Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-01-26

tho country lneTe Was 49," .-.x;,,.
| tween those rival powers. ana secsons
| when their race began and eacn II turn
| threatened accession "a the equilibrium
| trcmbled to the one side or the other. ann.
This was the causc of northern hostility
| 10 the Louisiana. the Texas, and Mexican
annexaiions, and this the cause OK southern
contention for territorial nights IN Kansas
| and Nebraska
vantage in the northwestern territory IN
| 1877, and foresecing the doom OF her insti-
tutions and the upheavai of her society;
| with the balance OF power lost TO her. ana
unable 10 maintain herself in the Union on
an issue which involved not only two
thousand millions of property. but Tar
more than that the integrity, purity, ana an,
! liberty of the white race, the South
adopted in 1861 the measure which the
northern States had often threatened but
never attempted against the Union, the
measure which all Americans had not only
| a.tenlp,ed. but had consecrated as Just IN
principle and vindIcated by deed in l7IB.
THE UNITED STATES TREATED SUCCESSION AS
| POLITICAL QUESTION AND MET IT By REvoLC-
| TON.
The historian will note that while the
| United States declared war on the ground
that secession was treason, they pracucaliY
treated IT as a political question OF ,srIl-
/ 100000
rent rights to the Contederacy, exchanged
prisoners. and gave. paroles OF war. ana
revolutionized all theories and constitu-
tional mandates 10 carry their main point,
the preservation Of the Union. General
Grant says OF their legislation In his
Memoirs: Much of il was no doubt IN
constitutional. but it was hoped that the
laws enacted would suoserve their pnir1PISs e
before their constitutionality conld De
submitted to the judiciary and decisI9h
obtained" OF the war be says: Inc
! Constitution was not framed with view
10 any such rebellion as that OF l56l-b9.
While it did not authorize rebellion IL
made no provision against 1t. fet,' ne
adds, " the right to resist or suppress re-
belion is ms inherent as tho right OF an IN
| dyidual TO preserve his life when 1t is IN
jeopardy. The Constitution was, there
fore. in abeyance for the tirnebelng. so
far rs 10 is in any way Affected the pro-
g1ess and termination of the war"
This is revolution: Indicted FOR treason
jefferson Davis faced his accusers with the
uplifted brow and dauntless heart OF inno-
cence. and eagerly asked a trial. IL magma
nmity had let him pass, 1t would have been
appreciated. but they who punished MIN
without hearing before they set HIM free,
now proceeded to amend the Constitution
TO disfranchise him and his associates,
finding like Grant nothing III It, as IL STOOD
| against such movement as he led.
| 1t may be that but for the ASSASSINATION
| of President Lincoln-most infamous and
unhappy deed-which
| "Uproared the universal pence
| And poured the milk OF Concord into hell"
the country would have been spared the
shame of President Davis's cruel incarcera-
ton and the manning of the Constitution.
For / can scarcely believe that he who
/ three times overruled emancipation who
| III oh Ia ~
justification for Laying strong hands on
! the colored element: who candidly avowed
northern completely" Ill the wrongs
of bis time; who said. II claim not
to have controlled events. but confess
plainly that events have controlled
me"; who had preached revolution IN
1S4s, and revolutIonized all things 10
save the Union in 1927 can scarce
believe il possible that one Of his broad
mind and generous heart would have per-
secuted an honorable foe. IL has been
wonder to me that those who Justly APP
plsud his virtues have not copied his ex-
ample: wonder, indeed, that oil men nave
not seen that the events which controlled
him controlled also his antagonist.
THE COUNTRY UNIFIED DY NATURAL LAWS.
The United States have been unified by
natural laws, kindred to those which uni
fed the South in secession, but greater be-
cause wider spread. Its physical constr
tution in 1861 answered to the northern
mind the written Constitution, and the
traditions of our origin to which the South
appealed The Mississippi river, the natu-
raj outlet of q newborn empire TO the sea,
was a greater interpreter TO IL t1an the
opinions of statesmen who lived when the
great new Commonwealth were yet IN the
wilderness, and before the great republic
spanned the father Of waters. :,
oceanward pauses not to consider
whose are the boundaries of the estates
through which it flows. If q mountain
barrier stands in the way it forms
n lake until the accumulated waters
break through the impeding wall OF
dash over it in impetuous torrents.
SO nations in their great movements seem
to be swept out Of the, grooves denneo
by tho laws of man, and are oftentlmes
propelled to destinies greater than those
conjured in their dreams.
THE CONSTITUTION OF NATURE AND THE JURY
or THE SWORD.
The rivalry. not the harmony of sections,
won the empire of the union; its physical
constitution proved more powerful than
its written one: in tho absence of q judge
all appealed TO the jury of the sword. we
belong to high-handed race and under.
stand the law of the sword, for the men OF
Independence in 177G and 1861 were OF the
same blood "a those who IN each case cried
Disperse. We rebels" And were / of the
North would prefer to avow that 1t made
conquest by the high hand than coin the
Great strife that marshalled over three mil.
lions of soldiers into police-court technical.
ties and belittle O revolution continent
wide into the Quelling OF an lnsurrectlon
and the vicarious punishment OF Its leader
The greatest conquerer proclaims ms
naked deed.
THE SOUTH IN TIE UNION AT HOME.
Aswe arc not OF the North but of the
South. and are now like all Americans both
of and tor the Union, bound up IN Its des,,
TIMES. contributing TO its support, and
seeking ITS welfare, ! feel that as he was
the hero in war who fought the bravest, Sc
he is the hero now who puts the past II
it's truest light, does justice to all, and
knows no foe but him who reviyes the
hates of q bygone generation.
If we lost by war a southern union OF
thirteen States. We have yet q common
part in a continental union of forty-two
10 which our fathers gave their blood, and
upon which they shed their blessings, and
neonle who could survive four years OF
such experience as we had in 1S6l-'65 car
work ont their own salvation on any spot
of earth thatsGod intended for mans habi-
tofion. We arc III fact in our fathers home
and it should be, as it is, our highest aim 10
to develop its magnificent possibilities and
make it the happiest dwelling-place OF the
children of men.
JEFFERSON DAVIS LOVER OF TIE UNION.
The southern leader was no Secessionisi
pe1. Sc. HIS antccedents, his history, hi'
services. his own earnest words often ut
tered. attest his love of the Union and hi:
hope that it might endure. In 1853 In
letter to Hon. William j.. Brown, of In
diana. he repudiated the imputation that
he was disunionist.
pardon" he said, "pardon the egotisu
,, in consideration of the occasion when say
TO YOU that my father and uncles fought II
the Revolution of 1776, giving their youth
their blood and their little patrimony u
the constitutional freedom which clam
, as nv inheritance. Three of my. brothers
fought in the War OF 1912, two OF them were
comrades OF the Hero of the. Hermitage
and received his commentator for gal
lantry at New Orleans. At sixteen years o.
age / was given to the service OF my
, country. For twelve years OF nv lifel nave
. borne It's arms and served it zeaiousiy. !
Ill Az feal the iufirmltIeS WHICH