The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-12-20
THE CHARACTERIZATION CENTENNIAL,

Which tool: place in Washington on
Wednesday llth inst, says the Ashc-
utUe Citizen, to commemorate the Cen
tcnnial of the Inauguration of Gcorge
Washington, the 6rst president of the
United States, by sinrular coincidence
took place on the day OF the buri"! ser
vices of Jefferson Davis. One event re-
minded the country Of the honors that
flowed upon the successful rebel; the
other stood in solemn contrast, the diff
ference between success and failure,
between the one revcrcd as the
father and savior OF his country, the
other by au unthinkiny multitude re-
viled as its eEemy aud n traitor. Hap
PLY for the fame of Jefferson Davis.
and honorsbly to the feeling, the Judge
mcnt and the fidelity of his compatriots,
he is bot so regarded. Not that the
people of the South now wish or hope
that the results Of The war could ever be
reversed not that they do regret thar
the decision of the arbitrator of the
sword' was adverse to their effort at
independent nationality, for we believe
that the vast majority are not only CON
tent with the decision, but sincerely sat-
| isticd that il WIS wisely made against
them, always provided tha: the vic;oh
GUS side always keep in view the iunda
mental idea upon which the battle was
fought. the faithful Interpretation aud
observance Of the ccnsti;u'in. This,
as the underlying principle, is as vital
as ever, and did not perish when the
cause of the South went down in disas-
ter or when Jefferson Davis went down
10 the grave.
The Wilmington Messenger well says ::
"No great principle is ever entombed
with q man that is mortal. Pripciplc
IS immortal-'the same yesterday, and
to-day, and forever The. great, price
less, precious principles for which MIR
Davis pcrilcd SO much, for which he
was bounded and persecurcd, and be-
cause on which accumulated hatred aud
dcnupciatious fall upon his grave, will
live on through the centuries So long as
civil liberty has foothold or follower
iu this land"
1t is vital at the North As it is at the
South it is as inscparable from the
political bcalt!: aud ihhc, cut rights Of
Que section as of the other, and 1t mus;
have its development again when the
purpose Of Capitalization shall tlkG
such path as to ovcrshadow The great
fundamental principle Of State s"ve-
rcignty, no light thing to len TN y S"r-
rendered ty the mighty SIT {! ,hr
North, swept al,ng for a time in IT.,
wild current of dominant hc,crol'N y
ideas, but sure to oppose win ';tI E'n",l + q,
determined purpose to ex'n-u;sa their
individuality and rclesatc them to She
huaibls relation of dependent provinces
The consent Of tho States, II, distinct
sovereign powers, was the foundation
stone upon which the government was
built. There was no absorption of them
into the great central power which they
erected for their greater convenience
aud to which they gave delegated anl
defined powers only. Beyond these
delegated powers, the right of sell
government remained, and still! rcm#ins
aud to this extent the doctrine oi
States rights sands unimpaired
| On the subject of the ccntcnnial at
Washington, the Ncns nMH Carrier
drawing parallel between Davis and
Washington, says: +:
| Tho government established BY
Washington was based upon the doc
trine that the people have the right,
aud that 1t is their duty, to control
their own affairs in their own way.
Washington led the rebellion OF the
colonies against their king; Davis led
the revolution of thirteen sovereign
States against the usurpations of a
government which derived its only
powers from the consent Of the States.
Could Washington and Davis have cx-
changed places and times, the people of
the South would hold memorial meet
ipgs to-day in honor Of Washington,
and the national capitol a, " ash;ngton
would ring with the praises of Davis.
Representing the same principles, striv-
ing for the rights of the people. con-
scicus Of their own recti,ude and de-
voted to the supremacy of the consti,u-
tion and the laws, Washington aud
Davis are equally and alike entitled to
the reverence Of the American people -
DOMESTIC SERVICE IN TIE SOIJTU