The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1867-07-25
Notes on The Situation.--No. 3.
BY HON. B. II, HrLL, OF GEORGIA,

VHo "~oi-Sot"uilSucu Tules Ol Inc laws OF
war and of nations, Eve are not ssub.
iect to the wiWof the conqueror," ex-
; cept as that will was declared before the
surrender, and, therefore, agreed to by
the surrender. have shown that any
terms prescribed after the war is over,
and after a surrender is accepted, are
not only not binding OH the con.
quered but are Infamous in the CON
queror, and amount to, y new declara-
ton of war against those who were Gu
trapped into laying down their arms,
and who are, therefore, for the time be-
ing, helpless, And whether the Con-
gress or the Executive, or both, as is
~variously claimed, or whether the Pres
idcnt and the Senate as is the truth
be the peace making power Of the Uni
ted States, ! have shown. from the Off
cial records of each and all, that the
only conditions demanded ofthe South
crn people, in laying down their arms,
were the preservation Of the Union IN
der the Constitution, with the single
changcofthe abolition ofslaycIy, which
single change was very dopbtfully and
imperlectly demanded, but was very
promptly and cheerfuIly yielded.
No principles, than those | have an
nounced, are better settled, or more in
c~onsonance with natural reason and
public justice no terms were eyermorc
distinctly declared as the purpose Of
waging the war, or more sacredly prom
ised as the conditions ofthe peace and
No surrendering people ever did more
promptly, moro absolutely, more sub
missively, or with one-tenth the sacri-
flee OF property and hope and pride,
aud feeling, comply with all the terms
demanded on their part, than did the
Southern States and people. They
laid down their arms they gave up the
great principle OF government which
their fathers taught them never to yield,
and to maintain which they had fought
so long and endured so much; though
already impoverished they gave up four
billions more Of propcrty-the desccn
ded patrimony ofcenturics; thcy struck
the letters from their slaves by their
own consent, and, with words Of On
couragement and hope, gave the freed
slaves, by their own laws, absolute civ
il equality with their former owners
they abided, without complaint or claim
for damages, the burning Of their cit
les the devastation oftheir houses the
destruction ofthe food for their wo.
men and children, and q thousand 9th.
or acts of war which no civilized code
will justify, and no civilized precedent
will mitigate; they changed their Or.
ganic laws, and re-digested their m,.
nicipal codes to conform them to the
new order ofthings. They repudiatcd
the obligations and contracts they had
assumed to their own people and TO
mankind to secure help in what they
had deemed q struggle for liberty and |
life. They hazarded q social rcvolu- !
ton and q paralysis Of every form Of :
labor which might well have awcd the +
most thrifty people, and the most Grm- /
l.y established society. All these things |
they did and suffered to show good Q
faith in fulfilling the obligations ofthoir
surrender, to maintain the Conslitu- =
ton and preserve the Union. s
Yet two long years have elapsed, and \
they have not been permitted to enjoy
q single privilege, nor suffered to cs- {
cape a single burden Of that Union! I
Nay, while waiting to receive what was +
50 earnestly, so aacrolly promiscd-- G
recognition as continuing equals
in the Union-thoy have seen swarms b |!
OF agents Of the United States permca- i
ting every neighborl,ood OF their land. !
and stealing, in the name and By the g
permits of the Government, and carry "
ing away thcircotton and other remain Il
means with which they had hoped to 90
begin the recuperation Of their condi
ton and they see continued among
them n hybrid institution, born in war (
and unknown to the Constitution, with \
q crowd OF officers to execute its func-
lions, many Of whom make companions
Of their former slaves to loment hatred ~
% the Southern whites, and some Of =
whom find mistresses among their for.
ner slaves and use theirofices to levy
on all classes for their SUD.
And all these things, and more.
our people bear, and speak about only
II whispers, lest by resisting and re. r,
the outlagcs of even robbers
md vagabonds, they furnish to those \
,obbcrs and vagabonds the pretence =
orthe charge Ola lingering spirit of n
ebellion against the Government! III
And now we are told, by these Mill. ,
airy Bills, that the very Constitution %,
md governments we SO promptly and la
o submissiyely framed and organized co
n order to fulfill all the possible obi. o OF
OF our surrender, must be alb =.
and annullod; that new Consti- of
titutions must be framed and new GOV. pr
rnments must be organized, in which p'
'ur former slaves are all to participate, ~
nd from which every intelligent and
irtuous man whom our people have -
eemcd worthy of trust and confidence
{ any time during his whole life. shall
C toreger excluded. To this new GOV es'
the negro race is to consent for i'm
nc white race, and by it the emigrant ag
obber and vagabond, with their bribed Go
outhern coadjutor, are TO rule both E u,
aces. And until this oppression shall !
e fixed upon us, and made part of the =
'renediable law Of the land, and shall
'ceive the approval of the authors OF
.nJA Ill all. -- "a