Patrick Cleburne's speech question

[cannonfodder]

Greetings-
I'm trying to find a speech I believe was said by Patrick Cleburne before the war. He mentions he'd side with the south, as they have stood by him on many occasion. He also mentions the grave mistake the North would make by attacking the South, as they had done no harm to the North, they just wanted to be left alone. I've tried googling it but no luck. I've seen it as someone's sign-off on their avatar either on this forum or the cwreenactors forum. Any help?

[Jon The Beloved]

Re: Patrick Cleburne's speech question

From an excerpt of http://www.arkansas-scv.org/cleburne.html:

'On May 7, 1861, the day after Arkansas seceded from the Union, Pat Cleburne wrote to his brother, Robert, about his feelings:

"I am with the South in life or in death, in victory or defeat. I never owned a negro and care nothing for them, but these southern people have been my friends and have stood with me on all occasions. In addition to this, I believe the North is about to wage a brutal and unholy war on a people who have done them no wrong, in violation of the Constitution and the fundamental principals of our government. They no longer acknowledge that all government derives its validity from the consent of the governed. They are about to invade our peaceful homes, destroy our property, and inaugurate servile insurrection, murder our men and dishonor our women. We propose no invasion of the North, no attack on them, and only ask to be let alone.." - Patrick Ronayne Cleburne.

[Jon The Beloved]

Re: Patrick Cleburne's speech question

I also like this quote from Ol' Marse Cleburne: (from another letter during the early part of the war)

"Every man should endeavor to understand the meaning of subjugation before it is too late ... It means the history of this heroic struggle will be written by the enemy; that our youth will be trained by Northern schoolteachers; will learn from Northern school books their version of the war; will be impressed by the influences of history and education to regard our gallant dead as traitors, and our maimed veterans as fit objects for derision ... The conqueror's policy is to divide the conquered into factions and stir up animosity among them ... It is said slavery is all we are fighting for, and if we give it up we give up all. Even if this were true, which we deny, slavery is not all our enemies are fighting for. It is merely the pretense to establish sectional superiority and a more centralized form of government, and to deprive us of our rights and liberties."

Take it or leave it..

[cannonfodder]

Re: Patrick Cleburne's speech question

You sir, are a Godsend! Bully for you!