The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-06-05
AN INTERESTING QUESTION

Which Relates to the Northern and
Southern Methodist Churches.
The following is an extract of a reply,
written by Judge j. Wofford Tucker OF
Sanford, Fla, to letter written by Bishop
Mallalieu Of the Northern Methodist church,
who resides IN New Orleans. The letter
was deemed SO unfair to the Southern Meth
odist church that Judge Tucker was asked
to reply to it,
A. this point it may be as well to present,
In all candor and fairness, question for
consideration which lies at the root OF any
organization of true Christian fraternity
between the Northern and Southern Metho-
dist churches. When it is settled fairly in
the minds and hearts Of the American peo-
pie. then mutual brotherliness
and hearty cooperation will be-
come easy and permanent. Surely.
among the noble, enlightened, truth loving
men and youth Of the north we can find an
audience prepared to consider fairly any
proposition honestly believed by 10000, 900
of their southern fellow citizens and fellow
Christians. Good Bishop Mallalieu, in the
paragraph last quoted, has introduced the
word rebellion"
The most advanced and elevated races Of
men have shown themselves prepared to
make great sacrifices for an idea. In the
"a
own country, question involving an almost
lnappreciable tax on one imported article,
because it implied right TO tax English
subjects without their consent, led to
a seven years war, involving the
sacrifice largely of a generation OF
brave men. And these brave men stood
at the bar OF human judgment and claimed
the right for every free people to change
their political relations and to establish new
ones for reasons satisfactory to themselves.
For this momentous procedure and the con-
hlct It led onward these Anglo Americans
were denounced as rebels, deserving to be
hung and quartered. But they had an
nounced principle, and they fought to the
death for an idea. That idea was unpues-
tionably the right of secession and self
government.
Good Bishop Mallalieu, with all his ac-
compishments, seemed capable only of this
view: The issue OF the war was, slavery or
no slavery. This is great error. On the
part OF the states OF the sou b the sole issue
was the right of states, under the forms of
law, to change existing federal relations
and establish new ones without hostile in~
tent. This involved the exercise of a
power nowhere affirmed AMI nowhere de-
MED in the constitution; nor did that
instrument provide an umpire to
which it could be referred. On the
part of the states Of the north, represented
in congress, the sole issue was, a declared
by resolution, not TO interfere with existing
institutions, or rights Of property in the
states Of the south, but to enforce the au-
thority OF the government over all It's terri
tory not recognizing the right to withdraw
from the union. The question of domestic
slavery was not, either on the one
side or the other, involved. The
war was waged with all its fearful
consequences on the sole issue whether one
state. or twenty states, could withdraw from
the federal compact. That question was
answered by the sword; it Is no longer open
TO discussion. But one thing is true beyond
caVil, the signers Of the declaration of indie
pendence thought such right was natural
and inalienaole. Upon such conviction
the men of '76 fought the best gov
ernment then existing in the world,
which had come down through the
ages, which represented the existing order.
and when was, by its own constitution.
co lsolidated and indivisible, What, then
does 1t all come tot We're the men who
Fought with Washington all rebels and
traltorsf When shall we attain the moral
greatness TO take broader viewsl The
american states had controversy which
no law but the law of force could settle, and
they Fought 1t cut on the field, honestly
oraVely. and it was settled forevermore. The
heroes OF thar sad strife were the best pro-
duct Of our civilization.
The brave are the tenderest;
Inc loving are the daring!