ATTITUDE OF THE BORDER national. If there is one fact that stands out stronger, clearer, and more indisputable than There is any other in our history, it is this. the record-it cannot be blotted out-it cannot be burned out - it remains forever." Adverting to the Personal Liberty laws he said, they are designed as beneficent and necessary provisions, to prevent kidnapping or illegal removal, and to bring their line of action into entire harmony with the line of Constitutional power and obligation, laid down by the United States Supreme Court, in the case of Prigg vs. the State of Pennsylvania. If, however, such laws are unconstitutional, repeal them; allow no stain on the faith and devotion of the State to the Constitution and the rights of the States. As to the concessions demanded by the South, he said: "The concessions, for the most part, which are now demanded from the Free States, as the terms upon which the people of this country are to be allowed to govern themselves, under the Constitution, are wholly inadmissible, not merely that they are objectionable in themselves, but because they have been made such terms. To grant them would be to establish a precedent of incalculable mischief and danger, through which would be wrought, at no distant period, a practical subversion of the Consti tution, and a transfer of the government from the bands of the many to the power of the few." Of secession he said :"There is no such right in the Constitution; the President cannot permit it; Congress cannot grant it; the States cannot concede it, and only by the people of the States, through a change of the Constitution, can it be conferred. The laws, then, must be executed, or this, the best, because the freest and most benificent government that the world has ever seen, is destroyed. would be forced to pay the taxes and do the fighting, are the persons who should be heard in preference to excited politicians, many of whom, having nothing to lose from the destruction of the Government, may hope to derive some gain from the ruin of the State. Such men will naturally urge you to pull down the pillars of this accursed Union,' which their allies at the North have denominated a 'covenant with hell.' The people of Maryland, if left to themselves, would decide, with scarcely an exception, that there is nothing in the present causes of complaint to justify immediate secession; and yet, against our judgments and solemn convictions of duty, we are to be precipitated into this revolution, because South Carolina thinks differently. * The men who have embarked in this * scheme to convene the Legislature will spare no pains to carry their point. The whole plan of operations in the event of the assembling of the Legislature is, as I have been informed, already marked out, the list of Ambassadors who are to visit the other States is agreed on, and the resolutions which they hope will be passed by the Legislature, fully committing this State to Secession, are said to be already prepared." Hon. Henry Winter Davis, Member of the United States House of Representatives, from Baltimore, published an Address to his constituents, January 2d. It was a powerful appeal against the calling of the Legislature. He also opposed the calling of the proposed "Border State Convention," to assemble in Baltimore. Every project which was extraconstitutional was, therefore, unconstitutional. The whole people, and all the States must act to give a Convention validity. He still hoped for settlement by compromise. The Virginia Legislature assembled, in extra session, January 7th. Gov. Letcher's message was condemnatory of immediate secession; he proposed that all Constitutional remedies be exhausted before committing the State to the step of withdrawing from the Union. His scheme of settlement was thus stated :— Virginia. "He opposes a State Convention at this time, and suggests, first, that a Commission of two of the most discreet statesmen visit the Legislatures of the States which have passed Personal Liberty bills and insist on their unconditional repeal, except the New England States; second, we must have proper and effective guarantees for the protection of Slavery in the District of Columbia; third, our equality in the States and Territories must be fully recognized, and crown ufactu the rights of person and property adequately pro- | should tected and secured; that we must be permitted to pass through the Free States and Territories unmolested, and if a slave be abducted the State where it is lost must pay its value; fourth, like guarantees that the transmission of slaves between the Slaveholding States by land or water shall not be interfered with; fifth, the passage and enforcement of right laws for the punishment of such persons in the Free States as organize, or aid and abet in any mode shores ington magni the G wise logic a the rig beyond mac-a breath as the fierce si field, ar she cou of her of Sout The ture ca uary 7th message a Conve He thou whatsoever, in organizing companies with a view to assail the Slaveholding States, and to incite the slaves to insurrection; sixth, the General Government to be deprived of the power of appointing to local offices in the Slaveholding States persons hostile to their institutions or inimical to their rights." Notwithstanding this "moderate view" of the Governor, the Legislature, like new converts, was rife for hasty action. Prior to its assemblage, a bill calling a convention, February 18th, had been prepared, and was introduced as one of the first measures of the session. Also, the question of military defense was quickly referred to a Special Committee. A resolution to appropriate ten millions of dollars for defense was referred with little opposition to the same committee, which, it was understood, would report affirmatively event of in two or three days. A joint resolution was serted, m introduced on the 9th to appoint a commis-depender sion to the President to represent that, "in the judgment of the General Assembly of Virginia any additional display