I arn no agent of abolition Gc:ieials, When requircd to be sueh I will lcavc you with a heavy het I will do notliing unbeeotninga Christian, gentleman and patriot. lieautort, glorious Beaufort. How jften I bave thought of you, thu home !f niy early friendn, who have rnade me , what I am, these suenes of my j ïood. Listen to a friend and eountrynan, who has ever been true to you. Come uader the oíd fl;ig vvhich has prouetod you so long uud vvell. Thu yullant chumpions novv ia arms or tlnj Unien would tight fot you tbnorrow if you wero wïth us, and hould your r:ght8 ba invaded. You ïave proved your courage, and ure novv able to see the wicked intentions ot eur bad lbaders, mauy oí whom de berve the halter. I am told tliat I had better go back - tliat I eau aecomplish uo good here, and tliat niy coming will displease the extremes ou both sides. I notioe 110 such 10USCUSC. It would liave been far more agreeable á me to come to you as a private citizen As it is, howevcr, thêre is uo love lost be twoen me ana mose wno una so mucn fault. I como not to insult you. I cómo to do gooJ. I slmll not bo ublo to control armies forever, nor stay the upliftcd hand Uulcss you soon show a disposition to accept oí' honorable terms, the war trfll go 011 aiid tlio army bc forced to mareh iuward. Wliy did Mr. Lincoln send me I did not vote for him. Ho kncw that I was born aniong you and would staad bctwcen you and all harm, and be ablo to suggest Kuch terms as you could houorably accept. I conie with the olive brancli, and stand, for the time buing, between you and the powerfal armies of tho llepublic, whose onward march will svcop you dor, and neoeesarüy deetroy your mstitutioris whcn brought in contact with oppomg forcos. Soon it will bo too late for ou to acsept of any honorable terms. 'hen cvcnts must bo lcft to the liavsli nd eruoljuecessitics of the justice which s vindicated by the word. Old frieuds - honored grny hairs - I ccrae for your benefit. You who have eome from the distant counties to hear me to-day and take home whnt I say, - Your interest demnnds peaee. You desire to be free from turmoil and battle strife. Why then will you not insist on laving these troublcs brouglit to a close f I believe you will act. From tlio signs of the times it s very evident that a great reaetion bas taken place ia the heaits of the people. lf your people should refuse to act, and will still cling to secession, and are giveu up to your idols, I must thcu leavu you with a sad heart. To my country I will do my duty. - And to you, my old frieuds, to whom I Uil much attachcd, I will also do my duty. Can I ever forget you ? The monarch may forget 1) is crown. The bright sunbeama may forget to sliine, but I never will forget friends so dear, and a psoplc who have douc so much for me. Wherc aro Fort Donelson, Columbus, Macón, Pulaski ? Where is New Orleaus ? Where aro all .the rebel fortificatious ? Bofore New Orleans fell some distingnislied British subjeots lio had beeu aud examined all it furtüications, went to Washington and told the government that New Orleana could not be taken, that it was impregnable, and b# ged of tho government to desist; that tbe federal troops would meet with a great disaster ;ml more Blttu#btrirtg tlmn did the Enjjlish troops in their attempt to tuke that city. ilow was it ? - What are the rasufts ? New Otleans was taken before broakfast. All heil coukl not prevent tliö Yankees from taking that oity, Dr :uiy other. Wlierc is Nuabville, Ncwbernp, lloanokc Island, Ooriiith, and all the fortitied citics and battaries on the Mississippi Rifor. All feil toto the lianda of the Federal troops within a few iiiünths after thcy undertook the job. Wcll may forcign nations marvel at the power of th:s goveruinent. We have'aocoinplished in inonths what it wouid tako ye&tt for fofeign Powers to aecompUsh. YVoll may tlioy treuiblo at uur greaipeas You saj Ihat you are in want of the nccessarics of life. AVherc is therc a citizen dcstitnto of food ? Show Bitn t.o mo, and L will soe tbat bis wants aru supplicd. This I am authorized to do. Sume of you appoar to have a faint hopo for the Confedèracy still. AVait until you hear frora liictmiond. Even suppose that tho results are disastrous to the Union anny, it wouid only delay the contest a littlo longer. The thousands upon thousands of unemploycd troops now in the North, who are so anxious to itu-e the glories awaiting the Uuion nnlea, wouid be callod into tlie field at nee, and iiuish the struggle ut a blow. Wc aak for peace, and aro willing to 'orgct and forgivc. The govcrnment an afïord to be generous, for filie has ir.dicated her power. Listen to the oice of reason, conscienoe and patriot sm. The great Jehorab - the autlior of eace aud love of concord - commands ua ;o cease shodding eaeh other's blood. - 'ake things into your own hands, disard politica] aspirases, who fight for 'ear of puniahment, and ten thousand inies ten thousand shall rise up and eall ■ou blessed.

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Subjects
Old News
Michigan Argus