Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-07-17
BoN. HENRY w. HlLLIARD
His Political Seatiments-He Believes in
and Lssors for the Cause Of COHsti-
tutiOnal Liberty.

The followIng letter appeared in the
New York BpeTli'lg Post OF tuesday
last. and was addressed to the editions
of that paper;
Some days since paragraph ap-
peared in your columns which makes
an erroneous impression respecting
nv political opinions. L cannot De
indifferent TO any statement IN regard
to my relations to- the Government
that Is made by a Journal OF 50 much
respectability and influence as that
u-hich you conduct. must respectfully
ask the privilege Of correcting the in
scour.Scy of the statement published
5v vOu--published, l do not doubt, In
good faith, but yet 1t does me great
Injustice. / am represented as saying
upon the occasion OF the reception OF
Mr.. Davis at Augusta, Georgia, that
the cause Of the rebel Coniederacy was
not lost cause, Sut II viii yet tn
umph."
Such is rot my opinion; nor did
say what ls attributed 70 me.
The Southern COnfederacy mas
,seased 10 exist. The States that under
fo.ak to seeede from the Union made
fhe,v several declarations OF lndepend-
enca Each ordinance OF secession
was nm a declaration Of independence,
10 he ms. de good, If need be, on the
field of bal tie. Subsequently the States
Organized a government, which they
undertook TO maintain IN the lace OF
the whole world. In the great war
between the SET 'eding States and the
States that welded the power OF the
(3oyerument Of the United States, that
followed. the cause N southern inde-
Deudence was lost. Whatever opin-
ion any man may have held before
rilst time as to the right OF state TO
sever its connection with the Union;
with whatever ardor he may have en-
tered into the great struggle to main
tain that right; with whatever OF hlgh
z,o1rage he may have followed the
Confederate banner, borne upon 80
many hard fought fields, where brave
men stood for it and against it, 1t is to-
day universally conceded that The
question is settled-settled now and
iorever. No one desires 10 reopen the
question. No one wishes 70 lift up
once more that banner, gilded often
bv fh,s light of victory, but borne down
at last by overwhelming numbers. In
that sense the cause is a lost cause.
But there are some OF us who believe
that me came Of constitutional liberty
h pof LOST. 1t Is in great peril, but 1t
viii vet triumph, There Will be no
sttenlnt TO subyert the Union; but the
great struggle for libeEty will be made
within the Union.
Not in the South alone, but every
where throughout the country the
friends of free government will rise
70 the rescue OF the Constitution. The
oec,ole of the North are as much IN
terested in the great struggle to MAIN
tain constitutional liberty as the peo-
,DIe. of the South can be. Ii Is not 10
t5e denied that some men, it may be
many Saeu, sre despOndent, and are
utterlvs0cithoEt hope IS to the future
on the conn Try. Some would welcome
e Cgessr. Some are ready TO seek tran
.guilitv under tbs shadow Of throne.
Bat there are sonis OF US who have
not despaired ~ the Eepuslc. we
believe that the cause ls net lost, put
that il will yet triumph. not me
cause Of the SOut bern COniedSrasys
but the cause of constitute DUAL 10
erty.
The people of this country viii not
suffer the States TO be crushed by
great central despotisn~ The preser-
walton OF the rights of the States is
essential to the perpetuation OF the
free institutions OF the cOuntry-not
the right 70 secede, but the right to
wieid all the POWERS not delegated in
the Constitution TO the general gov
ernment, not prohibited by il to the
states, OF which belong sac people.
The people will yet save ttse Consul
tuition. They are not ready k0F mil-
itary ruler; nor viii they give their
sanction to personal gOVernme nt.
There will be reaction in favor OF
the rights Of the States. The redHA'
tide viii come; it will sweep over the
whole country, and drive from the !
seats OF power those who dare TO as
pire toibe masters Of the people.
The Southern people acquiesce in
the result OF the war. Slavery is no
more; do not know any man who
whistles 10 restore it. Secession is 4
dead; do not know any man who Z
wishes to resUscitate it. But the Con-
stitutiOn is not dead. The principles (
of free government still live. As j
said but lately, they are immortal;
like Millions angels, they may be
wounded, but they cannot be Destroy
ed. The great principles that Under
lie the structure Of the Government
win yet triumph. The right Of every
people to decide under what form of
government they will live is on this
continent an indestructible principle.
To those who think they have de-
stroyed dit, the great body Of the Amer
Jean people may say:
"Fond impiOus men. think ye you sangulne
Raised By your breath. hath qsenched the
orb or uay2
Tomorrow be repairs his golden mood,
And warns The nation with rodOubled ray"
The great error of the Government
was to refuse TO receive the South
generously after the war. II would be
mere folly to question the courage Of
the troops who stood in battle on
either side. Those who fought for the
Union were brave men. Those who
fought for the Southern Confederacy
were brave men. 1t is mere folly to