Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-07-25
this beautiful wstchword, and It wss
blazoned along the whole northern sky.

this beautiful wstchword, and It wss
blazoned along the whole northern SKY
FORCE.
To carry out this idea force was
necessary, and thence came the struggle.
Mr.. Mcclure, in bis late Lexington
address, traces the cause OF the war to
the issue Of States rights alone. This isa
mistake. Two questions were involved
in the struggle-to-wit: FIRST, the CO.
equality Of the States and State SOW
ereignty; second, the right Of property
in slaves. The first was the predisposing
cause las doctors would say, and the
second slavery the active or exciting
cause Of the war. The question, then,
that took the Southern people from
their ploughs and workshops, from their
law and doctors offices, from profess
sor's chair and sacred desk, and put
into the field the most yirtuous and In
telligent army that was ever mustered
under the sun was, "Shall we continue
a partnership with q people who deny
our equality and seek to destroy our
property" :,
Are not these two ideas distinct and
urmistskable; and would they not and
will they net, in all time, produce
rupture between any peoples Of intell-
gence and spirit? The most pleasant
view Of this whole subject to me has
always been that from first to last the
South was on the defensive. The first
gun at Sumpter was only " straw"
showing which way the wind was blow
ing. War was inevitable before that
gun was mounted.
The questions Of slavery aud State
sovereignty have been settled by the
war, but States rights, or the ire
served rights Of the States, as the Com
stitution calls it, have not been settled.
The States have still great powers
for good or for evil. In opposing
"home-rule" in Ireland the Tories OF
England see this and they fear it. They
show a want Of confidence in their own
countrymen whose blood has been
brayely shed on hundred battlefields.
To win true affection it is wiser TO show
confidence than distrust. Our safety
now, as heretofore, is 10 respect States
rights. Brave and patriotic States may
endure much, but selfpreservation will
always be the first law Of nature, as
well for States as for individuals. The
late Chinese troubles in California at
one time looked threatening. God for
bid that State in this Union shall ever
have this dreadful issue presented to
her.
HONOR YOUR DEAD.
Some nations, like some men, are dis
pirited by misfortune and poverty.
There is, it is true, in such conditions
a temptation TO self.depreclation, but 1t
is snare Of the devil. 1t is no dis
grace to lose noble cause if nobly de-
Tended. The three hundred cold, dead
uUdise that f'llod the pass Of Thermo-
pyle the day after tho fight, testiiying
alike TO the loss Of their position and
the loss of their cause, made no Spartan
mother or hero father blush when
among the slain he discovered the form
Of an only son. Methinks the Goddess
Of Liberty pitched her tent that night
among her slain children and kept
watch and ward" over the bloody but
holy sacrifice that lay upon her altar.
No, my comrades; let Us be true to the
cause of our dead heroes-let no man
in company with a northern man blush
in Hollywood or in lakewood. These
dead men are the kinsmen of the all
heroic men Of all ages and nations.
Their names are upon the same roll of
honor, ard the southern man is cowdrd
and troitor who would fail to honor
their memory or defend their cause.
In conclusion, in answer to the natu-
rel question, Why was our cause lost
if it vas just let me say that 1t was
in obedience to the ordinary laws Of ma
ture. 1t was not question Of morals,
but Of physics. 1t was as ten to one,
as wealth to poverty, as the strong
against the weak. Our artillery-hOrses
were starving and could no longer pull
the guns; our infantry were naked and
hungry day and night the Govern
ment we defended had neither credit
nor money. To lay down our arms,
therefore, was an absolute necessity,
and in so doing there was no compro-
mise either of courage or patriotism.