The Great Rebellion

Captain Godwyn. It must be a very important paper that you will give so much to have made public. What is it?

Mr. Botts. I presume you know what it is you are in search of, but if not you shall know. It is the secret history of this rebellion for thirty years before it broke

out.

Captain Godwyn. Why are you so anxious to have it published?

"Because," replied Mr. Botts, rising from his seat and advancing toward the captain, at the same time shaking his huge fist within a few inches of his face, and speaking with great vehemence in voice and manner, "because, by Heaven, sir, if the people could read it and learn the truth, it would lead to a revolution within a revolution in which I could take active part!"

Upon this the committee rose, and the captain departed to report progress and ask leave to sit again.

During Mr. Botts's imprisonment, the French minister, Count Mercier, visited Richmond, and expressed to the friends of Mr. Botts great anxiety to see him and converse with him on the subject of the war, as he had great reliance on his views. But this he was not permitted to do. From this fact it may be justly inferred that the French consul had previously communicated some of Mr. Botts's views upon this subject to the embassador at Washington; at all events, a copy of the letter was placed in Count Mercier's hands during his visit to Richmond, and that the document made an important impression in that quarter is not at all improbable.

Suffice it to say, in conclusion, that the lucid explanations made; the statesmanlike views expressed; the startling facts presented; the hidden plots disclosed; and the vital importance of the subject altogether, certainly makes this secret history of the rebellion one of the most valuable and interesting contributions to American historical literature ever presented to the public.

CONTENTS.

ORIGIN OF THE BOOK.-It is written at the Request of the French Con-

sul.-The Hartford Convention not the Birthplace of Secession.-The

Stigma attached to Members of that Body -Transfer of the Odium to

Abolitionism, Page 29-31.

SECESSION ODIOUS IN THE SOUTH PRIOR TO 1832.-The Richmond En-
quirer of that Year on Secession.-The Editor condemns the Doctrine,
31, 32.

THE AUTHOR OF SECESSION.-John C. Calhoun the Author of Secession.

-His ambitious Projects.-The Erostratus of the 19th Century, 32,

33.

SECESSION IN 1832.-How General Jackson treated Secessionists in 1832.

"The Union must and shall be preserved," 33.

JACKSON'S PROCLAMATION.-His conscientious Discharge of his Duties.—

The enthusiastic Reception of his Proclamation.-Discomfiture of the

would-be Rebels, 33-36.

PASSAGE OF THE FORCE BILL BY CONGRESS.-Increase of the coercive

Power of the President. -Public Sentiment in favor of strong Measures

against Secession.—The Unconstitutionality of Secession proved, 36, 37.

AN ARGUMENT AGAINST DISUNION.-Extract from a Speech of Mr. Botts
in 1860.-The Union perpetual.-The Demon of Democracy at work,
37-46.

AN IMPORTANT NOTE.-The Confederate States' Manifesto.-Mr. Rives's
great Speech on the Force Bill.—The Tergiversation of Mr. Rives,
47-63.

CALHOUN BARELY ESCAPES HANGING.-Determination of General Jack-

son "to make Treason odious."-Calhoun saved from the Gallows by

Henry Clay.-South Carolina seeks Co-operation of her "Sister States"

before making a second Disunion Experiment, 63, 64.

SECESSION NOT KILLED.-The Tariff Question laid aside, and that of
Slavery taken up as the Lever of Agitation.-The Operation of "firing

the Southern Heart" commenced.-Timid Whigs driven into the Ranks
of the Southern Democracy.-Every Opponent of that Party stigma-
tized as an Abolitionist.-Calhoun's Address to the South Carolinians

on the Subject of a Change of Tactics, Page 65, 66.

THE DISUNION SCHEME OF THE DEMOCRACY.-Prescience of Mr. Botts

in Regard to the Designs of the Democratic Party.-Denunciations of

him by the Democratic Press and Politicians.-Slavery the Pretext for

their revolutionary Efforts to perpetuate their Power, 66-68.

