Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1882-08-26

~ - - - I-1T- = ~
), 1882. IT, tss --.8t p
then came the great momentous1 ques-
ton. which is my country ,..,.,, 4
With cur earliest thoa ghts and emo
tions came our knowledge of and love
for the Union, growing with our
growth and strens then,ng with our
strength. until the starry flag thrilled
US with patriotic enthusiasm that we |
never forgot even during thewar i
But also with our earliest ideas came
the knowledge that each state in the |
union was in itself u sovereign, and each !
the equal of the other. do not intend |
to day to discuss /
'''f STATE SOVEREIGNTY. |
or that branch of the question which In
vo1ved the right of n state to secede
from the union, Tor that right was set
tied BY the war. War is the highest |
human trlbupal to which man can ap;;
peal We appealed 10 that tribunaf 10
main ain the right ot secession which I
we CLAIMED. The Vjud gmsnt was |
against US. and we are bound over tOr,j
ever by the decree; but l refer to the
subject now only u say that " was
question lett open In the constitutions.
1T le;ist there were no express Terms in
the const tuition upon the subject, and
as laatter Of TACT it, wa-zx question
upon which great men had differed
from the earliest days Ut the republic,
and upon which ev,.ry man had hrml
convictions 0ae' wnylor the htlter. = In
deed, when we come 10 look back upon
that subject rs u matter ot history. rec
ogniZing the arguments pro aud con,
and reading the divided minds ofithe
| people upon it, it DIES sesm that there
was but oae mode of solution, and that
was ior thuse who claimed the right'to
attempt to enforce it; il t'isy succeeded
the rignt existed, 1t they should fail, il,
did not exist. ',ft'r n,
That was The issue, and l may say,
the only IT,. .,.,,.fi ,,.,...s.t
| GREAT CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTION
that Was settled by the. war. The qnes-
tion OF slavery became intermluably
connected with the main question, but
| it WIS incidental only Upon our aide
the war was not fought to maintain
slavery, nor upon the side OF the north
to abolish slavery; it was with US war
for separate national Independence, and
upon ihe oi her s.ledor the integrity ot
The union, MIR. Lincoln, in his inaugu-
raj address in 1861. declared that he
did not intend to lntcriere with the in.
stitution of slavery In the staten where
1t already existed, and this was but .
reiteratfon OF the doctrine of his party
as declared in their convention in Chi
cago which nominated hlm. Even alter
the war was begun, and before the
emancipation proclamation, there can
J be but little doubt but that the south
. could have made terms To retain hat
slaves if she had been willing 10 return
10 the, union; and | also, believe the
south would willingly have given up
NJ slavery il thereby she could have secui :
ed national independence. s 'sr'1
| 1-.f OUR WAR OF 1912 '.eiw 8
was begun to resist the right asserted
r by Crest Britain 10 search our vessels
> on the high seas. That war Was ended
by treaty OF peace which, while II
l made provisions for other impoita
. subjects. was yet silent on the subjec'
: of Great Britain's claim of right t.
search our ships. No treaty on that
] point was necessary. the war itself pro
{. nounced judgment on that question. a!'t
q the right has never been asserted bl
q Great Britain since. Aud 80, too, do We
I all recognize the judgment Of our civil
i war as against the right OF state t
! secede, and while il WAS deemed neces
d sary to amend the constitution 80 as Il
! abolish slavery, yet no amendment'w wa.
y necessary to give effect To- tue Judgmen
8 ot the war itself that the American
union should be perpetual. That whicl
before was nn open question became By
a the result oil the war scaled covenant
and that covenant we confederate
:. made when we laid down our arm
# and swore allegiance TO the UMite'
a States. g
THAT COVENANT. WE WILL KEEP;
we are bound to stand by the ties Q
q honor and patriotism, and IL any on
70 wants guaranty OF your taith you ca
l. point to your record AS confederate sol
1t diers. The man who was faithful thel
q is worthy to be trusted to keep his fait
e whenever pledged.
% Many OF those who were opposed t
II US iu the conflict are in th. habit G
a calling us rsbels, and our deeds treason
We need have no tears th It those name
will follow US and our deeds into impair
=. tiai history. We are not rebels. w
u fought lor what we considered th
Y proper constitution, and were faithful I
that allegiance which we aud Ourfort
70 fathers bsiore Us al ways professed, an
although we were defeated, yet ther
70 has never been. and In the nat ure Z
- things now there can never he. jud
cial determination as to whether Ou
!. construction OF tho constitution wa
right or wrong. .t......, .s.a q,
When MIR. Davis was indicted 10
treason at the close ot the war ther
~ were some good men At the north WI
= believed that even it he was guilty /,
u treason. there would be no good .resu
:: from his conviction, and under the il
- tiuence OF such men the prosecute
" WAS dropped. But there were ais
- ;. some wi>e men at the north who b,
~ lieved tha: as matter OF law and polit
=, cal right. it was not sale to risk th
p judgment OF even the federal courts Q
&c that question. Aud thus the questlo
10 has been lett and will forever renal
=, divided SO tar as theory goes, for tt
~ prac, ical solution of the matter W,
that, while the right existed, force suff
cient to maintain it did not exist. n
nation, however civilized and christial
y, attempts to govern Its own conduct L
- G' the rules of morality which reg ulate II
;. CONDUCT OF individuals. and it is la
- recognized by the peculiar code Of il
-, tcrnational morals that right withot
w. power to enforce It is no right ut al
Nv Tnus the war settled the ques.iun of II
~ right OF secession ly demonstratin
~ ~ that