The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-07-14
Convicted out of their w
Mouth! BIood-C uiitiness!

The most astonishing thing in literary
circles is the reception which ex-Presl-
dent Jefferson Davis book has received
at the hanis OF 4 large number OF the
abIest papers at the North. Few OF
curse fully endorse it and most OF the
pop gun and pismlre papers denounce
both it and its author. Still, as just
said, a large number of the ablest jour
nails (the leading organs OF Radlcallsm
and ab~olitionism) not only compliment
its execution, but actually admit the
impregnability of Mr.. Davis assertions,
particularly as to the foundation Of the
Federative government, and the powers
of the Union. 1t sounds almost beyond
belief to hear such ''Loil' sheets as the
New York lines, the Boston Heratd,
Springfield Repmbhcan, the Nation, the
Phila. ! ines, the Sun, etc.-confess-
ing that Mr.. Davis statements as to the
character of the Union cannot be sue
cessfully galnsayed -
But all that was in the past'-they
cry, in Joint chorus, Our country has
undergone a great change, and is now
an aggregated Nation, instead OF a sand
rope of States in Union
:" .~~-. llS the change hos taken
place, and pOss4bly Is Tor the DeSt. But
consider the dteadful sequence of the
admission these, stalwart organs have
made. If Mr.. Davis land all our South
err w%riters) is right if it be true hat
the Union was an Union of STATES,
not OF individual citizens if it be true
that the constitution was a compact of
mutual agreement or partnership, which
the North continually violated by her
assaults on slavery, etc, if it true,
that no provision of the Constitution
forbids secession, or the withdrawal of
any State, what is the natural deduc-
ton? 1t is this, as all fair-minded men
will admit, Wig That each State
had a right to withdraw from the
Union, when her convention or Assem-
sembly. deemed that she was being de
prived of those benefits and protection
which were the conditions Of her ac-
cession to the Union or Partnership.
No matter how foolish, or suicidal on
her part; no matter how damaging to
the Union She had the Right to 90
out, and to form new associations if she
saw tt. This doctrine, of course, would
make a very weak government, because
liable to be damaged at any time by the
secession of one or two States. But it
must be remembered that the Union
vas framed with tie great difficulty,
after years of quarrellng, and pulling
ami hauling. And when a number of
persons are discussing a partnership,
and half Of the number are reluctant TO
join, it is likely that the anxious half
will insist that the others after Joining
the compact should be bound forever,
with no means Of withdrawal, or relief.
in case they are imposed upon?
North Carolina hung back for two
years, and insisted on various ''condi-
%tions," as did seven Ga majority of the
other States would she have entered at
all, if it had been made a part Of the
constitution, or asserted as an impl ed
doctrine, that she should never get out,
no matter how badly trampled upon
by the majority? The very idea is pre-
posteroGsl
Well. now, mark this, - if the
States had that reserved right of lcav-
ing the Union when the Constitution,
or Bon Of Compact became violated
and void, what follows?
Why, that the Lincolnites where guilty
of IA foul and Goddess crime when they
waged war upon us They violated
the constitution TO drive us out of the
Union. and then violated not only the
Constitution but every principle OF
Right, Reason, and Humanity to force
Us back into the Unionl There is no
escape from this; the war was a foul
and iendish sect )nal assault, and every
drop of blood that was shed, every pang
of sorrow inflicted, every home desola-
ted.-was the crime ofthose who organ
lied the war for the conquest OF the
Southern Confederacy. Thank God /,
we begin to see the not distant day when
History will vindlcate the motives and the
Patriotism Of our brave boys who fell,
face to the foe. batting in defence Of
Rights, and Southern Homes,
and the Genius of Freedom!
In our hearts we rejoice that the
Union is again complete. In our hearts
we sorrowed for The Union, even while
hurrahing for the glorious triumph of
our Battle flag. But this only proves that
the Southerners we're not ''dlsloyal to
the Union They were simply 0
to their homes and their liberties.
We append a few extracts from North
ern Journals: The New York Times
says:
.'Io-day. whatever the case in 1887,
sovereign power is in the aggregate
IT the voting citizens of the States