Wilmington journal., 1873-07-18

1naHgurated by 1t, the resolutions ema
mating from it, and the consequence
flowing from these resolutions ar
their scope. AS such they are th,
legitimate subject of free criticism an(
free discussion Each man must thinl
for himself alone in this matter, anC
has the right to take his own side an6
say his own word. We have Thought
our thought, taken our side, and here
is onr word:
We protest against that meeting III
SO far as it might pretend to represent
a sentiment beyond that held by a very
small fraction of Southern men.
We protest against the resolution as
a complete surrender of everything
into the hands of those who have
played upon the ignorance of the col
ored people and have preyed upon our
rights.
We protest against it's recommends
tions as tending to make the very
condition of affairs which they pre-
tended to better. We protest against
its policy in accepting principles which
are completely anti-Sonthern. And
were we the only man in our beautiful
but oppressed country to oppose the
spirit and intentions of the new move
m ent against all others, and were it
our last word, we would bravely re-
cord it in protest. But we are not
alone. The almost universal senti-
ment of the South re-echoes onr pro-
test. Voices rise all over the land,
and with no faltering accents speak
out against the new movement. And
there are voices that come from count
less graves where they are resting, who
died to defend principles now so easily
surrendered, and these voices speak
with us. The motives of the men who
have sprung this new movement on
the country we do not arraign. Their
motives are best known to themselves
They may be sincere. They may be
disinterested. But the best of motives
may lead to the worst of consequences;
and the best of men are liable to be
mistaken. We care not whose or what
names may be appended to these reso-
lutions. But there is signature
attached that we are sorry to see.
A soldiers name is there, in past
days faithful and tried and true a
name that wears the glory OF many
battle field, a name that honOrs the
man who bears it-honors the country
that breathes it-honored the cause to
whose invaded rights it was so nobly
consecrated-the name of Beauregard.
That single name gives an Importance
to the resolutions of that meeting
which they otherwise could not claim.
'Tis the old story. The good soldier,
as a rule, is a bad politician. He who
leads, on the battle-felds of patriots, is
too often, lnisled on the glorious plains
of politics. Beauregard's signature
but makes the resolutions of that
meeting more CALLING. We cannot but
remember now how General Beaure-
gard, in a conversation with ourself,
tlamed Longstreet for his action.
Why the change? Has the brave sol
der been entrapped by the willy poll
ticians? Has he merely committed
a blunde.? Or has he gone into this
new movement with his eyes open to
its real spirit and certain consequences?
Did he read these resolutions before
he affixed his signature If he did
not, We hope that he will withdraw his
name. But if, with full knowledge
and deliberate will, he has endorsed
the policy set forth III those resolutions,
the Beauregard of the Carondelet-
street meeting is not the BeaureGard
of Shiloh and the glory that rose
round his name on many proud
battleday has gone down forever.
The name or names of no man or men
can sanction the surrender of southern
tradition, the desecratiOn of southern
principles, the degradation of southern
manhood.