of military power in the North will jeopardise the tranquility of the Republic; and that the evacuation of Fort Sumter is the first step that should be taken to restore harmony and peace." Could exist onl mended t and the Central a was certa but it soo were to le union, ag Govern Ohio add lature of uary 8th. purpose to tion and uttered th "We desi tion and ha every citizer It would appear that the Legislature was fully up to the revolutionary point. that body have acted on the question, so wild was its zeal for the repudiation of its ancient honor that the ordinance of secession would have received its engrossing seal by January 10th. Treason, and the infamous programme of treason,, were betrayed in almost every act considered by the Legislature. The Northern and Western members were almost powerless before the effrontery and madness of the members from the Southern and Eastern sec-tution, the tr tions of the State. The glitter of a New Do- trust which minion was before their eyes, in which the ages. If the prestige and renown of the Old Dominion without meet Government grateful res yield, even t ATTITUDE OF THE BORDER STATES. 165 We test, however unwelcome, they must come. The incoming Governor, Jackson, delivered his inaugural message, January 4th. In him the Secessionists found a pliant instrument, and it became evident to all that his purpose was to link the State to the car of revolution. He advised to call a convention of Southern charged. For ourselves, we shun the responsibility States to propose terms of settlement with in attempting to maintain the cause. We are tied to it by indissoluble bands of affection and duty, and we shall cheerfully partake in its fortunes and fate. We are ready to perform our own appropriate part whenever the occasion may call on us, and to take our chance among them upon whom blows may fall first and fall thickest. We shall exert every faculty we possess in aiding to prevent the Constitution from being nullified, destroyed, or impaired, and even should we see it fall, we will still, with a voice as earnest as ever issued from human lips, and with fidelity and zeal which nothing shall extinguish, call on the people everywhere to come to its rescue." Relying on the patriotism of the people, and on Divine aid, for the protection of the Union, Ohio calmly awaits the exigencies of the future. The Legislature immediately set about meeting its military organization, and, at an early moment, provided "its mil lions for defence." Missouri. The Legislature of Missouri convened December 31st. The Commissioner of Alabama addressed the members, on the evening of Dec 29th. preaching his secession heresies to a patient but not pliant audience. January 3d, the retiring Governor, Stewart, sent in his message. Its tone was decidedly belligerent toward the North, but he deprecated secession. It was no remedy for the evils under which Missouri suffered. The abstract of his message read:— "Missouri will hold to the Union so long as it is worth the effort to preserve it. She cannot be frightened by the past unfriendly legislation of the North, or dragooned into secession by the restrictive legislation of the extreme South. The Governor denies the right of voluntary secession, and says that it would be utterly destructive of every principle on the North; also, to call a State Convention. to consider State action in the crisis. Delawara. The Legislature of Delaware came together January 2d, when it was addressed by the Commissioner from Mississippi, who proposed to the members the adoption of a plan of cooperation with the Slave States. The reception tendered this missionary of secession may be inferred from the following resolutions, which passed both Houses the same day (January 2d) :— Resolved, That having extended to the Hon. H. Dickenson, Commissioner from Mississippi, the courtesy due him as a representative of a sovereign State of the Confederacy, as well as to the State he represents, we deem it proper, and due to ourselves and the people of Delaware, to express our unqualified disapproval of the remedy for the existing difficulties suggested by the resolutions of the Legislature of Mississippi." The people and the Legislature were true to the Union, and the Governor was also regarded as loyal. In his Message, he said: The cause of all the trouble is the persistent war of the abolitionists upon more than two billions of property; a war waged from pulpits, rostrums, and and schools, by press and people-all teaching that Illinois. which the national faith is founded; appeals to the ly for the Union and the maintenance of the laws. In view of the necessity of all the States to hold themselves blameless in the unhappy division existing among their Southern confederates, he said:— great Conservative masses of the people to put down selfish and designing politicians, to avert the threatened evils, and closes with a strong recommendation to adopt all proper measures for our rights; condemns this resort to separation; protests against hasty and unwise action, and records his unalterable devotion to the Union, so long as it can be made the protector of equal rights." "If grievances to any portion of our Confederation have arisen within the Union, let them be redressed within the Union. If unconstitutional laws trenching upon the guaranteed rights of any of our Sister States, have found place upon our statute books, let, them be removed. If prejudice and alienation toward any of our fellow-countrymen has fastened upon our minds, let it be dismissed and forgotten. Let us be just to ourselves and each other, allowing neither threats to drive us from what we deem to be our duty, nor pride of opinion prevent us from correcting wherein we may have erred." He recommended a complete reconstruction of the military system and that the most liberal encouragement be given for the formation of volunteer companies in all branches of the army service. "Speaking not merely for himself, but reflecting what he assumes to be the voice of the whole people of Illinois, irrespective of party, as it reaches him from all quarters, he adopts the sentiments of President Jackson "The Federal Union: it must be preserved "to which sentiments he trusts the Legislature will give emphatic expression at an early day." With such expression, Illinois, the "Prairie State," has proved that she was as rich in her patriot ism as in her soil and exhaustless resources. With a free white population exceeding that of South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, and Louisiana all together, her position was only second in importance to that of the great Middle States.