A speech that Governor Joseph Brown of Georgia recently gave to military officers and soldiers in Macon is printed in today’s Southern Recorder newspaper. The Baptist politician’s words echo familiar southern secessionist themes, rallying white citizens to the defense of the South’s slave culture (“domestic affairs”), advocating freedom and equality only for whites, and invoking God’s favor and blessing upon the Confederacy. Following are some excerpts:
“Equality of sovereignty, equality of rights, and equality of protection, are all that the South ever demanded …. the South has long submitted to unjust Congressional legislation …. Southern industry has been taxed for the benefit of Northern interests ….
… they … have assumed to exercise the right of regulating our domestic affairs ….
… We must cling to the Union, and become slaves to it, or we must sunder its ties and live free men out of it. We chose the latter, and seven gallant Southern states …. have formed a new Confederacy upon the basis of the Old Constitution ….
The revolution is complete! A new nation is born! Civil and religious liberty are established! A government of equality exists! ….
… We are not the aggressors. We rally only in defense of Southern homes, Southern fire sides, and Southern altars, which are threatened with invasion and war. We deprecate war. But if war is forced upon us, we are prepared for it, and when once commenced, we swear by our altars, it shall never terminate till those who provoked it shall have been the greatest sufferers by it.—In its prosecution, should we be compelled, in self defence, to “carry the war into Africa,” and seize the Federal Capitol, or even to devastate Northern cities, it will not be our fault. We have only asked to be permitted to depart in peace from those whom we could no longer live in peace. In the language of Abram to Lott, we have said to our Northern brethren, Let there be no strife between us we pray thee. Is not the whole land before thee? If thou will take the left hand, then we will go to the right, or if thou depart to the right hand, then we well go to the left.
How have they responded to these peaceful overtures? They deny our right to either to depart in peace from them or to live as equals in peace with them. They claim the right to execute their laws within our jurisdiction, to garrison our Forts with a Black Republican army, and to blockade our cities with a Black Republican navy ….
… The cause of all the Confederate States is now a common cause. It is for the common defence, therefore, that you have been called to arms, and most nobly have you responded to the call. Fifteen thousand other brave volunteers, with arms in their hands, will stand ready, at a moment’s warning, to march to sustain you, and fifty thousand more will respond whenever their services are needed. Soldiers, you are now soon to pass from my command, and leave for a time the territory of our beloved old State. Would that I could accompany you, and share with you your toils, and participate with you in your glory! ….
… While the eyes of a million of persons in Georgia will be anxiously turned towards you, the prayers of our churches, our mothers, our wives, our daughters, and our sisters will constantly attend you. None will contemplate your defeat, but the hearts of all will leap with joy at your success.
Take then, that flag in your hands, and remember that, in the presence of this vast audience, I here commit the honor of Georgia to your keeping.
Go, then, and may the God of battles go with you, and lead, protect and defend you, till the last foot-print of the invader shall be obliterated from the soil of our common country.”
Source: Brown’s “One More Shot” speech (link)
