Page:War songs and poems of the Southern Confederacy.djvu/18

 6 THE AUTHOR&#39;S REMINISCENCES OF WAR DAYS declared. It was well known, however, that the real provok- ing cause of war was the Kegro. While Mr. Lincoln was not nominated or elected upon the platform of Abolition, yet it was a well-known doctrine of his party, and the people knew that the ultimate object of that party was to emancipate the slaves in the Southern States. The platform of the Repub- lican party did claim, however, the privilege of prohibiting slavery in any new States and Territories that might come into the Union, and it was but a step from that position to a further determination to abolish slavery everywhere. Mr. Lincoln could never have been elected but for the fact that there was a remarkable and unprecedented division in the opposing parties. An example of this was found in my own family. My father, and one of my brothers, were for Brecken- ridge &#59; another brother for Douglas, and still another supported the Bell and Everett ticket. This division and confusion pervaded the country everywhere, and although Mr. Lincoln lacked more than a million to give him the popular vole, he was elected. His election, of course, was the red rag to the Southern bull &#59; it was the fire to the powder &#59; and the very fact that he had to travel in disguise to take his seat at Washing- ton, showed the red-hot condition of popular feeling. South Carolina, small, impulsive, brave, was the first to take her stand, declaring her right to withdraw from a LTnion into which she had entered of her own free will and accord. Other States followed in rapid succession and excitement was at high tide. OLD VIRGINIA&#39;S STAND All eyes were turned to Virginia, ever regarded the strong, proud, old Commonwealth which had given to the Union its greatest leaders, and whose sons had been first and foremost in peace as well as in war — not only to declare her rights, but to stand to them, and, if necessary, to fight and die for them. A convention was called to meet at Richmond, Virginia, and no sooner had they assembled and the sense of