Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-12-14

surprise and as little for condemnation.
1t may seem. indeed, slight inconsist-
ency that every one Of the colonies which
ioined dinthe Declaration Of independence
was at the time a slave.holdinG colony.
Nevertheless. it is the fact that each
shared common responsibility therefor
which differed in degree with the differ
ing utility thereof.
SLAVERY NOT THE REAL ISSUE.
The issue between the North and the
South was not 80 much an issde between
freedom and slavery az the issue
whether those who had formed a Federal
compact with slave-AOlding States upon
an agreement not to interfere with tlelE
slaves had any greater right 70 do so
than they had in the case OF Cuba and
Brazil, with whom they had no such com
pact, The supreme issue was whether
the government of the United States
was one OF such unlimited au-
thority that it could do what 1t
pleased 10y giving fine names to usur--
patton, as when the guest at o hotel
complains that the bran1 he wants
has not been brought. the waiter, before
his ewes. rubs of the undesired
label and puts on the desired one.
The real issue was whether, under the
fine name of general welfare, the
whole power Of the government could be
perverted TO private welfare and
whether, in keeping with the Federal
compact. under tine fine name Of free
dom. Commonwealth could be eXtln-
ouished. So far as slavery was con-
cerned. a century hence history will
chiefly discover race between the very
lightly and very heavily encumbered,
and the great self-applause OF the former
that they we're the first to reach the
goal. It is not so exact to say that
slavery in the South WAS the cause OF
the war. as to say that it afforded the
opportunity for the war. Itisproper to
hear in mind tho abrupt revolution OF
society which was demanded ky those
who Tonld be themselves unaffected by
the revolution. =.
The first book OF Justinian, which
gives MS our definition OF justice-Jus-
ttia est cOnstdns ct T0erpetUd VoIuntoS
jDs SUNNI cuiQUe tribuendt-gives also
the derivation of slavery SerVf dntem
cr eoqppcllah sunt, quod imperatoTes
c1Dfigas uendere, GeperhOe ser0dre non
occjdere s0yent; Qui etiam mdncipt1
dicH sunt, quod abhoStibus manu- ca
qlivntur. A strong man has his antago-
mist at his mercy, is able to take the lie
of him rather than suffer him to live
ANTAGONIST will do so. In humanity 8
great in,ernecine war, wherein survival
is conquered by exterminatlng hostlhty'
root and branch. the eonquerer leads
back the captive of his spear. Their re-
lations are those of victor and victim.
THE TIgsr REDEEM1Sd SIDE.
The fact of supremacy has been set
tied. and by the rule of primitive war
one life is forfeit to the other. When,
then, the victor did not slay, but spared
the suffered him to live not as
rival, to be sure, but as subject to re-
tributlyely serve in return for the lie
which had been donated, and was gra-
tuity--it was the very charity OF a re-
declining gospel, breaking through the
crust OF "Old Dispensations Oh an eye
for an eye and tooth for a tooth |;
temperin9 with the hand OF mercy the
iron hand. 1t is not eGtravagant TO say
that this was the first redeeming sign IN
the storm and terrible JOY OF war; Inc
stronger included the weaker; the Two
were co.operant-social, not dissoeial'
Their blows, no longer rival, rang IN
unison, each sending the other iarther.
II was large concession TO humanity
when Caesar at tho battle OF Phars1lla
granted permission to every man III ms
army to save one enemy. only the
nomad life existed until seryltude e1-
;sted. The "mighty hunter had no
accumulated spoil wherewith to iced de,
nepdents. Outside OF his limited ana
mutable camp his hand was against
every man and every mans against lini.
No civilization could ripen Ia the SADDLE