The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1869-07-01
Ole 0dttkIp Mariou.
ITS ORIGIN. OBJECT, And CONSEQUENCE.


OF georgia, mas WIltten u iOIlS AcltSA W HiN
National Intelligeneer, in which he dis
cusses the cause and probable conse-
quences of the late war between the North
and South. He says:
As to the origin of the war, or the first
outbreak of hostilites, did not say that
il was "iad,qurated on the one side to
vindicate the right Of secession, and on
the other in denial Of the right and to re-
sist its exercise
1t was not inaugurated by the seeding
States at all. 1t was inaugTated and
waged by those then controlling the Fed
eral Government to prevent secession
On the part Of the seeding States, it was
carried On purely in defense oftheir right
70 withdraw from the Federal Union OF
States, which they claimed as a sovereign
right. This is the substance Of the
statement ON that point; and so the fact
will 90 down to posterity.
The truth is well established that the
seeding States did not wish or desire war.
Very few Of the public men in those
States even expected w2r. All of them,
it is true, held themselves in readiness for
it, if it should be forced upon them
against their wishes and most earnest pro-
testatlOns.
This is abundantly and exclusively APP
parent from the speeches and addresses OF
their leading public men ut the time. II
is apparent from the resolutions of the
State Legislatures and the State Conven-
tons, before and in their acts Ofsecession.
1t is apparent and manifest from their acts
in their new Confederation at MOntgom-
cry. 1t is apparent from the inaugural
address of President Davis. 1t Is appa-
rent from the appointment of Commits
siOners to settle all matters involved in
the separation from their former confeder
ates honorablv, peaceably, amicably and
Justly. Il is apparent and manifest from
every act that truly indicates the objects
and motives of men, or from which their
real aims can he Justly arrived at. Peace
not only with the States from which they
had separated, but peace with all the
world, was the strong desire of the Con
federate States.
The war was not only inaUgurated by
the authorities at Washington, ~ stated,
but it was inaugurated by them while the
Confederate Commissioners, with the oil
ive-branch of peace in their hands, We're
at the seat of the General Government,
and were given to understand by those in
authority there, that Fort Sumter which
became the scene of the first con
flict Of arms, would, at an early day, be
peacefully evacuated by the federal troops
then holding it. The war was Inaugural
ted, if not begun, when the hostile fleet
set out for Charleston for the purpose of
reinforcing that fort, 'Jds ait netds. =
Hallam has well said that the ''aggressor
i'm Il war is not the first who uses force, but
the first who renders force necessary. =
And so the facts of history will ever show
how by whom this late terrible and most
lamentable war was inaugurated as well as
by whom was begun. They will show
who were the first actual aggressors, and
who first violated the organic principles
and laws of our American system OF self
government by the people.
Whatever may be the ultimate results
of this war, so far as the fate of constitu-
tional liberty on this continent is concern
ed, the responsibility Of its Inauguration
can never be justly and truly charged up
on she seeding States.
Their object in separating from their
former associates, with whom they con-
sidered they had been united i'll 4 Federal
compact, was not only to remain in peace
with them, but to preserve and perpetu-
ate the principles Of that Constitution
which had demonstrated such wondrous
results as a bond of Union between soy
ereign States so longas its principles had
been adhered to, but which they appre-
hended, under erroneous construction, if
not checked, would soon lead to consolida-
ton and despotism.
If they were right in their position that
ours was a Federal Government, then the
authorities at Washington We're the ag-
gressors IN inaugurating the war to pre-
vent the exercise of the right of withdraw
al; if they We're wrong IN their position as
TO the character of the General Govern
ment; if it, Ill fact, was not federal in its
nature and character, but was a govern
ment with consolidated sovereignty in tie
central head, then they were the agg-es-
sots III rendering the Inauguration Of the
war necessary for the maintenance ofcen-
tral supremacy The whole matter Of
right or wrong in the beginning of the
war, as well as its disastrous consequences,
depends upon the great question whether
the General Government was a Federal
\
stitution, was the true ''orthodox State
Rights principle to which Judge Nicho-
las refers, but does not enlighten the pub
lie upon. In other words, it depends
upon the true answer to the question:
Where, under our system, does sovereign
ty reside? Is it lodged in the General
Government, or has it passed to the whole
peoble OF the United States as one aggre-
gate mass, or does it still remain with the
people of the several States as distinct po-
litical organizations?
The doctrine of the book is that sover-
eighty resides just where it did in 1916.
1873 and 17S7-that, is; with the people
Of the several States 1t maintains that
all that the'States did by the adoption Of
the Constitution was To delegate, in trust.
the exercise of certain specific and limi-
ted sovereign powers to the General Gov
eminent, while they retained 10 them
selves, severally, sovereignty itself, the
great source from which all political pow
ers emanate.
This doctrine, must insist, too, is not
only the true doctrine, but the orthodox
doctrine upon the subject: Judge Nicho-
las opinion to the contrary notwithstand-
ing. Upon the point of orthodoxy in
reference to this matter, | know of but
one standard ON the subject, and that is
the Jefferson standard. erected and es-
tablished in the first of Kentucky's great
resolves of179S. The doctrine Of this chief
apostle of State rights and human rights
then announced, rescued and saved the
country from consolidation and central
ism in 1901. Under the operation of this
most orthodox principle so established,
with the general and taeit acknowledge
ment of It's correctness by all the Depart
ments of the Government, we increased.