Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-09-03

MAI for self-government Is no longer an eX-
pertinent.
RESULTS OF THE WAR.
The thoughtful stu ent of oGr constitutional
history cannot wonder that such n contest
came at last. The dual nature Of our govern
ment, exquisite IN Its organization. yet com
pick in ls machincry-a Confedersted Re
pubIc-with powers and duties which the
general government must execute and per-
form. In order 10 maintain our relations with
the outside w0rld-and yet well nigh every
power and duty which most Affects the daily
business, he social and domestic relations,
the liberty and property Of the citizen, left
entirely with the Statea. A form of govern
ment like this before unknown on the face Of
the earth, and no arbiter between these two
quite dissimIlar powers; by both Of which
every citizen OF the United States was con-
trolled. Where was the line Of demarcatiOn
etWcent the tWOf Who could build the wal
that separates themI On what Procrustean
bed could each he lald, to be stretched out or
cut short, as IT became modest or
more aggressive2 This wonderful and skill
ful partition of powers necessarily produced
two theories Of the constitution. The tenn
permanent and education OF different individ-
u8ls. and especially Of different sections, to-
gether with accidental surroundings, deter
mined the pT%epOnderance Of one theory or
another, and fixed the emphasis placed upon
the state or the Federal government. These
differences brought forth some of the greatest
intellectual efforts and highest flights of elo-
qucnce ever evolved in high debate. The
North commended that the fiery temper and
hectoring spirit of the South would not listen
TO argument, not be appeased by any reasOna-
bic concession; the South replying that the
North might well remain calm, while they en-
joyed all the money value Of the Union in the
shape Of subsidies. protection, navigation
law and the like. These we're the real issues,
while the institution Of slavery became, in
course of time, an important factor and irri-
tatIng cause.
Often on the verge Of war, the statesman
ship and patriotism of some OF the great lead
ers Of the people came 10 the rescue and post
pOned the evil day. But 1t came AZ last. And
the developments of four years Of devastating
war exhibited a power in this new American
government, and every part Of it. in resources,
genius, patriotic endeavor and heTOism, which
caused the whole civilized world to look Oh in
amazement.
1t must needs give us pain to dwell on tbs
immediate results of the war and the cessa-
ton Of hostilites. But in the retrospect. we
of the south, and Georgia especially, have
more occasion for pride and eatisfactiOn than
ever before IN our history. From first to last
Georgia sent more than her full share of men
and treasure to the front. and shed her blood
on every field. And during thai most per
picking amt painful period ~ reconstructiop.
when endurance was the highest virtue, and
yet had well nigh ceased to be a virtue. she
showed that peace hath her victories az well
as variant she 20 bore herself as to com
maud the respect and elicit the plaudits Of
her countrylnen from the Atlantic to the
Pacific.
Fellow Georgians! sad and drearv as we're
those four yeArsOf devastating war, and pain
fully conscious Of the intense strain upon our
manhood, the desolate homes which never can
be made glad, broken hearts which can never
be healed, yes looking to the educated and the
future of a great people, and the lessons
taught in those years Of struggle, the equally
valuable lessons in the years that have since
come and gone. | now venture to assert that
the struggle was worth all it cost. Better
that a people, grooming under conspicuous
wrongs. should fight and be vanquished, than
not to fight at all. In the one case. the re-
hmm nj EnlN gr Enrun and fha faEa ND
the vanquished NAV meet face to face and re-
establish their relation to each other, with
mutual respect; while in the other case the
feeling of degradation on the one side and OF
contempt on the other, banishes all hope for
The future.
During that most CALLING period of recon
struction many Of us felt that the entire
essence and structure OF our government WAS
TO be changed, and that the genius of Liberty
had taken its flight from the land. The alb
normal condition of things then existing gave
oirth TO many acts and many utterances, the
result OF arrogant and angry power brought
into contact with helplessness and despera-
ton.
SLOWLY ADJUSTED.
But the adjustment Of the former machinery
OF government has gone forward, SLOWLY but
surely, and i'll temper and hard words are fast
giving way to mutual respect and kindness.
A proper partition of powers. State and Fed
rral, is again recognized, and we are fast find
ing out that all our most important affairs are
being controlled by State authority, You,
gentlemen of the General Assembly, fully
recognize this in the care you are called upon
TO take OF our private and public matters. and
the length of time required to accomplish your
work.
While under military pro consuls, as part
OF District No. B." we we're, for some time,
trembling lest the autonomy of the States
should be entirely destroyed, as the result Of
the war, and we're greatly relieved when the
Chief Justice Of the supreme Court of the
United States, IN a solemn decision, an
nnnnpgn that ssfh1g Il an 1nHnaaC1phIa lr,F,, -
indestructihle States.' And though we have
sometimes been startled by the decisions Of
that high "trlbunalOn constitutional questions,
the general result mas given unexpected and
invaluable protection to the Southern States
and people.
Here | am TEMPTED to relate a conversation
which had in the spring of 1866 with one Of
the leadcrs OF The Republican party, after
wards Vice President OF the United States,
and since deceased, had been requested to
approach senator Wilson, of Mas~achusetts.
and secure, II possible. his kind offices In be-
half Of Mr.. Davis, then under very harsh
treatment a prisoner in Fortress Monroe.
without hesitation h. condemned everything
like cruelty TO individuals for causes growing
worthy the government of the United
states. He said with emphasis that
the difference IN opinion between the
North and South was an honest difference. and
that Tie war could n ever have been avoided.
even If Il could hive been postporedt that he
argument had been exhausted and 4 resort to
arms was "a necessity. hence, ne had lost
none OF his respect on esteem for the southern
people whom he had knOHn before the wau.
and was unwilling TO see anything ike re
Yenge upon individuals, while he fully claimed
and should insist upon all the political results
Of the war. / confess this was a revelation to
me then, but ! have since understood it.
The pc pie Of the various sections Of this
country now know each other better than
they ever did before. The North knows that
tho South - not altogether gwen to exhibit
lions OF a 1ery temper, and cap BE only Of
much cbulitiOn and explosion, withputcapaci-
ty for prolonged effort and endurance. Four
years OF war, and at least four more of the
l~onliness and poverty which followed, have
satisfied them and the whole world how
wrongly we were judged. The South too has
learned that the North is not so absorbed In
It's money bags, that II viii not shed its blood,
and risk its all, even for q sentiment.
Yea, my friends, the result is that TODAY
true American liberty, u%uuerdual representa-
tive government, with proper partition Of
powers, NJ more fully comprehended than ever
before. This American liberty il peculiar to
our institutions, and rs entirely unlike that Of
Greece or Rome, and differs materially even
from hat Of England, attractive as each OF
them have been and are
The political effect aud the result Of the war
between the states has been TO show conclu-
slyely that 10 Is not the intention OF the great
m1j0rity 81 the pCop q OF this country To- per-
NIT any state TO Withdraw itself from the
Union, and hat they have the physical power
to prevent 10 That much has been scttlcd by
the war, hut no fundamental principle OF gov
ernment has been changed.
For the present condition Of things, let us