The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-01-26

tide, nd c,' we're yet applapding the eloquenc Of
me ohio orator. who had said In Congress
that the Mcxlcans should Welcome our 49,
graves
CANDID vTEw IRON ruf NORTH.
Consider these grave words. which ate bpt
freshly written in the life Of Webster bv
Henry cabot Lodge. who IL NJ this time a
Republican representative I'm Congress from
The city Of Boston. Mass:
Whom the Constitution was adopted by
the votes Of States al Philadelphia. and ac
ccpicl by votes Of states in popular convcn-
lions 10 WAS safe 20 say there was moi "a man
in the country. from Washington and Ham
liton oa me ono side, 70 George Clinton and
George Mason on the other. who regarded thc
new system a. anything but an experiment
entered upon hy the states and from which
esch ana every state had the right TO peace
likely 20 Doe exercised"
CONTEMPORARY NORTHERN OPINIONS.
Rccall the contemporary opinions Of North
tfn uunliclsts and leading Journals The New
York Herald considered coercion out Of the
question. ON the OH Of November. 1850. the
editor. said
"lf the cotton states shall decide that they
can DO better ont of the MON than In 10 we
Insist on lciung hem go in peace The right
Co sccede may be revolutionary one. but M
exists nevertheless. and We do not see how
one party can have right 10 DO what another
party has right % prevent. We must ever
resist the asserted right OF any state 10 re-
main in the Union and nuilify or defy the
laws thereof. 90 withdraw from the Union is
quite another matter"
Ihiswas precisely the creed Of jefferson
Davis.
Again. on the 18th day Of December. after
thc secession of south Carolina. that journal
said.
.'lfthe Declaration Of Independence iusfi-
fed the secession from the British empire Of
three millions of c0lonistS an l--G We do not
see why 10 would not justify the secession Of
1--WE millions of SouthcrLcrs from the Federal
Union in 1861. ~ we are mistaken on this
point why does not some one attempt 90
show wherein and why-'
and yet again on the 23d Of February. after
Mr. Davis had been inaugurated as President
at Montgomery. 10 said.
1--WE have repeatedly snid. md we once
more insist that the great principle en- bodied
Dy Jefferson in the Declaration Of American
Independence that governments derive their
Just powers from the consent OF the governed
is sound and just, and thatif The slave states.
the cotton states or the Gulf states only
choose % form an independent nation they
have clear moral right 10 do so.'
UNDERLYING POLITICS.
The controlling truth was that two incom-
patlbic and hostile civilization were ia cease
less tOnnict. and the balance of power be-
tween them. Ike the balance OF power in
Europe. dominated the politics of the coun-
trv. There Nas equilibrium between these
gan. and each in turn threatened secession
ne The equilibrium trcmuied 10 the one side
or the other.
Ihls was The cause of Northern hostility 70
the Louisiana. the Texas and Mexican an
nexatlons and this the cause OF southern
contention for territorial rights in Kansas
and Nehrlskn.
Having gwen the North generous advan-
fage im the Northwestern territory in 1857,
and f0rescclng the doom Of her institutions
and the uphcaNul Of her society, with the
balance of power lost 90 her, and unable 70
maintain herself in the Union on am issue
which involved not only two thousand mill
lions OF property. but far more than that the
Integrity. purity. and liberty OF the white
race. the south adopted in 1861 the measure
which the Northern states had often threat
eucd but never attempted against The Union.
the measure which all Americans had not
only attempted, but had cousecrstcd as just
ln principle and vindicated bY deed in l4s6.
TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY.
The historian viii note that while the
United states declared war on the ground
that secession was treason, they practically
treated 10 as political question Of territorial
integrity. They accorded nclligercnt rights
90 the COnlcderacy. exchanged prisoners, and
gave paroles of war. aDd lcNclulonizcd All
theories and mandates To cafrl
their main pOiui-the preservation OF the
Uni u. General Grant saws of their legisli-
ton 900 his Memoirs. "Mucn OF II was no
doubt unconstitutional but 10 was hoped
That The laws enacted would subSeiYc their
purpose before their cOusututiOnallty could
he submitted % the judiciary ami decision
obtained OF the war hc say.: "Ihe Consu
tuition was NOT framed with view 20 any
such rebellion as ihat of ls0l-'65. While 10
did mo-. authorize rebellion 10 lnado no pro-
vision against DO. y et' me adds, The ilEnl
fo resist or suppress rebellion is as inherent
/ rs the right n am individual 10 preserve his
life when 10 is iu jeopardy. Ihe Constitution
was. therefore. in allegiance for the time being,
I So 'ir ms 80 ln any way Affected The progress
H..a " H.I |..H no |...
This is revolution: Indicted for treason,
Jefferson Davis faced his accuseIs with the
uUHrcd brow ana launtless heart or inno-
cercc and eagerly asked trial. III magma
nlmlty nai iet hmm pass ii would have been
appreciated. bat they who punished him
without hearing before they set him flee
now proceeded % amend the constitution 10
ilsifauchise MIN and IBIS associates finding
like Grant nothing iu 30. as 10 st0Odi against
such mofemrut as ue Ted.
10 may Doe that bur for The assassination Of
President llu c0lu-must Infamous and IN
happy deed-which
"Uuroared the universal peace
And poured the milk OF Concord into nell,
The country would have been spared the
shame OF President DaYiss cruel lncaIcera-
lion and tho manning of the constitution.
For ] can scarcely believe that he who three
times overruled emancipation who appeal
ed fu Indispensable necessity as Justinca-
ton for "iai ing strong hands ou the cololed
elemeuf." who cnnuidly aNOWcd Northern
"cOmuNeIfY lu tle wrongs ol Dds time, Who
sfli. % claim not 90 have controlled events.
but confess uInuly that events have CON
trOlled mc', who bad preached revolution
iu ISIS. and rev0luufonized an things Co
save the Union Foo lsO2-l can scarce believe
10 possible that one of his broad mind and
generous heart would have prosecuted an
honorable Zoe. 20 BIAS been wonder ip me
shat these vino justly applaud his virtues
have not copied his example wonder, in-
deed that all men have not seen mat the
events which controlled him controlled also
nls antagonist