THE SECESSION PROGRAMME.-The Adoption of the 21st Rule, denying

the Right of Petition to the North.-The Creation of Sectional Ani-

mosities. Misrepresentation of the Sentiments and Objects of the

Northern People by the Democratic Press of the South and their Party

Confrères in the North.-Peaceful (!) Secession advocated.—Reflections

on the Cost of the Secession Experiment.-The Consequences of the

Success of the Rebellion, 68-71.

THE DEMOCRACY REVIEWED.—Aaron Burr the Father of the Party, and

Thomas Jefferson the Beneficiary.-Democracy reigns for Sixty Years.

-Its temporary Abdication during the Regency of Adams.-Inaugura-

tion of the System of "to the Victors belong the Spoils," under Jack-

son.-Southern Presidents for thirty Years.-The Tariff Question.-

Calhoun's Experiment.-The Van Buren Régime.-The Whig Triumph

in 1840.-Tyler's Treachery.-The Annexation of Texas.-The Mex-

ican War.-The Wilmot Proviso.-The Compromise of 1850.-The

Repeal of the Missouri Compromise, 71-82.

THE REBELLION FORESHADOWED.-Speeches and Letters of Mr. Botts in

1844. The Object of the Texas Annexation Scheme.-Exposures of

the Designs of the Southern Democratic Leaders, 82-95.

EFFORTS TO EXTEND SLAVERY.-Calhoun as Secretary of State. -How

John Quincy Adams came to join the Abolitionists.-The Charleston

Courier tells Tales out of School, 95-97.

THE STRICT DISCIPLINE IN THE DEMOCRATIC RANKS.-The thorough Or-

ganization of the Democracy.-The complete Control of the Masses by

the Leaders."The cohesive Power of public Plunder."-The Demo-

cratic Masses the Dupes of Demagogues, 97-99.

THE WILMOT PROVISO.-The Return of Mr. Clay to the United States
Senate. The Compromise Measures of 1850 a severe Blow to the
Democracy. The Standard of Rebellion raised in the Cotton States in
1851.-Jeff Davis the Secession Candidate for Governor of Mississippi.
-He is defeated by Foote, the Union Nominee.-Georgia follows Suit

by electing Howell Cobb on the Union Platform.-A lofty Summer-

sault by the Democratic Party, Page 99-101.

THE EXTREMISTS OF BOTH SECTIONS UNITED IN ACTION.-The "Fire-

eaters" and "Fanatical Abolitionists" voting together.-An illustrative

Anecdote of John P. Hale.-He votes with Hunter, of Virginia, 101, 102.

AGITATION THE OBJECT IN VIEW.-The Abolitionists seek to make Pros-

elytes in the North, and the Secession Democracy to stir up the Pas-

sions of the Southern People. -Disunion sought by both, the one to get

rid of Slavery, the other to regain lost Power, 102-104.

SECESSIONISTS BECOME FILIBUSTERS.-The Expedition to Cuba.-Par-
tial Revival of the African Slave-trade.—The Nicaraguan War.-Lo-
pez and Walker, and their Men, Victims to the Cause of Secession.-
104, 105.

THE SOUTHERN COMMERCIAL (!) CONVENTIONS.-These Conventions mere
"Primary Meetings" of the Secessionists.-The Richmond Examiner
anxious for the fait accompli of Secession.-Mr. Botts attends a Con-
vention at Memphis, and spies the Wolf beneath the Sheep's Clothing,
105, 106.

THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM.-The temporary Adjustment of pending

Differences between the North and South.-Agitation lulled. — The

Democracy on the Look-out for new Causes of Discontent.-A Vir-

ginia Mason begins to build a dividing Wall, 106, 107.

DEATH OF JOHN C. CALHOUN.-The Legacy he left his Country.-Death

of Clay and Webster.-The Giants of Kentucky and Massachusetts

leave a Vacuum.-A mental Pigmy from New Hampshire occupies the

Presidential Chair.-Pierce and Douglas made Catspaws of by the

Democratic Leaders.-A New England Pettifogger on the Democratic

Ticket defeats a Virginian Patriot on the Union Platform, 107–109.

UNION WHIGS TURN DEMOCRATIC SECESSIONISTS.-The Toombs's, Ste-

phens's, Faulkners, etc., of the Whig Party, swell the Democratic