Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-02-24
DEFENSE OF THE SOUTH.
& Defense OF the Southern People in the
Old Bay State.


Alta Ia CONSTITUTION.
The Springfield Republican, one Of the
most conservative OF New England news
papers, In the course Of thoughtful
editorial advises the northerner to puf
himself in the place of the average white
southerner in 1850
To the southerDer Of that dsy, ssys tbe
Republican, slavery was 8 part of the
social life Of his section. He had been
nursed by black "maumy." BE owned
the servants In his house, and the labor
ers on his plsntstion. He had grown up
accustomed to the system. He found i;
defended and never denounced In tn
Bible. He knew that kindness and
fidelity existed IN the relations between
master and slave, and this was show
during the war bY the fsct that
the plantations were left un-
guarded while tha whites went
10 the front. The slaves Of the
south were worth perhaps billions OF dol
lsrs. The southerner, understanding al
these things, felt sggrieyed because bis
system was ssstiled in the north. He
could not reclaim bis slaves when they
fed to northern state. He could not
move with his slaves TO q territory, =
Naturally the southerner could not en-
dure these violations Of bis constitutional
rights. At last, when he saw the gov
eminent in the hands Of his enemies, b.
felt that 1t was tiIue to psrt company ,snd
believing that the union of states was a
voluntary alliance, be proceeded to march
out of the union by the secession route,
never dreaming that an attempt
would DE made TO coeTca him. In those
days the southerner believed that his
state WAS sovereign and commanded his
allegiance. A big difference If opiuion
existed on this point between the sec.
lions. The assschusetts man under
STOOD that his country m ant toe UOited
States; ,he VIrginisu understood that 1t
meant Virginia, an idea also entertained
by George Washington during the revolu
ton. So the struggle came on. In con-
clusion our contemporary says:
Then the war became to the south,
what 1t never was to the north, war Of
defense. The home and hreside were
threatened. Who blsmes the men who
took arms against that? Who has no
feeling for the women who sent their
husbands and cons to keep back the hosts
Of Grant and Sherman, whose coming
meant fire and sword2 Vino wonders II
they found il hard to forgive?
This is the southerner's side. II we do
n II give the northerner's here, IL Is be-
cause our readers have heard 1t for many
years. We need not repeat to them that
slavery WAS s gigantic evil, or that to
keep this people one nstlon Was worth all
it cost But we would do justice to our
fellow country M Of the south. They
were mistaken and they paid tTemenc-
Gus penalty. Think how men love the
hsg they have fought under for four long
w. ers, and measure the anguish when that
G,g sank to rise no morel Beaten,
talnned, impoverished, the men Ct the
south had to face and make wholly rev
future. They accepted the overthrow OF
slavery, and the indissoluble unity OF
these states, as facts; IS facts they made
the best Of them, until they grew recon-
ciled to the result, glad slavery wss gone,
and attached to the Union they
had fought to break. Ia building up
their waste pisces, in looking forward
and not back, In Joinipg hands to create B
new America they hSve shown themselVss
brSver men than on the battlefield. We
are proud of them as our fellow country
men, aud We wopld not esk them 10
repent or be sshsmsd of their psst."
The Republican puts the case With com
mendsole fairness, and 1t is an enceursg
ing sign to see oue OF the leaders OF
public opinion Ia the north discussing
this matter without recruitment, bliss 81
prejudice. When the northern pecpls
ard themselves In ihis frams of MAD
it goes without saying that this is en-
pbaticslly reunited country, with one
fsg and one destiny.