Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-06-02
in all the eHulgeoce Of tie mondays

right to submit the liberties OF a peo-
ME TO the arbitrament of the sword.
The Representatives of the Southern
neOple had eve been authorized to
10 ANYTHING of the kind. As their
Chief Executive he had never been so
authorized, nor did he ever claim to
be. He did not like to be understood
as advocating resistance. On the
contrary, he counseled submission to
existing laws.
For uttering these words Of truth,
Mr.. Davis will be illuminated by the
Radicals and sneered at by creatures
who ridicule the very word principle.
But a short time since, before the
southern politicians were debauched
by a lust for spoils, General Wade
Hampton said:
Above all, be not misled by that
unmeaning jargOn which tells you
that your case was submitted to the
arbftrament of arms, and that the
sword has decided that cause against
YOU. The sword has never, nor will
il ever, decide a principle or establish
a truth. 1t can, as it has often done,
overthrow a just cause and make
might take the place Of right; but it
never can reverse the immutable laws
of God, and make what is evil appear
right in His sight. A noble
cause, upheld herOically by honor,
courage, patriotism, may die along
with its supporters. A great truth
/ never dies, but eternal as the GOdhead
from which it springs, itlives forever,
amid all the changes Of d~ynasties, the
wreck of empires and the death Of ma
tiOns. 1t is, too, as false IN fact As IN
logic to assert that the sword can or
does decide justly between right and
wrong. With the sword the G0tns
and Vandals drenched the fair fields
of Italy with the best blood OF her
sons. 1t gave nearly half the world
to MahOmet. 1t allowed the Turk TO
trample out the civilization of Greece.
Its keen edge has dismembered PO-
land. It has left Hungary bleeding at
the feet of the OppressOrs. 1t has
| turned over Spain and Portugal to the
| tender mercies Of the Saracen, and on
| this continent and in our day, directed
by unscrupulOus power against the
! throats OF PROSTATE States, reeking
with paracidal blood, it entOrces the
| laws which it alone has made. Tell
| me not, then, that the sword can
| rightfully turn the scales OF Justice.
| 1t is the exponent Of tyranny, not the
| arbiter of truth-the badge Of the ty-
/ rant and the eX~ecutiOner, not the
symbol of Justice. 1t is not at all
| inconsistent with the views that we,
| as a conquered people, should observe
I scrupulOusly the terms dictated by the
/ sword and accepted by Us. We can
do this, and should do it in perfect
| good faith; but we should claim and
/ exercise the GOd-given right Of free
| dom Of opinion. We acknowledge that
the cause for which these men died is
lost. but we should be false to them,
false to that cause, were we to admit
that they were, because Of failure,
necessarily wrong. We believe that
they were right, and we therefore
honor and respect their memory. If
they were right, time will vindicate
their action and record their fame.
The above was published by almost
every Southern paper and Endorsed
as an elegant extract" but when
the same great truths are e%nunciated
by Jefferson Davis, he is tradueed and
blackguarded by contemplate scrib.
bIers who, to secure plumber, would
stultify themselves and degrade a
martyr to the cause OF liberty. 1t is
moustrous for Mr.. Davis to proclaim
a truth, but it is marvelOusly proper,
witty and smart for Mr.. ValIandig.
ham to promulge the same immutable
principle. The resolutions Of Mr..
Vallandigham introduced at the Day
ton Democratic meeting for Mont
gomery county, were called the key.
note for the next Presidential election,
and regarded as models Of Democratic
orthodoxy. One Of Mr.. Vallandig-
hams whereas is as follows:
WHEREAS, 1t is reasonable to sup,
/ pose that those same men still enter
tain to a large extent their several
/ opinions, and would, Tin like circum'
stances, support again substantially
the same measures.
Now, this simply means, give up
none Of your former opinions; if you
thought secession right and took up
arms to sustain it, think so still; and
if ever the time comes when il
will be availabIs take up arms
again. Mr.. VaIlandigham's first
resolution says: "~agreeing to dis.
agree in all respects as to the past
we will make a "new departure; y
| but when Jefferson Davis "agrees " OF
"disagrees as to the past;" when
he exercises the privilege which Mr..
Vallaudigham's preamble gives him.
Of " entertaining" his opinion and
asserting he " would, if in like cir.
cumstances, support again substan.
TALLY the same measures" Nj. Davi,
Is pronounced a rebelliOUs Bourbon
and Mr.. Vallandigham q truly loyal
submissive Democrat!
There is not a man in the South whJ
would attempt to make real and vita
kAC ElAoo VI oEGE1GADLs LFDA1 NOA
federate soldier observes with scrupu
lous fidelity the terms Of his parole
Jefferson Davis invokes peace; he ha.
depOrted himself since the surrender
whether as a prisoner chained in
dungeon, or a private citizen, with
lofty grandeur that has commanded
the admiration OF the world, and hi
sublime devotion to the cause that i
lost, sanctifes the graves Of our deal
heroes. Were he the craven to con
fess that the Confederate cause wa
~traitorous and wrong becauseit failed
there would be no days set apart t.
decorate and commemorate the grave
Of the dead, and our wives and moth
ers and sisters would 10 longer b.
proud of the husbands, fathers an'
brothers slain by patriotic hand
while engaged in treason.
EW