The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-02-07
The causs Of the south Is the Case vs All.

ExtEaots from the closing chapter Of AieJander h.
In Colonial days. the cry went up from old
Virginia. in regard TO the Boston Port Bill.
" The cause Of Bdston Is the cause of as all"
These were the stirring notes which led to the
establishment OF our entire system OF Consti-
tutional Liberty. The only hope, in my view,
now left for its preserva alton and mainten ance
on this Continent is, that another cry shall
valley, from the coast to the lakes. from the
Atlantic to the Pacific: 1.-THE cause of the South
IS the cause Of as all"
n this comes in time, all may yet be we'll.
In that event, notwithstanding all that has
occurred, 1 SOC no reason why the States, once
more restored, as they will then be, should not
enter upon new career OF greatness, exciting
increased marvel, if not admiration in the old
world, by higher achievements in progress
hereafter to be made than any heretofore at
tanned, through the harmonious workings of
the true American principle of the Sovereign
Right OF local Self government on the part Of
each member of our matehless Federal System,
when rightly administered. On these princi-
pies, the Union, in my judgment, can he main
tanned and perpetuated-notb by physical power,
bat by the much stronger attractive principle
of mutual convenience and reci procal advan-
tage;" and this, too, without any apprehen-
sions of centrifugal tendencies in any of its
parts, either from the extent of its boundaries
or the number or diversified interests of its
members.
Bnt if such reac ton shonid not take place in
the public sentitent of the Northern people,
No fact(n the tr."re Yay be relied upon with
more-ceftf fnr3s than That their liberties can
not so " the los" of ours :.
- undertaken in vindication
On TSay1t, of the great cause of those
VIII, or W. fortunes in the terrible and
mos %sni3 ~. contest (the late war; were
cast $SUw h& we have gone through with
tha,wio,s 8 So ed before, will not ask your
Judgment Upcs.tthe matter. That am content,
notw .sbstaaa ag all that is now said about
"trajsass' ni.+re1els," to leave to the arbitra-
Eent Of the intelligent, unbiased and Impair
1tiaf o.. all times and countries. This Judgment,
II feel assured, will be inst Mr.. johnson
clearly foresaw it would be. By it the Con-
spithsts of ''rebsls' and ORATORS" will be
honorsd az '.seif- sacrificing patriots" fighting
for their Liberties throughout, and their
Heroes and Martyrs in History will take places
"by the side of Washington, Hampden and
Sydney"
agreed, and that is, in our adherence of any
thing like Imperialism in this Country. Per-
feet agreement on this point is the more agree
able to me, because this presents the only real
lring issue of paramount Importance before the
Peoples of the several States. The great vital
Question now is: Shall the Federal Govern
ment be arrested in its progress, and be brought
back to original principles, or shall it be per
United to go on in its present. tendencies and
rapid strides, until it reaches complete con-
solidation. Depend upon it, there is no differ
encs between Consolidation and Empire no
difference between Centralism and Imperial
ism. The contamination of either must me-
cessarily end in the overthrow of Liberty and
the establishments of Despotism. To speak of
any Rights as belonging to the States, without
the innate and unalienated Sovereign power to
maintain them, is but to deal in the shadow of
language without the substance. Nominal
Rights without securities are but mockeries
Nothing can be truer than that the States under
our system possess no Rights but Sovereign
Rights. All their reserved Rights are necessa-
ri1, Go Rinhfa bald I,,-
grant or favor from the Federal Government.
On the contrary, the Federal Government itself
possesses no Right, aud is intrusted with the
exercise of no Power, except by delegation
from the Sovereignty of the several States.
Sovereignty itself, as we have seen, is from its
very nature indivisibe! There never was
ereatef truth, more pointedly uttered, than
that By Mr.. Jefferson, that the Stat. Of this
Uniou 'are not uuited upon the principle of
unlimited So omission to their General Govern |
ment." The Administration of our Govern |
ment, therefor, must be brought back and |
made to conform 10 its action to these prin-
ciples thus announced by the Great Author of |
the System, and under which all the great |
achievements of the past were made. If this
Is not done, it is utterly vain To look for, or
expect anything. but ultimate Centraism and |
DesPotsm! Tnese are words of truth, ex-
pressed in an earuestness which / trust you
will excuse; bat they words which, how
ever received heeded by tho people of this |
day. will be rendered eternally true by the de- |
velopments of the future!
But without further speculation upon this |
subject any other, let me in conclusion |
barely add If the worst is to bsfall us il our |
most serious apprehensons aud gioomiest fore |
bodings to the future, in this respect, are to |
be realized if Centralism is ultimately to pre-
vail If our entire system of free INSTITUTIONS
as established by our commou ancestors is to |
be snbverted, and an Empire is to be establish |
ed in their stead; if that is to be the last scene
ipsthe great tragic drama now being enacted |
then. be assured, that we of the South will DO |
acquitted, not only in our own conscieDces |
but by the Judgment of mankind, of all re- |
sponsibiiity for so-terribe a catastrophe and !
from all the guilt of so great d crime against |
humanity Amidst our own ruins, bereft of |
fortunes and estates, as we'll az Liberty, with |
nothing remaining TO us but good naue, and |
a Public character, unsullied and untarnished |
we will, in the common misfortunes still cling
in affections to "the Land of memories" |
and fiud expression for orr sentiments when |
surveying the past, as well of our distant |
hopes when looking to the future, in the grand |
words of Father Ryan, one of most emf |
nent Diyines and one of Americas best poets |
"a land without ruins rs land without
land without memories is "A land |
without liberty laud that wears a laurel |
crown may be fair to see but Irvine "A few sad |
cypress leaves around the brow of any land |
and be that land beautiless and bleak it be-
comes lovely in its consecrated curonet of sor- |
sow, and il wins the sympathy of the heart |
and history! Crowns of roses fade--crowns of |
thornS endured CaivarieS aud Crucifxes take |