The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-06-20

Washington and Alaska will be held at
Olympus, and tomorrow the Society Of the
Army Of the Potomac viii assemble az
Concord, n. II. 1t is expected that Gen.
Nelson A. Miles. president of the society,
will be present. 1t would be good time
on these occasions to rebuke the false pdo-
lie education which was recently enun-
ciated at Richmond. Va. BY GEN Rosser
and Parson Cave in their addresses at the
dedication Of the monument to the private
soldiers of the Confederate army.
We do not 6nd any fault with the cree
ton OF this Confederate monument; We do
not find fault even with the fact that the
Confederate flag on this occasion was
carried in procession, draped over building
fronts and foated from roofs. What we
do find fault with is that Gen. Rosser and
Parson Cave told historical lies in their
public addresses concerning the civil war.
its cause. its origin, its object and the rea-
son for its failure that represent false
and dangerous public education to the
growing youth of the South; lies which
Lee, Stephens. Joe Johnston. Longstreet,
Beauregusrd and other great Confederate
captains never uttered before the war, dur
ing the war or after the war. We are not
of those who take bigoted view Of the
civil war; nevertheless. we are Of those
who are not ashamed to tell the truth about
IL, as really great statesmen and soldiers
OF the South have not hesitated 70 do, but
which the "picayune" state supremacy
politicians North and South never do to
this date.
The constitution of the United States
was ordained ito create . more perfect
union" This was the design and hope Of
such great men as Washington, Franklin
and Hamilton, but the realization of this
purpose was prevented by Thomas Jeffer-
son, in the constitutional heresy of his
Virginia and Kentucky resolutions of 1898,
till the surrender at Appomattox secured
1t. Jefferson Davis was nothing but
narrow-minded, intense devotee of Jeffer-
son. He followed with loyalty the theory
of Jefferson as to the relations Of the states
and the national government. The South
ern Confederacy was simply the Demo-
cratic party of Thomas Jefferson with
arms in its hands fighting for its dog
mas. Slavery gave the pretext and op-
portunity for an attempt to enforce the
doctrines of Jefferson's resolutions of
1898 which Washington deplored and
without qualification denounced. Wash
ington died praying that his construction
of "the Union and the constitution, one
and inseparable, now and forever" might
be secured rather than that Of jefferson,
but after his death the poisonous virus of
Jefferson's political heresy began TO in
feet the veins of the great republic.
When the Federal court declared un-
constitutional the South Carolina state
law under which free negro sailors
coming into her ports were impris-
oned until their ships sailed again,
the governor of South Carolina told the
legislature that 1t would be better, In
order to preserve the sovereignty and in
dependence of their state, ito form a
rampant with our bodies on the confines
of our territory" than to be "the slaves
Of a great consolidated government"
The legislature replied that the law of
self-preservation was above all laws, all
treaties, all constitutions and would never
be shared with any other power. In 1924
and 1888 this kind of talk was prevalent
in Virginia, the Carolinas and the Gulf
states. Notification, as a sovereign right
under the constitution, was even adopted
by Massachusetts, in 1880 and by Maine in
1881.
But in 1882 when South Carolina de-
cIared for notification, Maine. Massachu-
sets and Ohio declared against the nullif-
cation they had once affirmed. Then
came the great anti-slaverY struggle,
which may be said to have first gathered
head in 1887, when Lovejoy was murdered
by tho pro-slavery mob at Alton, Ill. The
annexation of Texas. the war with Mex
ico the Kansas struggle. the war for the
Union and the reconstruction after the
war were its great hattletields, and when
this reconstruction was finally accom-
plished we for the first time since Wash
ington's death absolutely secured that con-
struction OF the constitution originally
asserted by Washington. He died praying
that 1t might be universally accepted by
the people, but fo-esaw and pointed out to
Patrick Henry that if 1t was not firmly
established there was small prospect OF
happiness or long life for the Union.
1t cost the American people bitter
struggle of seventy years after Washing
toms death TO bring the idea of Washing
ton and the idea Of Jefferson to the stern
arbitrament of war. and when that war
ended by the surrender Of Lee a, Appomat-
tex that question of Federal versus state
supremacy was dead forever. save TO such
picayune minds as those Of Gen. Rosser
and Psrson Cave. who not only insisted
on worshiping the Lost Cause" but as
regarding IL as not "lost" at all; as only
bent not broken. Herein lies the false
and dangerous education 10 the young and
growing South. There is no treason" in
erecting g monument which comment
crates the brave deeds Of Confederate SOL
| diers: there is no treason in the strewing
of iowers upon the graves of men who
fought 10 maintain the Confedsracy, bat
to preach that the secession Of the South
was a constitutional act performed BY de-
voted Unionists who were forced Ito take
| mp arms against oppression and against
/ invaders" is an historical lie. The South
turned It's guns on Fort Sumter TO setsls
the question whether state ever had
| she right 30 leave the Union. and this
arbitrament OF the sword vas decided
against them The South rebelled in the