The Irrepressible Conflict and Impending Crisis [pp. 531-551]

AND IMPENDING CRISIS
despotism, which is left alone in the midst of the desolation of
the system, denying to us " domestic tranquillity," undermining our social and political institutions, whereby we can alone
hope for the great blessings' of life, liberty, and the pursuit
of happiness." And since, upon the authority of the late
Attorney-General Cushing, every feeling, every passion, every
consideration of our Northern brethren toward us of the
South may be summed up in " one word, hate! and the food
of hate is blood," to make the declaration of a separation
good, follow the example of the father of his country, be of
the "first to unsheath the sword, and never return it to its
scabbard until the object is accomplished." A separation
would not allow the sun of our destiny to go down in blood
and carnage; a separation would prove the South had not approximated her culminating point in progress and civilization,
but would be to her as
"A new morn,
Risen on mid-day."
Or if wanting in the high resolve to emulate the example of
our noble ancestors, and find in a separation and a Southern confederacy the only ark of our safety, but prefer to delay and
delay until John Brown's Provisional Government shall be
sanctioned in the name of the Union, to be enforced upon us
by the power of the Union, let us prepare with becoming selfrespect and decorum to follow the hearse of that Liberty,
around whose cradle watched the heroes of the Revolution.
Let us fall back upon the States, the only antagonistic power
I respect, to consolidation, and " cling to these the pillars of
the temple of our liberties, to preserve our rights and institutions, and if it must perish, let us perish in the midst of its
ruins!"
For the doctrine of States Rights, in addition to the names
of Jefferson and Madison, I claim the sanction of the great
name of Troup, as pure a patriot as ever trod the soil of
Georgia, who, in'52, in a voice as if from the tomb, said to
the States Rights Party of Alabama, whenever two or three
assemble in the name of States Rights consider him among
them. For the policy proposed, I claim the sanction of the
great name of Quitman, for in'52 he gave it to the States
Rights men of Alabama who were leading the forlorn hope of
the South-a noble gift, too freshly twined around as it was
with the laurel wreath of victory for him, the immortal hero of
Chepultepec! I claim for the policy proposed the sanction
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