The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-07-19
THE WHIRLIGIG OF TIME
AN ARTICLE FROM THE PEN OF
HON. AYTHOSY M. KELLEY.
In Which He Discusses in an Interesting
Way tho Gettysburg Speech of Rev.
Thomas X. Beecher.

Dear Times-I have just read with
renewed interest, in your issue Of the
18th instant. the remarkable address OF
Rev. Thomas X. Beecher. delivered at
! Gettysburg five years ago. 1t should be
added in compliment to the courage and
| consistency OF Mr.. Beecher and to the
/ spirit OF fairness OF those who invited
him TO deliver that address, that his
position on the moral question Of our
civil war has always been the same,
and has always been known In
Western New York, where he has
preached for more than forty years. IL
there are any Elmira prisoners still in
Richmond they will indorse my statement
that Mr.. Beecher was almost the only
minister who preached 10 us on the Sun
days Of 1864, who never let fall a word
which could wound the most sensitive
Confederate. Before the war, even, lie
was known rs a relentless foe 20 the
political aboliuonist. and since IL has been
his habit on the Sunday Immediately fol-
lowing the 4th OF July TO address his
flock mainly on the necessity of Justice
Ia their judgment OF the Southern people
When l was in the United States last.
In 1891, he delivered, on Sunday, July 5th,
very outspoken sermon OF this nature,
and, speaking OF IL in a letter he wrote
me q few weeks later (Which is now be-
fore mel he said: my own flock have
been so wontsd to my manner Of speech
that the discourse caused no surprise"
There have been some recent deliver
ances on these questions more striking,
however. than Mr. Beechers, and more
unexpected. one OF these has created
mighty stir in Massachusetts,, to-wit,
ID 4rr,, Af t. rok lJ-r IL,
his elaborate Life OF Webster" that at
the time OF the adoption OF the present
Federal Constitution there was not a
man I'm the country who regarded the
new system as anything but an expert
ment entered upon by the States and
from which each and every State had
the right peacefully 10 withdraw, a right
which was very likely to be exercised"
But perhaps the most striking evidence
OF this returning reason is TO be found
in the volume Division and Reunion"
forming the third Of the series known as
"Epochs OF American History" This
work written by Professor Wilson. of
Princeton. and edited by Professor Hart.
Of Harvard, is a conc sssion. the more
valuable since II is given without en-
thusiasm and somewhat apologeticl ally,
OF the impregnable soundness Of the con-
tenton of the South, whether legally or
historically considered. Speaking OF the
successive Withdrawals OF the Southern
States In 1S60'6l the author says p I'll:
The legal theory upon which this start
ling and extraordinary series OF steps
was taken was one which would hardly
have been questioned in the early years
of the Government. IL was for
long found difficult TO deny that a State
could withdraw from The Federal arrange
ment, as she might have declined to enter
II. . . The South withdrew from the
Union because she said. power had been
given to a geographical. a sectional party,
ruthlessy hostile 10 her interests. but
DR.. Won Hoist Is certainly right when lie
says: The Union was not broken up be-
cause sectional parties had been formed,
but sectional parties were formed be-
cause the Union had actually become
sectionalized.' There had been nothing
active on the part Of the South I'm this
process. She retained the Old
principles which had once been universal
These are useful utterances and timely,
for truth Is always timely-certainly, at
least, when there is question Of historic
truth. and their value is the greater. as
they come as the deliberate judgment
Of a professor Of Jurisprudence at Prince
ton and with the imprimatur Of a profess
sor Of history OF Harvard.
Has not the time come FOR some one 10
sum I'D for the South, and at the South
in this the Cause Celebre" OF her peo-
ple. or is the Republic OF Republics
OF an Englshman still 10 hold place as
her one defence before the tribunal Of
the public judgment Of Christendom?
a. VI. KELLEY.
fotro T,,ra IN sQQQ