The Union flag. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1865-187?, 1865-12-29
TIE PRESS OF The SOUTH.

The spirit OF rabSlltoa stu permeAu tue
eca,hsra journals, at times Subdued and des-
ponden,, ofener courageous aud defiant as
in ,hs dSyS Of b~oaStful and Sansuine ehiVal-
~. They accept the overthrow Of their cause
most ungracstully, reg arding II az an unjust
and severe ehas,isenent-A mSrciless and
dupOtic arbilrsment of the sword. The
emancipation ofshs slaves, compensation for
their labor, the culture Of their miadS, their
protsction BY Law agains, the injustice ofthoSe
who held them in servisude, Aad their elsva-
tioa to martial rank and dignity, they main :
tain, as an experiment fraught With sVils Of
ineAleulable magnitude.
The military subsection Of the South, en-
foresd mainly By eolOred soldiers, entirely ig-
poraa. Of the character Of their ncU position,
10, they consider, an unwArran;able insult to
Ilo hoaor Snd fidelity Of her conquered
people.
The South returned 10 the Union, not from
sny convictions Of the unrigh,eouues5 Of hsT
case, and that /. was her duty 70 do so, bu:
h.cauIs the defeat Of her arms neceSsitated
the horrible Alternative. According TO thar
profound mode Of reasoning, the var was oTi-
giua,ed by a syStsnaliLed concurrence Of Gso-
liion observation-disclosures the constitutional
rights and guarantees Of the South, sud up
on her part was tue siNPIE exercise Of the
right iaalieaable to the States Of selE-protec-
lion against theruiaouS consequences Of see-
tiouAl favoritsn. She bad sufficient sroaudS
OF apprehension, that the ~uninpeied march
of Northern fauAticisrn would undermine her
bulwArks Of strength and SssEsriALSgss TO
T,s AEsr OF tbs USioS, and subjec; her to
tie remorseiesg yssslage of gOFrrumert
disregardfui ofths Sovereignty Of the COM
pgasr: parts. She entered the struggle fof
independence, and the security Of her do;nrs-
tic Institutions, even VITA tie creates, F0!pc-
t,acs, ate. she bad made every concession
yoslible, without the sacrifice Of Der hoaoE
Ard legitimate power, 70 cenci.iate the JUS
tee Asd ~magaaninty Of the people Of The
North. Her earnest, inportara!c snpp!ica-
,ioas to the inacIihls Moloch Of Aboli,ionisu,
were eo~RtsmpiuOus,y rejected. She had no
alte.aasiEe, bat appeal to the sword TO vim
dictate her cause, and the GsiSadS Of justice to
Gsht her battles. For four long years she
UsintSiaed The struggle against the Goies
add YandAls Of the North, and The retirement
Of all Europe, and then suceombsa to uum-
bs-s tina, rivalled aud surpassed the ancient
armies Of the East she engaged the esteem
and sympathy Of nearly the whole world aud
even won the acqniesceace Of her intestine
S5es By a mAgnanimous federation Of their
rss;5taEcc. She presented The e1:raordIaa-
~ aud sublime spectacle Of ayoutbfal EN-
pigs eontendias With arms foF is ti5p1'
tad nationality, witbou. abridgemsnt OF The
rishlful liberties Of It's people.
Secession was bn. a declaration Of inprO-
scriplibie State rights, and a courageous pro-
test against the rehabilitation Of power ia =
representative bead. Tho Southern reyoia.
tioA embodied the cardinal principles Of sta-
DE republican government, and was prOIecu-
ted With a zeal, devotion, and courage,
t1ougb unfortunate aud ils1sct1al, but none
the less commendatory to the clemeacy and
usgnanimity Of the victorious.
It was the measure, 6rst in the favor Of eI-
pSdis1cy, pFomisingA an immediate solution of
the complexities Of social and political An.
tsEouism, eEistiaS bstweea the two sections
oftbs Union, and which we're becoming day
bJ day NOR; grievouB aud fatal 70 The inter
es;S Of the South.
Such are the jostAestions Of her treason,
which has brought irreparsbls desolation up
on cur land, aud inconsolabis woe TO almos,
every hearthStone. Such are the arguments
Tor l~rnisncy to the authors o. ihsse calani-
tee, tia. are echoed aud rc-eehoed through
tss pTsIS from Virginia to Florida, aod from
FLORIDA back to Virginia. The proprietor
ship OfIhe Southern press has undergone no
Anss, generally speaking, since the adverse
issue Of the Ear to its hopes and diVina,iOnS;
hence tho cSDuoa practice Of making sI-
cuss,, to Shisldhou personal responsibility,
is quite nataral.
For forty years lieentiouSnsIS Of opinion
and pernieiOuS counsel have IlseAmOd unra-
mittingiy from this ~foaatain Of Political cor
ruptio5, y~ltia,inE the Southon mind. add cd
ueAting it in seetioHsl prejudice and sni-
mostly.
The Soutbsn press, devoted and ssaiouI 10
the nsfarious work Of national disiutegratiop,
vas arSt to sound tho .osein ofWar, upon
ts Asesndsucy Of tho Republican party TO
the aAnlhinratioa Of the government. II
CrAvsiy asserted, that this party, bent on the
SEfaudisemsn, Of T~sctioaal istsrsIts, would
s6iitsfa:s With the aTalsneb oferseutiys pow
sr, the Iacial disdastigas Of color, and As an
svitAbls cOnSsqusaes, the civilization aud
high EsansmeaI Of the South, which depend
ed mainly upon the harmonious inequalities
Of her people, woulA b jsopardissd. By
neh nnblushiag m~endseiiy Il created sp-
prshensions among tie gaiHformed aad
E0sdsd on tho Jacobialeal rabbls, ever
ripe Tor innovation, 70 tho irrsmiuibls par.
zelda AZ lha eounirv. peoafanad h. 80 t..al