Mississippi index. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1865-18??, 1867-07-30

State Of warfare between that nation and
himself. Should it be said that in such
a case, there may be peace and a kind of
campact BY which the cOnquerer consents
to spare the lives Of the vanquished on
condition that thew acknowledge them
selves his slaves; he who makes scoh an
assertion isignOrant that war gives no
right to take away the life Of an enemy
who has laid down his arms and submit
ted. But let US not dispute the point,
let the man who holds such principles Of
Jurisprudence keep them for his own use
and benefit; be well deserves to be sub
iect to such a law. But men of spirit to
whom life is nothing-less than nothing,
unless sweetened with liberty, will 81
ways conceive themselves at war with
that oppressor, though actual hostilities
are suspended on their part through
want of ability"
My friends, this was written by man
who lived in despOtic times, by a man
who was taught under despOtic gov
eminent; and how his love of liberty and
law shames the praters about loyalty in
free Americal
Does it do you good to trample on the
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES the negroes and
ruin the country 1t may be sweet now,
but / tell you the sulphurous fires of
public infamy will never be quenched on
your spirits. l pity you from my soul.
Would that the time had never come
when l had to stand upon GeOrgia's soil
and thus talk to Georgians. A struggle
is coming 1t may be long and bloody
one, and you who advocate this wicked
scheme will perish in it, unless the peO-
pie now arise and check its cOnsumma-
ton. Let every true law-lOving man
rally at once to the standard of the
Constitution of his country. Come. DO
not abandon your rights. Defend them.
Talk for them, and if need be, before
God and the country, fight and die for
them. Do not talk or think of seoess-
ion or disunion, but come up to the good
old platform of our fathers-the COnsti-
tuition. Let all, North and South, come
and swear before God that we will abide
by it in good faith, and oppose every
thing that violates it. The man who
loves the Constitution now, and is will
ing to live and die for it, is my friend and
brother, though he come from the frozen
peak Of Mount Washington; and the
man who is for trampling upon it is my
enemy, and l shall hold him so, though
he come from the sunny cline of the or
range and the cotton bloom. This is
my issue.
o how sorry a creature is the man who
cannot stand up for the truth, when the
country is in danger. There never was
an opportunity as now exists for a man
to show Of what stuff he is made. How
can you go about the street and say,
"All is wrong but l cannot help itP
Yod want courage my friend You are q
coward You lack courage to tell the
truth, and would sell your birthright fol
temporary mess Of pottage, even for a
little bit of judgeship or a Bureau off
GERS place.
But some one says: allow will you
resist it, I will resist it first by moi
approving it. If everybody would dc
that it would be effectually resisted SC
far as we are concerned. But the So
called Congress has provided cover fol
itself in advance, under which to hide
from the odium attached to this scheme
1t has provided that you can vote eitherfoI
or against convention, and again vote fol
or against whatever constitution it may
frame. It is sought to make US respOn-
sible for whatever may be the consequent
ces and relieve them. After a while
when you become alarmed at the results,
they will say, eve did not do this We
only gave you a chance and you did it,
But if we defeat this, it is said, militia
~ rule will continue. Certainly-until
wicked men shall be driven from power
But let it be so. General Pope seems
to be gentleman, and infinitely prefer
his rule to the rule of such men as you
will get under this scheme. Besides,
the new government, if inaugurated, will
not be able to live day without militia
~ protection: 1t is safer to be governed
by power than treaohery.
Perhaps you will think I have over
drawn the picture of the fearful cOnse-
quences of accepting this scheme.
recOlleUt an incident which occurred over
sin geavs AGO, when ! was urging the
peopl II Georgia not to secede, because
the col TRY would thereby fall into the
hands # Radicals, and predicted war
and itsaattendant suferings as the result
though then deemed visionary, I would
be almost ashamed now to read my re-
marks of that day-my picture would
be so tame and so far short Of the dread
full reality that has followed. A very
prominent gentleman replied to me, urg-
ing that there would be no war, and to
prove it, be read an article from Horace
Greely's Tribune and old Ben. Wade's
speech declaring the South had right
TO secede, and if she choose to exercise
that right, thay should be allowed to do
- -. .,o,oo 10 than eoid that Grady