Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-12-27
From the Charleston Mcrcury.
Southern COnScrVaLiSm,

The opening proceedings of the Georgia
Conservative Convention, as reported in
the Macon journals, show how obstinateiy
the Southern opponents of Reconstruction
resist the logic of events, and how unwisely
they seek to better their position. The re
marks of Mr.. B. III. Hill, the President, art
q keynote to the spirit in which body,
locally influential, enters upon the task OF
resistance to the Congressional plan. Nolh-
ing as conceded as consequence Of the 2rlr
nothing said that looks like acceptance Of Me
altered circumstances Of lie time All is
bravado and defance.-N. y Times.
Nothing Was the writer of the above
article oblivious of well known and impor-
tant facts, or was he regardless of the
truth ?
What has become of the right of seces-
sion Does any Southern Conservative
claim that right now Has it lot been
yielded as result of the war Is it pre-
tended that this right is a mere myth, of no
practical importance, and that its surrender
amounts to nothing? For what then was
the war undertaken Did not the South
take up arms to assert that right Did not
the North rush into the conflict to deny it
Certainly it was the sole issue on which the
war was raised, a war between two great sec
tons of a mighty country, war which has
equalled in its magnitude and horrors any
war which history records. Is its surrcn-
der then a mere nothing? Were the peO-
pie of the United States all fools that they
should engage in terrible civil war ion
nothing? 1t was what the South fought
for and lost. 1t was what the North fought
against and won. Surely, then, when the
right of secession is yielded, something is
conceded as a result of the war.
What has become of slavery Where are
the millions of property in slaves once
owned by the Southern people. Mr.. Hill
did not contend that slavery still exists No
man at the South contends that it dOes.-
Mr.. Hill did not claim that the Southern
people still have right to that property
or say that he expected it to be paid for
No sane Southern man INDUCES in any such
wild vision. Where is slavery, then, and
slave property 4? Surely they have been
surrendered as one of the results of the
war. Slavery, it is true, was not originally
an issue in the war, but it was a secondary
issue made up afterwards by the United
States Government, when it was found i'm
possible to maintain the war on the orig
nal issue of secession, and the institution
OF slavery and slave property have been
destroyed by the war. BY that the North
truly has gained nothing, but the South
has lost great deal and it will not do TO
SdyJ Hucu We give up SldSCrJ, IuuG HD"t"9
is conceded as result of the war.
What has become of the millions OF prop
erty invested in Confederate securities
The Confederate debt has been repudla-
ted throughout the South, and the paper
that once represented comfortable for
tunes is now worthless trash in the hands
of its possessors. Is all this nothing
What has become of the other property
of the South Our banks are broken, ouI
fields are laid waste, our homes are burned,
and there is no redress. Is this also moth
ing?
No No The Southern Conservative
are denounced as impracticable eXtrem-
lists" who will yield nothing as a result OF
the war, not because they do not ackno|'
ledge the legitimate results of the war, Dat
because they will not acknowledge thaI
they are no better than negroes, mere
slaves to do the bidding of their con-
querors.
The largest mill in the Northwest cuts
$50, 900 feet of lumber in twelve hours.
Garibaldi is treated with great severity
by his jailors.
Ex-Gov Seymour spoils some OF Gar.
penter's "reminiscences OF Llncoh.
Salnave is developing into greater
knave than ever.
After January 1st it will cost but '"el''
cents to send letter to Europe.
A Newburyporter, 50 years OF age n"'
just got married.