The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1868-06-03
Dying Words of Patriot and
Statesman.

The following extracts from the will of
the late Gov. John L. Helm, of Ken
lucky, we find in late number of the
Louisville Courier The will is on record
in the Hardin county Court, and was
written November Is, 1865 after he had
been elected to the United States Senate,
and just previous to his taking seat in
that body, and prior to the various Con-
grcssional usurpations enacted since the
war. These are the sentiments of man
devoted to the Union and unalterably OPP
posed to secession, respecting the right of
government to plunder private individu-
ais of their property:
"Assuming it as probable that the Gov
ernment of the United States, by force
and fraud, against and in contempt CT
right and justice, of law and the Consti-
tuition, State and national, and all law,
civil or moral, deprive my representatives
of their labor, place those who have
and may remain on my places at the dis
posal of my wife and son, John. | re-
quest that such as remain faithful and
obedient, shall remain in the service OF
the family on such terms as may be
agreed on.
~ regard this act of the Government,
looking at it in all its bearings and con-
sequences, the greatest crime OF this Or
any other age. In view of the conse-
quences which, in my honest judgment,
would flow from it, / was fixed and un-
aterable in my opposition to the late un-
happy and desoatng war; and now, in
the performance of this solemn act 1
thank God in the sincerity of my heart
that He gave that direction to my mind.
No man lived and breathed who was more
devotedly attached to the Union of the
States as formed by the compact-thc
Constitution as made by our fathers
than I was. I hold that it was formed
by the free and unconstrained will of the
people, and depended for its perpetuity
on the virtue and intelligence Of the peo-
pie, the fraternal affection Of the sections,
and the promotion of their mutual wei
fare I was for peaceful adjustment and
against war, believing, as did, and now
do, that war would be, and now believe
is, practical dissolution, unauthorized by
the Constitution, and against tho spirit
and genius Of our form of government.
The South was conquered: but in my
firm conviction the North will sooner or
later learn that they are the whipped
party. The race of intellectual giants
has passed off the stage. The moral tone
Of the people is gone; corruption and
vice rule the hour and the day. The
mass of tho whole people have lost con-
fdencc in the rulers of the Government /;
they place no reliance in its justice and
honor. This is a melancholy picture.
But my mind is made up, that the future
of this Government will havo down.
ward tendency, and ultimately, and at
no very distant day, will result in disin-
tegration Or central despotism.
...This is an unseemly place to introduce
my political opinions. do it to solemn
ly impress my family With my opinions,
in the firm hope that they will stand by
the form of Government as it came from
the Lands Of our Revolutionary fathers,
and oppose modern reform. believe
the Aboitionists, as political party, ca
pablo of any crime-possessing no re-
deeminr quality"