Fort Lafayette or, Love and Secession

n, together with the male negroes of his household, who had mounted the farm horses and eagerly followed to the rescue of their young mistress. The

n of delay on her account. She mounted Beverly's horse, while he and Harold supplied themselves from among the horses that the negroes had rod

serious, but not dangerous. Upon receiving this intelligence, Oriana and Harold were persuad

athe the morning air, she was joined by Harold, with his hand in a sling, and much relieved by the application of a poultice, which the skill of Miss Randolph had prepared. He informed her that Arthur was sleeping quietly, and that she might dismiss all fears as to his safety; and perhaps, if he had watched her

ide," said Beverly; "the air breath

liness of the early morning was indeed a pleasant sequel to the rude tempest of the preceding night. The d

ar of the elements is over, and a peace proclaimed. Would that the

ght's outrage, and will on no account be seduced to a similar adventure. Rawbon himself will not be likely to show himself in this vicinity for some time to come, unless as the inma

ngation of my visit. There are events, I fear, breeding for the immediate future, in which I must

ll withdraw from the Union. In that case, we will be nominal

do not understand why we should be enemies. You

nt and conscience shall dictate. Meanwhile I shall examine the issue, and, I trust, dispassionately

wrong in the face of

een right and wrong, but simply of advisability.

infancy, developed your strength, and made you one among the parts of a nation that has no pee

e but the signs. Forty years ago, in the Hawaiian Islands, the death-penalty was inflicted upon a native of the inferior caste, should he chance to pass over the shadow of one of noble birth. So would you avenge an insult to a shadow, while you allow the substance to be st

of petty savage tribes. What miserable apology for a government wou

people should become capricious. You have simply chosen an unfair word.

al act, might overturn the entire system adopt

the withdrawal of a partner. Observe, Harold, that the General Government was never a sovereignty, and came into existence only by the consent of each and eve

e, which became mine by an act of volition on your part, be

should expect the return of my property. The States made no gifts to the Federal Government for the sake of giving, but only delegated certain powers for specif

of union, they formed a contract with

, with which they made no contract. They formed a union, it is true. But of what? Of sovereignties. How can those States be sovereignties

he Constitution to intimat

ealous supporters of State Rights, were quieted by the assurances of the opposite party, who ridiculed the idea that a convention, similar to that which in each State adopted the Const

e nations becomes vacant, and the great Republic, our pride and the world's wonder, crumbles into fragments, and with its downfall perishes the hope of the oppressed of every clime. I wonder, Beverly, that you can coldly argue against the very life of your country, and not feel the parricide's remorse! Have you no lingering affection for the glorious structure which our fathers built for and

ty. So Washington did, when he hurled his armed squadrons against the proud banner of St. George, under which he had been trained in soldiership, and had won the laurel of his early fame. He, too, no doubt, was not without a pang, to be sundered from his share of Old England's glorious memories, the land of his allegiance, th

country call upon me. But Heaven for

's hand. "But yonder comes little Phil, running like mad, to t

Miss Randolph and Oriana awaiting t