American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1866-03-01
CANTON, MISSISSIPPI, MARCH l. 1866
THE SOUTHERN sun:
p r O S p E T U S

LhE uuueTslSneu -one OI US nereIOlOr
editor of the Common wealth, and the othe
engaged for nearly ten years in the editoria
management of the Southern Sun-propos
to revive the publication of the latter pape
in the city of Canton about the first of Apri
next What changes the progress of event.
may render expedient we will not undertak,
to conjecture, but it is the present design Il
issue the Sun weekly and tri-weekly. A
more frequent issue will depend on the ascer.
tanned wants of the community, and the dis
position manifested therein to afford adequate
encouragement to the enterprise in which we
are embarked.
AS each of the journals with which we were
heretofore associated, had a general circula-
tion in this portion of the State, we shall not
make our antecedents the subject of elaborate
comment. We barely refer to them as indie
ative of the course which our principles will
lead US to pursue. This, however, we must
say, that our devotion to State rights has
undergone no abatement because of our
failure to uphold them against Northern ag-
gression, usurpation and war. Amid the
darkness and gloom of the present hour, we
still look forward to the vindication and ulti.
mate triumph of those time e-honored doc
trines as the only hope of constitutional lib
erty on this continent. Our faith is that Of
the ancient Roman, and we will not permit
ourselves to despair of the Republic.
Believing that we were justified by the
most sacred regard for truth and principle,
we have no apology to offer for our humble
advocacy of the cause in defence of which
the South was finally constrained to take up
arms. In appealing to that dread arbitra.
ment, she occupied the same elevated ground
upon which stood the heroes and statesmen
of '76. The principles involved were the
same in both instances but the interests at
stake ip the latter were much greater. With
such incentives to action, no people deserv-
ing an honorable place in history ever did or
ever can submit without a struggle. To do
our duty and trust the consequences to Prov
idence, is an obligation equally binding upon
nations and individuals. The disastrous re.
suit of our struggle for independence has not
tarnished the fame, or rendered the cause of
the Soulh less sacred in our eyes Though
and death have wrought their
sad work of woe and ruin though wars des-
olating march has destroyed our material
though rapine and plunder have
swept over our fair land as with besom of
she has lost none of her charms
for US. Her failure is not to DE imputed to /
her as a crime for, whatever the unreasou. I
ing mass may feel or say, good or i'll fortune
is not the criterion of right and wrong.
This truth is proclaimed on every page of
The worlds varied history. Even at this en-
ightened day, amid all the triumphs of
man groans under the cruelties (
and exactions of unjust government in every
quarter of the globe.
Though the South has failed to maintain
he cause of her people, and has dropped
rom her nerveless grasp the shattered spear"
ler escutcheou is unsullied by single blot
Her sons have the imperishable glory of hav-
ng made the manifest protest against tyrsu-
lp that the muse of history has ever record
d. Their deeds of noble daring, their sub
ime devotion to principle, the self-sacrifcing
pirit evinced during the recent struggle, will
i've in song and story as long as virtue, hon.
IT and patriotism command the respect of
mankind. The malignant spirit of Puritan
anaticism and bigotry, in its blindness and
madness, may destroy whatever remains to
is of constitutional liberty, but they cannot
bliterste the record of our glorious achieve
nents.
AS it is no part of our creed to distrust
he ways of God to man, we cannot believe
hat our heroes and patriots have suffered
nd died in vain. The question of power, it
) true, has been settled against US, but if
truth be omnipoteut and public justice cer-
aiu," who can say that the future has no
exemption for usf Who, in taking a retro
pective view of history, can undertake to