Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-07-14


/ and have now become law" WHAT'S the
/ erfent Of the decision Of this new Magis-
trate, the sword? Who is to determine
what principles have ceased to be princi-
/ ples and become law? Does the General
mean that the North, having conquered
may enact as law any notions it chooses
to entertanie Ifso, has it made any such
enactment9 The victory itself enacts
nothing, but only gives the power to en-
act. It cannot prove that a particular
/ construction Of a Constitution OF Statute
is correct, or that a controverted fact did
or did not exist. The Northern States
have. as we have said, undoubtedly de-
termined that the Constitution shall
hereafter be, practically, as to them
selves. not a compact between the States
but a supreme law imposed on them by
the people. If they choose so to change
the Constitution that it shall so declare,
fbev can do so, and then if the Southern
states re.enter the Union, they will, by
the very act Of doing so, accept and con-
/ sent to the Constitution as so changed.
But It is not in the C~oaqueror's power
I TO leave the instrument untouched, and
enact what its construction shall be.
The Constitution is on its face q compact
made by the States with each other
The facts Of history prove that it was
such. Amendments may become a part
| Of If when adopted by th~ree-fourths Of
the States, against the will OF three
fourths Of the whole people Of all
Therefore, we say, because even the
unanimous consent Of the conquering
I States to regard the Constitution as hav-
ing never been such a compact, does not
bind the Southern States TO agree so
TO regard it, and because the will OF the
North that it shall be so regarded does
not make q law for the South, it is de-
manded OF the Southern States that they
/ shall sdmit and agree to what is false,
and that the Constitution is and always
was. what it is not and level was; in
stead Of requiring them TO agree % an
amendment of it. It is therefore not
true that the views that We hold cease
to be principles, because they are opposed
to law And it is consequently not our
duty 10 abandon them as obsolete. We
do not dispute the e~onqueror's right to
impose a new law upon us. We do not
dispute the right Of the Northern States
to make any changes they please il the
Constitution. But they can no more an
initiate principles than they can annihi-
late truths. Both are equally indie
structioIe.
They hare imposed one law on us, in
compeIing us to swear to support the
constitution. That they had the rightto
do. They neither did nor could compel
Us to swear TO c0nstrue it in accordance
with their opinions and contrary to our
convictions. On the contrary, the oath
binds US to construe if in accordance with
the rules Of construction and the facts OF
history, and not as they contend it is.
The Conquerer has bound us by solemn
oath not to abandon our principles as
obsolete.
Neither DO principles become obsolete
VIXEN their advocates are overpowered.
To hold so, would be to legitimize all
de-potisms. Power may chain Truth,
but can not assassinate it and princi-
pies overpowered for a time, and obscur-
ed, still live, and shine out again after q
time like the stars.
aTruth. crushed % earth, viii rise again,
For the eternal years OF God ara hers,'
Did the principle Of Hungarian nation
alitv and Independence as a kingdom be-
come Obsolete when Prussia and Aus
tria combined ucceeded, a few years
ago, in crushing the revolt Of the Mag
vars? Did il t%hereupon become the
duty Of the Hungarians, with eager
swiftness. 10 abandon that principle as
obsolete The answer is, that only some
eighteen years have passed, and because
Hungary u0t1d not do what General
Lonsstreet advises the Southern people
to do.-because she would not accept as
true the Austrian construction OF her
constitution and or the effect of the
Union with the Austrian Empire, she
has gained all she coutended for in
1915. II st. loses any part Of It, II wW be
because she non jOHOsrs just such 0drice
as General L0Hqstreet and Messrs. orr
and Patton and too many others gjrc
the South, instead Of learning wisdom
from tue eounsels Of those who have
never themselves exercised despotic mil
itary power. The men Of the sword have
never proven safe counseIlors Of a people
struggling TO retain or to reclaim their
liberties: there are few Washingtons on
the rolls of history; and few Caesars have
refused the crown. Neither Caesar
Sheridan or Justinian Sickles would do
it, even Once,-for fear it might not be
offered a second time.
What warranted DANIEL O'CoNNELL,
the "Liberator - in agitating for repeal
Of the Union between ireland and Eng
land, more than forty years after the
last Irish rebellion had been crushed,
and according to General LoNGsTREEr's
logic, English principles rs TO the Union
OF the two Kingdoms Of Albion and
Erin had become the highest law and
those Of Ireland obsolete, so that it was
the duty Of IrelanG to abandon them?
To be weak is miserable,
Doing or suffering" /
"Ta bow and sue for grace
with eunpliRnt knee, and defy his power, /
Who from the terror OF this arm SO late
DOUBTED bis emuue that were low indeed,
That were an lguOmlny and shame beneath
This downfall
j. that not what it would be to aban.
don our principles As obsolete after a sim
gle defeat? We know that those who
advise the people to engage in the work
Of reconstruction. are, for the most part,
resolute and brave men, VINO never fall
tered on the bloody field, and whom no
bride or tempting prize Of reward could
lure to b~aseness; but will the world, |
posterity and history accept u present
judgment as true, OF will they not rather
~uncharitsbly say?-
There are no tricks in plain and simple faith. !