The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-12-24
MR.. DAVIS REPLY.
BEHAVIOUR, HARRISON Co, Miss, !
November 23d, 1879

BEHAVIOUR, HARRISON Co, Miss,
November 23d, 1879
J. b. DANFoRrH, EsQ.-MY DEAR SIR
/ was gratifed by the receipt of your
letter rs token of your remembrance of me
whea in former and in happier days we were
officially connected with each other.
was also gratiiied by the receipt of a copy
of your paper the Rock Islander.
1t So happened that, at the time, local
candidate had called to visit me, and the
conversation turned upon the time-honored
doctrine of State rights. Like many others
i'm our section, he supposed this to be Il
creed which peculiarly belonged 10 the
South. /. who have known and am happy
70 remember men of every section true to
the theory of a Union voluntarily formed
by sovereign States, endeavored to explain
that it was not Southern idea, but his
torical fact: that ii belonged to no section,
but sprang from the brain of the men who
declared the independence of the Colonies
and formed the compact for more perfect
Union of the States. To prove my position
| read to him your article headed What Is
Meant by State Rights?' and was pleased to
see the effect which it produced when he
knew that it came from the State of Illinois,
and high up on the Mississippi river.
If there Is anything which, more clearly
than another. the trainers of the Constitu-
ton did not intend to do, it was to submit
the people of the States to the unbridled
will of a majority of the people OF all the
States. Sectional majorities have changed
they NAV, and probably will, change again;
and the bulwark which alone can protect
minorities from the usurpng tendency OF
a general Government, is Il strict construc-
ton of delegated powers, and a fair observ-
ance of the reserved rights OF the states, and
of the people
When the States delegated certain func
tons to a general Government, the purpose
was to secure the blessings of liberty to
themselves and their posterity.
The Confederation, which had been de-
clared perpetual, was terminated to form a
more perfect Union of those States which
should agree to enter into it. Being with
out any precedent in history, but taught
by the examples of all ancient Republics of
the rocks and shoals on which they had
been wrecked, a com pact Of Union was form
ed which must ever stand model OF wisdom
on the part of those who framed 1t.
The reservation of rights, as you have
forcibly presented it, only marks the limit
between the powers of the General Govern
ment and those which the States and the
people thereof would continue to exercise.
This was TO secure liberty to their posterlty,
not to elevate Il new master to the throne
from which George the Third had been de-
posed
the formation of that Constitution, with the
many Chief Magistrates the South has given
to the Union it seems strange that IN TINS
dav. belief in the doctrine on which the
ITnion was founded, and which was uniform
w ayowed by the men who illustrated Its
early history, should now be regarded As nos
tiIitv to its existence, and that the creed OF
States Rights should be held as the synonym
of a desire to destroy the Union OF the Con-
- Sai1 70 he eternal, 1T
is weH that il should be, for error 50 far out
strips its stately steps that otherwise we
might fear whether truth would finally
oYertake it. i
Those who have carefully noted the usur-
patton and oppression to which the South
was subjected after she had laid down her
arms and faithfully agreed to abide by the
laws of the United States, would nave no
need 10 90 further in order to find reason
why the South was solicited in defence OF
her rights of person and property Would
the North under like circumstances nave
been less 500 Would they have shown equal
patience under equal wrong?
II is surely little less than fraud to state
that the assertion by the South OF her rlgnS
to protection under the Constitution Is
ca uivalent 10 q declaration on her part OF
desire to secede from the mon. any UR
ical mind would draw from these facts the
reverse conclusion. 1t may serve the pur
nose of artful politicians to fomept sectional
discord and thus make solid North, Wnlcn,
being the majority section, can then Wleld
the power and appropriate as well the Poh1,
zeal as the financial benefits OF the Generai
Gevernment. But the men who desire
fraternal Union and general prosperity
must see that il not the road by which eltner
can be reached. In 1860 the secesslohlsts,
per Sc, to use the phrase OF that Gay, MeLe
few and far between. They are fewer no"'
and further between. -. CO..
1t is, therefore, utterly untrue tnat 0saeI
rights, as asserted here, mean secession anu
equally untrue is it that there Is no freedom
Of Opinion. or of speech, or the
press among us. Personal difficulties ana
family feuds have been misTepresente1 as
political combinations to suppress the itee-
dom of elections, while in point OF Iaes W
elections have been as peaceable ana ofueIY
as elsewhere. Indeed, there has been seuu-
led effort not to permit any rl0tous P.0
ceedings which could be used by emissarles
rs the means of iniuring our reputation o.
OF inValidating our elections
Impoverished by q Devastating war, We
desire emigration to cultivate our Was1s
lands, and 70 restore prosperity 70 eur con-
munitiez. We have q soil and climate n
viting to the agrieultuKist and the manus
factHrer, and would gladly Weloome Dotn e
a home among us.
have no present or prospective cQnncc
flon with the politics of the day. Ay pR-s