The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-08-27
who Has Kept tho Faith Bssti


the Charleston Daily Ne,ss, the able
argument of Mr. Merrick, one of the
counsel for the defence in the ;Surratt
case, recently tried in Washington,
requesting us to copy portion of it,
which is pertinent to the present
situation. In compliance with this
request, we make the following ex-
tract. Mr.. Merrick said:
Gentlemen of the jury, I was no
secessionist. desired the preserva-
tion of this Union. Idesired its pre-
servation, with all the States unim.
paired in their rights as States, and
the preservation of the Constitution
Of the United States. unimpaired and
untorn by the carpings of dema.
gogues, North or South. I feared
the suppression of the rebellion. 1
desired peace and union, but I feared
peace. 1 feared the destruction of
the power of the South, and the utter
and entire giving over to the Union
of that, because 1 saw moving abroad
in the country spirit that sought
vengeance, and blood and money, and
ran this war like O great manufac-
turing machine, gaining funds from
the blood that was shed from the
hearts of brothers; and saw q spirit
in the dominant triumphant military
power, which power had been achieved
under the pretence of defending the
American Constitution, which I be-
lieved would turn round on that Con-
stitution and destroy it, and tear down
nnr ItLorffoo nv oDkso;,ok:o,,o
not been disappointed. The spirit is
abroad, growing to-day, and shakes
the very pillars of your capital
Whilst the Executive of the United
States stands fast by the Constitution
of the United States, and endeavors
to uphold and maintain it, that spirit
seeks to destroy him, in order that it
may get ut that Constitution and de-
stroy it. feared it. I feared that
spirit, which still lives, in the course
of the gentleman, in attempting now,
after the war is over, to discredit q
man, because he followed in that war
his honest conviction. Sir, there
were as honorable men in the service
of the South rs there were in that of
the North-men whose hearts were rs
bold, whose characters wers as I'M
stained, whose consciences were as
pure, and whose record MS unsullied
before the world and God MS that of
mon North of the fatal line. I de-
fend not the act of that high treason.
[ defend not the iniquity that stained
the land in blood. Now that the war
is over, L arraign and condemn the
spirit that would keep alive the pre-
judiccs and the hatreds of the war.
If yon come to the veracity and to
questions Of truth, and try them by
the public record of the two sides, I
would ask who has kept the faith the
best, between the two ocontending foes,
of the obligations entered into
at Appomattox Court House, when
Lee gave up his sword to Grant?
Who has kept best that faith? Has
the acquiescent and submissive South
erner, keeping to the pledge he then
gave of submission to the supreme
law Of the land? or has the dominant
spirit of incendiary fanaticism, seek
ing vengeance in the North, and blot
ting out nine States of the South,
and establishing military despotism
where once, in her glory, rode and
triumphed the goddess of constitu-
tional liberty? Who has kept the
faith best, 1 again ask? Oh, gentle
men, I wept for my country in the
war. wept for her when her sons
stood arrayed in battle against each
other; and now, that peace has come,
and [ see treason, not in arms, but
treason sapping the foundation of the
republic, in security and peace, with
out arms, and without noise, and
crushing out the liberty of one half
of my people, and destroying the
sacred obligations pledged by Con-
gress, that this war was for the Union,
and nothing but the Union, and to
save the States, weep more than I
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. 1t is inevitable. The same
Almighty Power that has watched
this nation in it's course watches it
still, and when, for its iniquities, it's
chastisement has been sufficient, per-
feet peace and constitutional liberty
will be restored; and though you and
L, gentlemen, in our day and genera
ton, may suffer grief and be panied,
our children will inherit country as
proud as that which we inherited, and
y-htol, xr,n ,,,or, ra.1,oo -