Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1879-05-01

wiser and more liberal men to lead the
people.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN TWO CIVILIZATIONS.
The people of the North and the people
of the South have entertained and advo-
Gated diverse views of civilization since
the first permanent settlements were made
on these shores. In the language of a
distinguished Statesman:
Gone was the idea of free thought and |
action; of eqnaI rights for all; of the dig
nifty of labor; the idea that every man
was his own master and the peer of any
other man before the law, however poor
or humble his calling, however hard his |
lot This idea and the system it founded |
were planted in the North. |
''The other was the idea of aristocracy |
and caste; of lawful superiority of man
over man; of the right of one class to
dominate another and appropriate its Ia
Dor, and to enjoy class immunity and |
privilege. This idea, with the system it
| founded, were planted in the South.
FFWhen the Declaration of Independ-
ence was drawn, and still more, when the |
Constitution was founded, these two con-
| flicting orders of society came into awk-
ward contact. While the Colonies re-
mained separate from each other little |
friction was felt; but when they united |
under one government difficulty began, !
1t was hard to agree even on the form of
Constitution, under which the govern
ment could be launched. It was still more
hard to agree afterwards what the COM
promises of the Constitution meant and
implied.
! sFFrom the outset the Legislation of
Congress was squared and measued by
the antagonistic needs of these systems.
Nearly all laws, as well as treat
les and policies, were largely influenced
by sectional and slave holding interests.
This was an inevitable and irrepressible
conflict. The underlying animus
of the Southern wing is the old antagon-
ism of ideas and systems, the old South
ern sway is uplifting itself again.
Between these two orders of society,
therewas from the first an irrepressible
conflict, which at length eliminated in
civil war. Defeat upon the battlefield
did not change the views of the men who
controlled the South and inaugurated the
war of the rebellion. With views un-
|
ganized and are making most desperate
struggle to regain their former wealth
and power and the control of the nation.
When the war closed, they were dis
heartened. They had staked everything
on the result ofthe war, and they had lost
nearly everything but their land. The
masses were willing to accept the terms
that were offered them by Congress, but
, the leaders who did not surrender at APP
pomattox, the cause for which they fought.
refused to do so, and began to prepare
for future struggles.
ALEXANDER H. STEPHENS.
: On the 22d day of February, 1866, Hon.
t Alexander H. Stephens made speech be
: fore the Legislature of Georgia, in which
: he foreshadowed the policy to be pursued
by these men in the struggle to regain
: their lost power. He said:
THE 'FLosT cAUsE.''
Gas for myself, 1 can affirm that no
I sentiment or disloyaIty to these great
4 principles of government, recognized
e and embodied in the Constitution of the
United States, ever beat or throbbed ir
F breast or heart of mine. To their main
tenanee, my whole soul was eyer enlisted
, and to this end my whole life has hereto
n fore been devoted, and will continue to b.
e the rest of my days-God willing
So Whatever difference existed amongst us
r arose from differences as to the best anC
y surest means of securing the great ends
IL which was the object of all. It was with
/ this view and for this purpose, secession
aG was tried. That has failed. Gu
Ia only alternative now is either give up al
p hope of Constitutional liberty, or retrac
IS our steps, and to look for its vindicatiol
a. and maintainance in the forums of rea
E son and justice, instead of on the arena o
le arms. In the courts and halls of Legisla
Is ton, instead of the field of battle.''
> HOW TO WHIP THE NORTH.
20 FFWe are not without an encouragin
p example on this line in the history of tn
as mother country. Y The truest friend
In of liberty in England once, in 164z
E. abandoned the forums of reason, an
es appealed as we did, to the sword, as tn
nc surest means, in their Judgment, of ad
as vancing their cause. But the en-
1T was the reduction of the people of Eng
7a land to a worse state of oppression tina
III they had been in for centuries. They re
rs traced their steps. The House {
n Commons and the House of Lords wei
er henceforth the theaters of their operation
Ut The result was, that, in less tina
aG- thirty years, all their ancient rights an
er privileges which had been lost in the civ
cy wars, with new securities, were rec
'aC tablished.
is
ne s'May we not indulge hope, even in Il
ut alternative before us now, from this gre
DIS example of restoration, if we but do as Il
7W friends of liberty there did,
} Is THE FAR-REACHING POLICY OF STEPHENS
M The policy thus foreshadowed by M
Oh Stephens, has been pursued with dev
les ton worthy of asbetter cause. Secessio
las or the F'Lost Cause" !" was presented as t
ew cause of Constitutional Liberty, and ma
rec to appear identical with the struggle Fl
'la' liberty in England in 1912. The peor
were advised to look for the Yindi cati
THE and maintainance of this cause in ''t
forums of reason and justice, - ''the cou
nth and halls of Legislation"
ual And what was this 'Flost cause ?" ST
of ply the right to hold in human honda
OILS, four millions of human beiSgs who h
ney souls to be saved or lost.
nen SLAVERY AND CONSTITUTIONAL LIBERI
ith- THE SAME.
) of In 1861 Mr.. Stephens, then Vice-Pre
lion dent of the Confederacy, made speech
e to Savannah, which has been known as
hey 'Corner Stone'' speech. He said:
S. ''The new Constitution has put at ]
ON foreeer all the agitating questions relat
,hev to our peculiar institution. African 81
T., orx nG-fhn