The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-02-15

| siderations-their rightful power to secede,
! and the causes that justified the exercise OF
1 that power.
Il confess that while his argument in
| favor of that right seems to be exceedingly
/ strong. Yet l do not see the same force in
/ his statement of the justification for its ex-
I ercise. But, then, / was az the other end or
the whip, and justified John Brown"
Article Y, Gn amendment OF the constl-
| tuition, declares that:
The powers not delegated to the United States
| by the constitution nor prohibit by It TO the
states are reserved 10 the states respectively or
| 10 the people.
This amendment was one of the condi-
tons on which the constitution was ratified.
It clearly shows that sovereignty remained
with the states"
The writer states the constitution would
not have been ratified by the majority Of
the states had IL not been for the as urance
that this amendment would be adopted.
The stand taken by the southern leaders is
described as follows:
Mr.. Davis submitted as a justification
of the withdrawal Of the southern states in
1862
1.-The destruction of the balance of
power which existed when the constitution
was adopted, and subsequent legislation for
sectional advantages rather tnan the gem
eral welfare, together with gross and per-
states had assum d 10 the formation of the
compact of union, adding to unceasing hos
Utility shamefully displayed and culminat-
ing IN invasion, which created the feeling
that the fraternity in which the union was
founded had ceased to eXiSt-that the union
was no longer one of the heart
Were the secessionists, then, true to the
faith once delivered to the statesl MAY be-
And yet, right here. it seems to me, is both
nd af-acf ~,
No live race consents for very long to be
ruled by dead men. Each generation man
ages to rule itself-if not by the letter of
the law or a strict constitution then by
amendments to constitution and revision
OF creedl never met any public man who
reverenced the constitution as Mr.. Davis
reverenced it.
His copy of the constitution was the
best read book in his library. If the con-
stltution had been lost. think Mr.. Davis
could have rendered it from memory. Ask
his opinion of any measure of national
policy and his first question was: What
does the constitution say9 Let an interpola-
tion of any clause of the constitution seem
to be sanctified by the Virginia and Ken
lucky resolutions and that ended the Sc arch
for truth. MIR. Davis would seek no more
nor further.
Nevertheless, a great race will not con-
sent to be ruled by skeletons nor mol dy
parchments. Each generations will de-
mand self-rule. Suppose the fathers of the
constitution, and the Virginia and Ken
lucky resolvers did intend certain thing
why should we be bound by thosea The
skeletons can be usurpers as well as
the wearers Of crowns. Herein lies the
justification of the north, even if it be ad-
mitted that the historical record favors the
southern view, as 1 think every candid and
conscientious student will admit that it
does"
Urging that the old war can't be dropped
forever, Prof. Redpath closes with:
NOT A FIEND INCARNATE.
LEST any foreigner should read this
article, let me say for his benefit that there
are two Jefferson Davises in American his
tory-one is a conspirator, a rebel, traitor
and the 'Fiend of Andersonville'-he is a
myth evolved from the hell-smoke of cruel
war-as purely imaginary a parsonage as
Mephistopheles or the Hebrew devil; the
other was statesman with clean hands
and pure heart, who served his people faith
| fully from budding manhood to hoary age,
without thought of self, with unbending in
tegrity and to the best of his great ability
he was man of whom all his countrymen
who knew him personally, without distinc-
ton of creed political are proud, and proud
| that he was their countryman."