Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-09-05
3 ZEE r Z. Ec> sen ID sS-Ess2 tk.
SRbEy,S'aE.

.BsE'r' sen DAN %-FssEE
SPs:z;SaE.
If Southern men would purchase
kindly words from their Northern
brethren they must keep silent upon
the past, or if they ope their mouths
they must DO So only in praise OF the
men who have ravaged their fair fields,
who have slain their brethren, who
have overturned their governments,
who have destroyed their liberties,
who placed their slaves IN dominion
over them: in Il word, who have com
mitted against them every outrage
known to the catalogue of crime,
tyranny and oppression.
Our Northern con"uerOra and would
be masters demand either silcnr" or
hvpocritical ;diiintnn from the people
of the South. Ti"y will not give us
the need Of their appreciation unless,
! fOrsOOth, We permit them to institute
governments and administer laws for
us, unless we permit them to control
oar schools and prepare our school
| books, In;rse We permit them To write
| oI,r history for us: in a word, they IN
| tend to continue the way against us i'll
one shape or another Just so long as
We dare 10 express the opinion that in
| lighting against the Flhg OF the United
! States we were not traitors, but We're
patriots and truc men. No matter in
what way it may be disguised, it comes
% this complexion at last.
| 1t is this that gives rise to the howlof
rage that still goes mp from the North
because Jefferson Davis dared, in the
| exercise of his right as an american
citizen, to give expression to his senti-
| ments ut q late meeting of the South
ern Historical Society.
Ii is 10 part of the purpose of the
JoURNAL in the future, as it has not
been in the past, either by adulation
or by silence to confess that our
efforts to establish the independence
Of the government OF the Confederate
not of that class e men who feel
grateful to the United States Govern
ment, who hold that to its 81, mencv
and magnanimity Southern men owe
their lives and what little property
they have left. The United States
Government has given the people OF
South more cause to hate, loathe and
despise its flag than the most despotic
monarch ever gave to his oppressed
subjects. Let Mr.. Davis speak then
for say what he may, we venture to
assert that not a fact will he Emisstate
or exaggerate. Ii Mr.. Davis uttcrs Il
word of untruth it will be an easy
matter to show it. Do our Northern
friends fear that Jefferson Davis can
controvert the truth of history?
Bat some Of our OWN people think it
is i""xpcdlcnt Tor Mr.. Davis TO express
his views even when solicited by his
fellow-citiZenS so to DO. This is
question which every man must decide
for himself We shall not undertake
to dictate to Mr.. Davis when he shall
speak, what he shall speak. or when he
shall keep silent. He is, or rather he
ought IT, be, free citizen, and as such
must Judge of such matters for him
self Mr.. Davis is 30 criminal who
speaks, when hespeaks n all, by favor.
if he be not the peer OF Ulysses S.
Grant i'll NJ! the rights of an American
citizen, as he is his superiorin all other
respects, it Is not because he has for
feited those rights by the commission
of any offence against the laws of his
country.
Why then this rage on the part OF
Northern men and constituencies un the
part of Southern men whenever Jciler-
son Davis uttcrs u word ? It is be- |
cause Mr.. Davis is regarded as par e.
c,UCncc, the representative man Of the |
South, and because the North so re-
garding him, feels Itself especially |
called upon to continue the battle !
against rs.
Nor will it ever be otherwise. The
time never will come when, in North
e.n esteem, it will be right and proper
for representative Southern men to as
sert boldly and publicly that the cause
III which they hazartled their lives was
IL Just cause.
We are tired, heartily tired OF waiting
fortllat ever coming, neverarriving con-
venient season; I'VE believe, indeed, that
it never will come we are unwilling to
keep our mouths closed until our enc
mics shall have made up the record
against us, and we Hnhesitatiagly array
ourselves with those WHO say let Mr..
Davis speak, let lis all speak, and who
think we have done ourselves RIO good
Tor having sought so anXiously TO
please Yankees and negroes during the
asst eight years.
The vindicatien of the right of free
speech in the South is worth far more
o us than any question of expediency.
The catch of mackerel has been I'M
Usually light this season, and many