The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-04-13
memphis Appeal

have decided to present historical sketch
OF the events which preceded and attended
the struggle Of the southern States to main
| tain their existence and their rights as SOW
ereign communicate creators, not the
creatures, OF the General Government.
The social problem Of maintaining the
lust relation between constitution, govern
meuf. and people has been found 30 diff
cult that human history Is record OF un-
successful efforts TO establish 1t. A govern
ment 10 afford the needful protection and
exercise proper care for the welfare OF a
people must have homogeneity in its con-
Istituents. Ii is this necessity which has
divided the human race into separate ma
tions, aud finally has defeated the grandest
efforts which conquerOrs have made to give
unlimited extent TO their domain. When
our fathers dissolved their connection with
Great Britain by declaring themselves free
and independent States they constituted
thirteen separate communities, and were
careful TO assert and preserve each for it.
self IFS sovereignty and jurisdiction.
At time when the minds OF men are
strayipg far from the lessons our fathers
taught, il seems proper and well to recur 10
the original principles on which the sy,tem
OF government they devised was foundt d.
The eternal truths which they announced,
the rights which they declared "unallena'
ble.v are the fouudation-stone on which
rests the yindicalion Of the Confederate
cause.
He must have been a careless reader Of
our political history who has not observed
that, whether under the style OF United
Colonies" or "United Siates,' which was
adopted after the declaration OF indepen-
dence, whether under the articles OF conied-
Grafton or the compact OF union, there
everyw here appears the dlstlnct as>eT-
ton Of State sovereignty, and nowhere
The slightest suggestion OF any pur-
nose on the part OF The States 10
consolidate them selves into one body. WIN
any candid, well.nformed man assert that,
al any time between 1916 and 1880, prOpO'
sition to surrender the sovereignty OF the
States and merge them in central govern
ment would have had the least possible
chance Of adoplions Can any historical
fact be more demonstrate than that the
states did, botn in the Confederation and
IN the Union, retain their sovereignty and iO-
dependence rs distinct communities, yolun-
tarily conserving 10 federation, but never
becoming the fractional parts OF nation !!
That such opinions should find adberents
lin our day may be attributable to the
natural law OF aggregation surely not 10 a
conscientious regard for the terms OF the
compact for Union By the States.
| In ali free Governments the Constitution
or organic law is supreme over the Govern
ment, and in our Federal Union this was
most distinctly marked by limitations and
prohibitions against all which was beyond
the expressed grants OF power to the Gene
raj Government. In the foreground, there
| fore, take the position that those who re-
sisted violations OF the compact were the
true friends, and those who maintained the
usurpation OF undelegated powers were the
real enemies Of the constitutional Union.
TO the parents. the widows, and the or
phans OF the Confederate dead | offer the
consolation that those for whom they mourn
died for the right-a willing sacrifice on the
altar OF their country, where their memo
ries, enshrned in the hearts OF their people,
will 20 down in tradition TO postelltY, I'M
mortalized by vaOr in defence OF home and
martyrdom for liberty.
October 80, 1880. JEFFERSON DAVIS.
"When
GENERAL ALBERT SIDNEY JOHNSTON
reached Richmond be called upon me, and
| for several DAYS at various intervals we con-
yersed with the freedom and confidence be-
longing to the close friendship which had
existed between us for many years. Con-
se1uent upon remark made by me. he
asked TO what duty / would assign him. and
| when answered TO serve i'm the West, he eX-
pressed his pleasure at service IN that see
ton. but inquired how be was to ral'c hi
command. and for the first time learned that
he had been nominated and confirmed Is a
general in the army Of the Confederacy.'
GENERAL ROBERT E. LEE
had been commissioned by the State OF
Virginia as maiOr.generll and commander
Of her army. When that army was trans
ferred, after the accession OF Virginia 10
the Confederate States, he was nominated
| TO he brigadier- general in the Confederate
army. but was left, for obvious reasons. in
command OF the forces in Virginia. After
the scat OF Government was removed from
Montgomery 10 Richmond the course 81
events on the Southern Atlantic course in
duced me to direct General Lee to re.
pair lbither. Before leaving he said
that while he was serving in Virginia
he had never thought it needful TO iu-
qure about his rank; but now, when about
To 20 into other States and TO meet officers
with whom he had not been previously CON
nected, he would like to be Informed upon
that point. Under recent laws authorizing
appointments to higher grades than that OF
his first commission, he had been appointed
full general; but so wholly had his heart
and mind been consecrated 10 the public
service that he bad not remembered, II he
ever know, Of his advancement.
"Iu November, 1861, reports became cur
rent that the enemy were concentrating
troops wet OF the Valley OF the Shenan'
| IA xr;o Ia a nacepnf IL That
yiglant, enterprising, and patriotic soldier,
GENERAL T. J. JACKSON,
whose steadiness under fire at the battle OF
Manassas had procured for him the SOJri.
quet OF 'Stonewall,' was then on duty a.
district commander OF the shenandoah VAL
lev. lie was a West Nirginian. and, though
he had not acquired the fame which subse-
quently shed such lustre upon his name, he
possessed a we'll observed confidence among
the people Of that region. Ever watchful
and daring in the discharge of any duty, he
was intensely anxious TO guard his be-
loved mountains Of Virginia. This stimu-
latng his devotion 10 the general welfare
OF the Confederacy induced him 10 de-
sire TO march against tue enemy, who had
captured Romney. On the ooh OF N0yem.
Der, 1861, he wrote to the War Department
proposing an expedition to Romney. IN
Western Virginia. Ii was decided to adopt
his proposition, endorsed by the commander
OF the department, and, further TO insure
success, though not recommended In the en-
dorsement, bis old brigade, then in the army
OF the Potomac, was selected as part OIL
the command with which he was TO make
The campaign
For the purpose above stated ITO show
that he did not prevent an advance into
| MARYLAND after the battle OF Manassas eN.