The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-07-17

forgive. and the meanest are must ~ -.
fuI. The first is best able TO return GOO III
evil. that Is your part, and yohr past con-
duet shows how well you were aOie 10 ni00U
As an original question, the propriety OF
exercising the State right OF secess,"n IN, 30
1861 was at least debatable, but the cou t.
pursued by the Federal government a'Iei
The war had ceased, vindcates the JUG
ment of those who held separation 70 p
necessary TO the safety aud treeloh " W
Southern States. The unsuccessful 49, III
to separate left those in power 10 WIZ
their will. as il had been manifested wien
the first got control of the goVeF en''
The events are too recent 10 require re-
equalization. and the ruin my hANS
wrought, the deprdvity they have deVelopeu'
REQUIRE no other memorial than the mate
ri Il and moral wreck which tile country
presents. ,
Permit me to say Of the controverte Iques-
ton of secession by "a State from the Union'
of which il was member By compact. vol
UNFAIRLY made, that my fai ii in that righO
as an inherent attribute Ot state sovereign
ty, was adopted early in life, was con- rhl
Cd by the study and observation OF later
wears, and has passed, unchanged ana uH-
shaken, through the severe ordeal 10 WHICH
il has been subjected.
Without desire for DllJtc9l future only
anxious for the supremacy ct the truths on
which the Union was founded, anu winch 1
believe To be essential t. the po,perily anu
the liberties of the people, it is little To as
sumo that shall die "a L have lived, nrm
in fhe State rights faith.
In other times and places have discussed
the right Ola State to Withdraw from the
Union, and will not repeat the argument on
this occasion.
Suffice it to say, the historical facts from
which the rghr is deducible can only be
overthrown by the demolition OF the prin-
ciples which the government OF our
fathers was ordained and established. The
independence and sovereignty of the State
carried with it the Obligation of the allegl
ance of the citizen TO his State. To refuse
to defend il when invaded would be trea on
To respond to its call and go forth with
those who "hung the banner on the outer
wall" was legal duJy and obligation TO
his home, and all it held dear; alike binding
on The father the brother, the son and the
citizen The prOprieGy OF engaging in war
is Il question open TO debate; but, when u
has been entered on, to shrink from its trials
and responsibilities is crime, which in All
ages has been denounced by the patriotic
and the brave.
IU is questionable whether war is ever
justifiablr, except for defense, and then it is
surely duty No calling or condition in
life eXempts the citizen from service where
his countrymen think he can be useful.
Thus the good Bishop Polk reasoned before
entering the army, after solemr meditation
and prayer, for he told me before dOiOg 50,
that he regarded the war as pro arts ct iOciS,
and that his calling required Father than
excluded him from serving, wherever aud
however he was most needle l. This holy
man, with piOus thought, buckled on his
SWORD, and how herOically he bore himS
on many battle-fields, you, the survivors of
of the Army of Tennessee, can best bear
witness. Throughout his ardnDus service
he continued his ministerial functions, in
as well by precept as example,
while, ever mindful of Him in whose hand
is the destiny of man, he prayerfully in- |
voked GOES favor. When lie tell on
the field of battle, slain like pious Abel, by |
his brother, the earth never drank nobler |
blood than his and no purer spirit ever as
cended TO the Father.
Martydom has generally been accepted, |
and surely with reason, as proof Ofthe sane
tity of the cause for which the martyr died |
Time would not serve TO enurate even |
small part of the examples furnished by |
your prayeriul army, of pious service and |
pious death in battle, but pride and affection |
will not allow me to leave them all to silent
The Greek who defended the
pass, and the Roman, who held for a time |
the bridge, haye been immortaiz1d i'm song
and story. Yet neither of these performed |
Il more heroic deed than did Tilghman, the
of Fort Henry. To save his
from capture, he and a handful of |
equally devoted followers, served the few
guns they had in the fort and delayed the
com paratively vast force and armament at
lacking them until his brigade, thus cover
ed, could retreat upon Fort Donelson. At
with the surviving remnant OF
the gallant little band, who had offered
themselves a willing sacrifice on the altar of
heir country, and went to that torture
mental and physical, which any of you who
lad the misfortune to be prisoner, knows
now to estimate.
Close by in time and space was another
example of patriotic aud soldierly devotion
which You will not value the less for not
having been crowned with vctory-the de-
a " inh Ill
the possibility of holding our line in South
,rn Kentucky and the safety of Nashville
Relying on constitutional guarantees and
the South had not prepared for
var before taking the step which led to it
Therefore it was not possible o supply YOU
With the clothing aud shelter needfui in
hi extraordinary cold sleet nor to garnish
he work you defended with an armament
md munitions at all com parable to that of
Tonr 2sSailants; yet to the word it is known
md Will long be remem bered, how gallant
y you held the position, and the desperate
Efforts which you made to cut your way
Trough the investing force.
L am sure you will anticipate me in paw
ng tribute to the soldierly conduct of the {
Buckner, who when the COM
nand devOlved upon him, refused to follow
he example which had been set him, and
declared his purpose to remain and share I
he fate OF the men, whatever it might be | I
That wise and far-seeing soldier, Sidney
Johnston, had correctly measured the vain.
f holding the position of Fort Donelson.
rom the few troops with which he held the t
Inc of Green river he made a detachment
D reinforce the garrison of Fort DOnelson | S
When that fort fell, and the fact become an I
aren't, which he so long skillfully conceal S
from both friend and foe, of the small
lumber OF troops under his immediate COM I
land. retreat beyond the Cumberland he t
anne inevitable. Time has revealed how 4
obly you bore those dsappointments and Z
oversees, and still remained true to vour :
olors, and am sure that your conduct on v
nat occasion must ever be held in grateful 7
remembrance by your countrymen.
The carpet knights, who. like jobs n
yar horse, snuffed the battle from afar b
ut, unlike the war horse, neighed not t
nth impatience to engage the enemy. t.
ut from afar off criticised and derided
very failure, without caring to inquire. Il
nd perhaps without capacity to com 8
rehend, the cause thereof, added to p
our regrets for the unavoidable and d
lie painful memories of all you had dared. a
lfiered andi lost, theebitter sting OF $,
Must censure and ingratitude. Yet ft isa
honorable fact, that, though leaving your u
ONES and wives and children behind. Won L
osed your ears to their pitiful cries and I'll
relied deep around your commander, who q
ehly deserved and had acquired your con- h
1ence in bis ability to defend the country u
Id his willingness to sacrifice himself for g
w as it that his grand presence INSPIRED ia
ou with unmeasured confidence and the II
)pe or napier days when opportunity m
ould offer ?or was it that your Judgement re
Id you that you followed, as | verify he tr
Eve you did, the greatest soldier, the abIest h;
an. civilor military, Con federate or Fed hi
al! He seemed about to fulfill these hons til
I'd expectations, when, concentrating ali hi
e forces within his reach, he moved for
ard to the battle of Shiloh. Gen. Johnston m
mt to me cipher dispatch, being his nlan tn
battle, and | regret the loss of it the more tiC
cause it was the only instance within NV da
lowledge of plan which was ey ecuted AZ err
was devised. How well the tide of battle Sc
Sc ana swept onward in the channels his mi
eat arm directed. l need not say to Won liz
10 saw it. When at last an Ohsfinata - | an