The daily clarion. [volume] (Meridian, Miss.) 1863-1866, 1866-01-16
What May Not BE Expected OF the souuI,

From the Memphis Avalanche
LIST We hold that it should not be expect
ed of the South to confess to the crime of treat
son. With their views of State sovereignty
the people of the South could not commit
treason as long us they remained true to their
State. Their doctrine was, that the Federal
Government was the mere agent ofthc States
forming the Federal Union. Believing that
the Federal Government was bV the election
of a sectional party, unfit longer to be the
agent of the Southern States, they withdrew
the agency which they had invested in the
Federal Government, and transfer it to a
government which they hoped would be
both permanent and faithful They expect
ed the separation to be accomplished with
out bloodshed, and only asked TIA i-- let alone.
Ft.oy neN er Jn0ugnt of destroying the GOV
eminent. They anticipated two powerful
considerations existing in close proximity,
and i'll relations of mutual friendship, each
running its seperate career prosperity and
each attaining the highest national glory.
Even the forts and arsenals were taken they
We're believed to be the property of the States
for whose protection they had been erected.
Ii did not enter the minds of Southern states
men, that sovereign Statet could commit trea-
son, and it must not now be expected of eve
ry man engaged in the war for the indepen-
dence OF the South, to confess himself trai-
tor History will show that the conventions
which passed the ordinances of secession
were composed ofmeH of profound learning,
stern integrity, and spotlesS purity The
Pulpit the Bar and the Bench sent to them
their brightest ornaments. There were
found i'll them the discreet planter, the learn
ed physician, the prudent merchant and the
industrious mechanic. The venerable in age
and spotless in character, were selected to do
the bidding of millions ofconstituents. be
heve at that time the work was ruinous but
| knew their motives were pure ! counsel
ed moderation. urged delay, | prophesied
war and foretOld disaster but Inever impug-
ned the motives ofthe wise and good men
who did the work which has proved our
ruin.
The South has suffered enough without
adding the loss of honor No, we are not a
race OF traitors. We appeal to the generos-
ity of a powerful people who have subiu-
gated the South, not to require of the hui
initiating confession, that our long line of
noble martyrs, with the pious and heroic
Jackson at their head, We're traitors all. Let
it not be required of lis to place the brand of
infamy upon the noble brow of the greatest
Christian soldier the world has ever seen.
We can change our State constitutions, we
can declare slavery abolished, we can annul
the ordinances of secession, we can do all
that honor and magnanimity would require
of us, but this humiliation ought not to be
exacted-this damning confession must not
be extorted, let the great and victorious
North say, eve speOple of America have
fought the greatest battles i'll the worlds
history, we have astonished the world by
our prowess and our manhood, and we will
now astonish the world by our magma
nimity."
ID 1t may not be required of the South
at once to give up its long 3"2'~d opinions.
The Southern people 1s7t--Ie - - that At
rican slavery was ordained by God. The
war has abolished slavery but that docs not
prove slavery wrong. War has often de-
stroyed what was good. NEfny throne
has been established III iniduity, and it's very
foundations have rested upon the bones of
those slain IN battle. War has often da&
stroyed civilization, and carried its ~miser-
able victims back to barbarism War has
swept commerce from the seas, and agricu.
tlre from tie land but that does II
vince us that people should not engage in
commerce or agriculture. The fact Is, war
proves nothing but the power or proves OF
the belligerents. Bullets may determine
the actions, but not the opinions OF an hon
est people The people of the South be
Ieved their cause holy, and its entire defeat
does not change their faith When a man
surrenders his sword he does not give up his
ight to think. We have surrendered the
sword, we appeal no more to arms, but in
The name of all that is generous or jnst, ac-
nccede TO us the poor privilege OF untram-
meled faith.
4th. 1t ought not to be expected of the
South to be willing to remain longer under
military rule The South struggled hard
and fought bravely; heg heroes havemade
manly and earnest effort to secure indeped-
ence the battles fought and won over large
lY superior numbers, placeshel name iiiSh on
the role of fame. Her Jacksons and Steu-
arts her Lees and Forests, her Johnsons and
Ii ha ptjp wi lie
patriotism wins applause, and manly cOur-
ages receives honor But, If our heroes
knew how to win a victory they knew equal
" well how to bear defeat. If they fought
bravely they returned from the contest
gracefully. In accepting the situation the
South has proved her honor, and deserves the
confidence of every generous man in the
North Whatever that conqueroI has dicta-
ted has been done. We submitted grave
questions to the arbitrament- of arms, we
were defeated, and we have yielded TO tie
terms of the conquerer For eight months
we have submitted without a murmur to Il
military despOtisul, and now we ask to be
restored to the rights of citizenship. We
ask the restoration of civil liberty, of the
writ of kdbeas corpus, and of all the rights of
free men.
5th. 1t ought not to be expected of the
South to nav taxes unless they are allowed
representation. Taxation without represent
tation is contrary to the Declaration of In
dependence, contrary to the Bill of Rights,
and contrary to every principle on which
the Government of our fathers was based.
The right to tax the colonies without allow
ing item representation was claimed by Eng
land, and denied by our common ancestors,
For this they fought and won, and now will
they violate this very principle in taxing MS
while our right to representation is denied
But it may be said that this tax is impOs-
en- as punishment. And have we not been
punished enoughl Is the thirst for blood
and the hunger for the pound OF flesh SO
great that all our losses of life and treasure
viii satisfy neither the one nor the other
What has the South not sufiered2 Every
home has been draped in mourning, and
every heart has been wrnng with SORROW
Wildwood and orphanage fill the land
The fate of Poland has been our fate. We
have had Warsaw. - every State. Our
heavens have been hung with blanl..and the