The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-08-24
who has kept tho Faith Best ,

A subscriber has sent us the able argument OF
Mr.. MxaR1cx, one of the counsel for the defence in
the suRRArr case, recently tried in Washington,
requesting us to copy portion tit, which Is per-
;:rent to the present situation. In compliance
with this request, We make the following extract.
Mr.. MERRIcK said
Gentlemen Of the jury, was no secessionist.
desired the preservation Of this Union: des5ea %
their rights as States and the preservation OF the
Constitution Of the United States unimpalred and
untorn by the earnings OF demagogues, NORTH OF
South. I feared the suppression OF the reoenon;
feared the destruction Of the power OF the South,
and the utter and entire giving over to the Union
Of that, because saw moving abroad IN tne eoun,
try spirit that sought vengeance and blood ana
money. and ran this war like great manufactur.
inc machine, gaining funds from the blood that
was shed from the hearts Of brothers; and saw
spirit In the dominant triumphant military power,
which power had been achieved under tho pretence
Of defending the American Corshtuton, Wnlen
believed would turn round on that Constitution
and destroy it and tear down our liberties. My an
ticipstions have not been disappointed The spirit
is abroad, growing to-day, and shakes the very
pillars Of your capitol. Whilst the Executive OF
The United States stands fast by the Constitution
Of the United States, and endeaYors to uphold and
maintain it, that spirit seeks to destroy him. in Or
1ler thst it may get at that Constitution and de-
troy Il. feared it. I feared that spirit
whdch still lives, in the course OF the gen.
over. TO discredit man, because he follow
ed In that war his honest conviction. Sir, there
were ss honorable men in the service OF the South
a there were in that Of the North-men whose
hearts were as bold. whose characters ro were re
pure, and whose record as unsulied before the
world and God as that Of men north of the fatal
line. I defend not the act Of that high treason.
defend not the iniqulty that stained the land in
condemn the spirit that would keep alive the pre-
judices and the hatreds Of the war. II you come
TO the verscity and to questions OF truth,
and Try them BY the public record Of the
two sides would ask who has kept the fsash at she
cations that were entered into at Appomatto1
Gourt-Hous when Lee gave up his sword TO
Grant? Who has kept best that faith Has the
acquiescent and submissive Southerner, keeping
supreme law Of the land or has the dominant
spirit Of ineendiary anatcism, seeking vengeance
In the North, and blotting out nine States OF the
South, and establishing military despotism where
In hen glory rode and WS1 sDs sS
best again ssk2 Oh, gentlemen, wept for my
country IN the war. wept for her when her sons
stood arrsyed in battle against each other and
now that peace has come, and see treason, not
republic, in security and peace, without arms, and
without noise, and crushing out the liberty
Of one-hak Of my people, and DESTROYING DESTROYING tn the
sacred obligations pledged by Congress that
but the Union, and to save the States weep
more than wept in that war, although I
then sorrowed deeply over the distresses Of my
country. But neither they nor you can prevent
the result which is to follow. It is inevitable. The
same Almighty Power that has watched this ma
ton in its course watches 1t STILL and when for its
iniouities It's chast;sement has been sufficient,
perfect peace and Constitutional liberty will be re-
Stored; and though you and ], gentlemen, in our
dsy md generation, may suffer grief and be pain
Cd, our children viii inherit country as proud as
that which we inherited, and which we may re,
.cice to know they will live in and honor. Bad
men cannot have permanent triumph; but, in or
der that their ,eat may be hastened let us aban-
Let us condemn this vengeful spirit Of hostility,
which would have us believe that Southern men
can not tell the truth; that man with Southern
sympsthies must be presumed to he. Such opin.
ions are unpstriotic, unchristian, unbecoming,
and unfounded.