Richland beacon., 1876-01-29
The Centennial and Rebellion.

Great preparations are being made
for big show, or exhibition, of all
the productions Of art aud science of
the world at Philadelphia next July,
and the celebration of-what? why,
one of the boldest and most deter
mined rebellions that ever was
engaged in by any people, and the
success of which cost those who
engaged in it one Of the hardest slrnS-
giles. the most cxbausting toll, the
most self.sacrificing patriotism and
for,itude and hardship that ever a
pcople were called upon to endure /;
The celebration of the one hundrcdlb
anniversary of Il rebellion which
sancti6ed an act which was considered
REASONABLE and removed the odium
from the term rebel, and male heroes
of those vi o were called traitors.
The whole w,r.d is called upon TO
ioin in the celebration of this anniver-
sary and in raising pGans Of glory TO
the rebels of l176; and the country
against which they rebellcd has prom
iscd to join in the celebration with a
magnanimity worthy the emulation of
some of those who Claim to be the
descendants Of those old rebels.
We have, from our infancy, been
h.. I'm
memory of those who signed the sin
gular document styled The Dcrlara-
ton Of ludcp, ndeuce " and those who
fought in the war which it Inaugural
ted, and who gloried in the appela,ion
of Rebels" and hence, were taught
to regard it as one of honor instead Of
reproach. Yet, paradoxical as il may
appear, many Of those who propose TO
aplit their ,hroa's next July shouting
huzzahs for the rebellion and singing
praises TO its heroes have been for the
last sixteen years crying as loudly for
rebellion to bc made odious," and in
their efforts to do 50, have taxed their
utmost inginniIy to invent means Of
torture and plans Of humiliation for
those who followed the example of
those whom we immortalize and are
even yet, after The advent Of the Cen
tennial year, engaged in this work.
1t is a grea, wonder to us if the
peoples Of other countries are not sap
prised if not Disguised at the incon-
sistency of the people of our country.
The celebration of the Centennial is u
cheat, q fraud, a mockery, if we are
still to be insultrd, abused and OPP
pressed for the very act we celebrate.
and the whole affair deserves the
curse Of failure.
1t is true, we did not succeed in
our rebellion, but the cause Of it was
as great and the act the same, and it
only needed success to make it as
glorious and he who celebrates the
anniversary Of the former without
acknowledging this fact in regard TO
the latter is hypocrile.
We recognize TIC facts, that seces-
zion, viewed from human stand
point, was blunder, and that the
precedent was both dangerous and
unwise but The facts, nevertheless,
still stare US in the fare that it was
only the following of precedent
already established in this country ;
was only an attempt to exercise. that
which was declared by our ancestors,
on the 4lh day Of July, l776, to be
"the Inherent right Of oil people"
and was in strict conformity to all
the principles Of that declaration.
But it was the purpose of that Power
which rules the destiny of nations
thatothey should result differently
that the first rebellion should result,
in the establishment OF an independent
government On this great North
American continent, and that the later
one should result in the freedom Of
the negro slaves. We. in both ill.,
stances, were only the instruments 10
the hands of Omnipo,encc in carrying
ont His designs, which to us, though
riSc and inst we're incOinnrch sihip