The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-07-03
Is SECESSION REN0UNCED BY THE
SOUTHERN STATES?

We rrint this morning an interesting
letter. signed X. NJ. r., taking issue with
the principle which we have maiy times
announced. that the Confederate soldier
agreed at the end of the war 10 lenounce
the doctrine of secession and TO become
member of a Union which repudiated the
prlnciple Of secession for all future time
The author Of this letter is distinguished
writer who will be recognized. perhaps,
by the initials that are affixed TO 1t.
Ii will he an easy matter TO prove that
this identical contract was entered INTO
between the people of the seeded States
end the United States Government when
the war was ended. But now we care
very little for resolutions. statutes, and
constitutions passed and adopted by coz
ventions of politicians that were ratified
by a people held down by bayonets. What
we care for Is the understanding and
agreement entered into between the SOL
diers Of each side on the field of battle,
when the Confederate soldier laid down
his arms TO his conquering enemy and
plighted HIS troth for his future conduct.
That was an understanding sanctioned
and approved OF by General Robert Il.
Lee; that is the understanding which
affects the honor and conscience of the
Confederate soldier, and that Is the I'M
Outstanding which he will shed the last
drop Of his blood to maintain. What
ever that understanding was. IL was not
one made with mental reservations, and
what the French call srrieres pepsees. 1t
Was frank, open, clearly understood ana
Intended to be carried cut in absolute
good faith. letter, line, and word. what
WAS IL? Upon our side We had fought
70 establish the proposition that a state
had the right 70 secede from the Union
Upon the other side they had fought ID
denial Of this right. and TO coerce us
into abstaining from acting upon 1t. "hen
we were exhausted In the fight we oner-
cd 10 Law down our arms and surrender,
and The offer was accepted. 1t is true no
word was said in the terms OF surren-
der concerning this after OF secession
In the future. But can any Confederate
soldier say that he understood that in
surrenderlng he reserved the right. as
soon as he should be sufficiently recuper-
ated, TO renew the struggle over the
came old question? Can sny Confederate
soldier say that he believes General Grant
understood the surrender otherwise than
as a complete and absolute abandonment
Of the claim for all future time? VIII any
Confederate soldier say that he believes
General Grant would have accepted the
surrender upon the generous terms ac-
corded by him If he had understood that
General Lee surrendered with mental
ha
test as soon as he should be able? Such
a claim would be preposterous. Every
Confederate soldier knows that when he
was forced 10 surrender he did il in
tending thereby TO relinquish forever the
claim Of secession as a right, and he
knows that the Union soldiers accepted
his surrender upon the understanding
that that claim was relinqushed The
Confederate soldier knows that the sur
render was an agreement between the
armed enemies who had contended one
with the other for four years. and until
one was exhausted that the thing they
had fought over-sccession-shou be
abandoned forever by the vanqulshed.
Ihis, then, Is the sacred and the bind
ing eontract-the contract that was made
py the heroic leader Of heroes in the
presence OF shotted guns. amidst dead and
oy,ng men, and this contract, in its es-
sence and spirit, the Confederate soldier
VIII i've by and Will teach his children
TO honor and revere
hut tnose who think that written con-
su'uuons and paper guarantees are who,
control In life can find absolute 49,
"a' 'nis Is The agreement which the
peop'e OF The seeded States made The
rese"' constitution Of every seeded
s s' ADOPTED by the people Of tina,
s'aVe after the war as the condition of
Ds'ns admitted TO the full rights of states
!" the onion. contains an express renun.