* Gov. Yates, the incoming Governor, of Illi nois, in his Message of the 14th, made the following points of policy: That an 'irrepressible conflict' did exist between the Slave and the Free States, but it does not neces sarily disturb the relations of the States: that secession is revolution which the whole power of the Government must be exerted to suppress: that the great North and West will never allow the free navigation of Mississippi river to be impeded, &c., &c. The Governor referred to Mr. Douglas as true to the Constitution, and avowed his conviction that the people, without distinction of party, were ready to defend the Union against any and all efforts to break it up. CHAPTER VI. PROGRESS OF THE REVOLUTION IN SOUTH CAROLINA. ADJOURN- CONVENTION. COLLECTION OF THE REVENUE. 167 federation. The 3d and 4th sections of the name, including therein so much of the collection of report read: New Executive De the customs as relates to light-houses, buoys, and matters of that nature, I appoint General W. W. Hartee. "Fifth: Interior. The direction of local matters within the State, including the militia and coast police, I appoint General A. C. Garlington." The Convention (January 4th,) appointed delegates to the General Congress of the Seceding States, as follows: The Hons. T. J. Withers, L. M. Keitt, W. W. Bezee, James Chesnut, Jr., R. B. Rhett, Jr., R. W. Barnwell, and C. G. Memminger. The fortifications of the The Collection of the "That the said Commissioners shall be authorized to invite the Seceding States to meet in Convention, at such time and place to be agreed upon, for the purpose of forming and putting the motion for such Provisional Government, so that the said Provisional Government be organized to go into effect at the earliest period previous to the 4th of March, 1861. The same Convention of Seceding States shall proceed forthwith to consider and propose a Constitution and plan of permament government for such States, which proposed plan shall be referred back to the several State Conventions for adoption or rejection. "That the eight deputies elected by ballot in this harbor began rapidly to as sume shape early in JanConvention be authorized to meet the deputies of other Slaveholding Seceding States of the Federal uary. The appointment, by Mr. Buchanan. Union, for the purpose of carrying into effect the of Mr. McIntyre, of Philadelphia, to be Colforegoing resolutions. It is recommended that each lector at Charleston, in place of Calcock, who of the said States be entitled to one vote in the said was paying over his revenues to the State, Convention upon all questions, and each State to was before the Senate for confirmation. As send so many deputies, equal in number to the Senasoon as that confirmation could be obtained, tors and Representatives she is entitled to in the it was the purpose of the Administration to Congress of the United States." send him to Charleston on the armed steamer Harriet Lane, from which he should proceed to collect the revenues of the port. To provide against such an "invasion," the State hastened to throw up batteries at several points commanding the entrances to the port. Buoys and ranges were removed, and the lights suppressed. It was the positive determination of the authorities to allow no floating Custom-house in the harbor, nor to suffer a Federal Government vessel to enter their waters for any purpose whatever. As the Southern Senators, aided by a few Northern Democrats, refused to confirm Mr. McIntyre -thus directly co-operating with the rebels in thwarting the Government--the President was not able to carry forward his policy for collecting the duties, and the Harriet Lane did not pay her promised visit to the bristling harbor. For that pandering to treason the country ever must hold the Senate responsible; and loyal men will not cease to blame these Senators who interposed their authority to prevent the President from doing his plain, palpable duty. partments. The new order of Government [see page 113,] embraced a division of the executive into departments somewhat similar to the Cabinet of the President. On the 4th, the Governor announced these departments and appointments as follows: First: The State Functions.--Assistance of the Governor, with the exercise of his powers as now delegated, and more especially in his intercourse with the States; also arrangements with foreign powers, as in the appointment of Consuls, negotiation of treaties, and formation of regulations for commerce. For this I appoint the Hon. A. J. Magrath. "Second: The Law and War Object.-For the supervision of matters relative to the condition of hostilities, the management of the military, the disposition of the troops, to receive the different ordinances of the Convention and acts of the Legislature, and as to the management of the troops in actual service, I appoint General D. J. Jamison. "Third: The Treasury Jurisdiction.--The supervision of matters connected with the fiscal relations of the State, practical details, in the raising of funds provided for by any ordinance of the Convention and acts of the Legislature, not especially transferred to some of the other departments, I appoint the Hon. C. G. Memminger. The Charleston papers of Jan. 2d, gave notice of formidable military preparations on the islands. The Mercury said: "The military · "Fourth: The Post-office Functions.--Indicated by movements are progressing rapidly all around |