Richland beacon., 1878-07-27
The Republican Press on Mr..
Davis's Speech.


If Mr.. Gorham's recent letter to
the employees of the Federal Govern
ment had not laid sufficiently bare the
desperate condition to which the Re-
publican party is now reduced, we
should nevertheless be led to the dis
cOvery Of its sad case by the line of
criticism which its journals have taken
in discussing the speech delivered by
MIR. Davis on the 10th inst. On that
occasion Mr.. Davis disavOwed any
intention or desire to excite hostility
in the minds of Southern men toward
the Union. On the contrary, he adj
vised them to admit the logic of events
and 10 abide the legitimate results of
the war. 1t is true that be refused TO
recant the convictions which he has
cherished for lifetime; but it does
not follow because he believed in the
justice of secession in 1861, that he
still claims for the several States the
right of Withdrawing from the Union
at pleasure. Nothing could he more
unwarranted than such al inference.
The attitude of the States toward the
Union has been altered by the war.
Righ,fully or wrongfullv, for good or
for evil, the indisseverable nature of
the Union for the future is the fixed
result of the war. The question has
been determined by force, it is true;
but still it has been determined. This
is the Southern view Of the situation,
and though Mr.. Davis affirmed that
he spoke only for himself, and that be
was in no sense representative man,
we suppose be accepts the same con.
clusion in his reference to "the logic
of events"
Jefferson Davis, who ought TO be
perpetually surprised that he has been
allowed to live" remarks the New
York Times. "has been taking another
retrospective view of the lost cause"
The Times thinks that MIR. Davis
should have been hung; perhaps that
magnanimous journal will tell US why
he was not hung. 1t is fact that
Mr.. Davis was indicted and impris-
oned, ard that, Notwithstanding he
was not confronted with witness or
proof of aly character, or accorded
The trial TO which he was entitled
The case was repeatedly called, we
believe. and Mr.. Davis's counsel new
or failed 10 announce themselves ready
to proceed. The government. for its
part. was never ready. Why? Was
it merely magnanimity? We can not
believe 10 the magnanimitv Of the
government which hung Mrs. Surratt,
though its members have been apolo-
giziDg for that act of cowarGice and
cruelty ever since its commission.
We can not believe in the magnanim-
ity Of the victor who inAic,s upon the
vanquisbed the penalty of crime with
out according him even the form of
a trial. 1t would have been magnan-
imous. perhaps, to pardon Mr.. Davis
after conviction Tut to continue the
charge of treason against him after
having shirked the trial, is to adopt
the role of the slanderer. This charge
against Mr.. Davis is a standing insult
to the whole South. The mere fact
of bis having been the chosen head of
the. Confederacy, argues nothing but
the confidence his people had in his
ability, courage aud integrity. His
acts were their acts, and, in the strict.
est legal sense, he was not more re-
sponsibe than any other citizen who
voluntarily supported with his vote
and bis arms the attempted secession
of the Southern States. Besides, Mr.. !
Davis did not secede: only sovereign !
State was competent to perform that
act. AS be. and many wise and pa
triOtic men from the foundation of the
Union, interpreted the constitution,
his State had the paramount claim to |
his allegiance. We may admit that
he did individually urge both the right
and expediency of secession; still it F,
was the State which seeded and not
the citizen. The whole question was
a question of constitutional law; but
the illimitable conceit of the small
radical mind can not conceive the DOS !
sibility Of difference from itself un-
tainted with criminal intent.
Since 'be war the Republican party
has been steadily working out its own |
destruction-siowly at first, but surely !
all the time, aud now in these latter T
days with headlong precipi.ancy. 1t .
the blacks, which greatly
increased the congressional represen-
tation OF the South; and then by it's
oppression it solidi6ed the same Sec
tion and made it the right arm of the
Democracy. The Democratic party
With The aid Of the entire electoral
vote of the South will elect Hayes
successor. and there will be no return
ing board to reverse tho result. For
this consummatiOn the country will
be largely indebted to the virulence Of
orators and journalists. -
". q. PtcJgooe /