The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-06-24
PERVERTED VIEWS or SOUTHERN
OPINION

From time TO time. along throus" -"
! past fifteen years. there has been d 80
T deal written and said by Southern n'ei
concerning the views OF the Sou'"ei'
people about the war ana It's .auSe"
. which has totally misrepresenteu oO"'n'
ern opinion. and has placed the oOut"'
ern people In a false and huHhlia'ii's
light before the world. The especial lad
OF these catchpenny writer's ana -
vrs has been TO give coloring to the
picture that would make people outside
Of the South believe the Southern peo-
nlo are sorry that there was any war,
are ashamed OF I and would be glad If
the subject could never be mentioned
again. A great body Of Northern peo-
pie undoubtedly wish that this were so.
| and they buy the writings and listen to
the spe ,ches OF Southern men who say
that IL Is so, and the thing has gone
along that way until the people Of the
| North have come to believe sthat IL IS
true. Consequently, when the Reverend
Doctor Cave came along with his address
at the unwilling Of the soldiers and
sailors monument and talked right out
as ninety-nine Southern men out Of every
hundred think and feel. a great hubbub
was raised through the North, and they
are all turning IN 10 complaining that the
"reconcilers" have duped and misled
| them and, aggravated that they should
| have been taken in. they are now rush
| ing about everywhere complaining OF
us for acting the part of consistent. up
right. honorable men, and prophesying all
sorts Of evil that is going TO befall us
| because we don't turn every kind OF sum-
mersault and show all OF the rainbow's
! hues in the way giddy, sensational peo-
pie like themselves would do if they
had 50 great an opportunity TO perform
that way as we have.
The new Senator from Michigan, Mr.
Patton. made his first speech in the Sen
ate last Friday, and he made this theme
do duty as considerable part Of his
text. There was meeting Of the Society
Of the Army of the Potomac last Thurs
day, and General Beaver, Of Pennsylva-
MIA, made a speech at It, in which he
also lamented the trend Of opinion in
the South that DR. Caves grafton dis
closed, and augured a dark future for
the South from that state Of opinion |
here. We have already twice dealt with |
this subject since DR. Cave made his |
grafton, but we consider IT our duty to
the Southern people 10 discuss it when |
ever it is brought forward, and TO state |
their views about it, so that they may |
neither suffer injustice nor be misunder- |
stood. We have always heretofore dis |
cussed it calmly. nationally. and without |
feeling, and we shall continue TO do the |
same.
What is it that these gentlemen would |
have us do2 Would they have us say that
we do not believe the Contribution. as
adopted in l7S. intended to permit
State to secede from the Union? But
how can we say this? We believed ex-
actly the reverse and fought for four
years 10 establish with arms as a prac-
teal fact what we conscieatiously be-
heved was right in theory. How can we
now, because we were beaten in the fight,
say that We believe that we were then
wrong in our view of the Constitution? |
II the thing was then a right belonging to
state, It did not become less a right
because she was prevented by physical
force from resorting to the right.
sound drubbing may prevent one from
resorting TO a right. but II cannot unmake
the right. When. therefore, these gentle
men ask us TO say that We do not now
believe the Constitution intended 10 re-
serve to the States a right to secede.
they ask for an impossib.hty. We be-
lieved 1t conscientiously in 1861. and our
opinion has not, and could not, in the
nature Of things, be changed by the fact
that we were numerically beaten. when
we attempted 10 act on the opinion. Con-
sequently, when they ask this of US they
would have us utter most unnatural les
hat they know to be lies and they would
be cringing lies. told to secure favors
through fawning.
Now this would be most unnatural and
would be most degrading to us. 1t would
destroy our self-respect, all the capital
hat the war left us. and would turn US
INTO dishOnored, as well as a beaten
people. That would never do.
But our Northern friends must not
think that we are ready for secession
again. because we believed I'm 1861. and
believe still that the Constitution con
Lemplated secession. We fought that
light out. and were vanquished in 1t. We
made new contract at Appomattox. bv
Nhich we agreed that If we were restored
10 our OLD place I'm the Union. we would
ABANDON Tor all time the claim. and would
agree that the Constitution was TO he
considered as prohibiting secession from
nat day forward. We propose TO live
'p 10 THIS new contract TO the letter
Ana not because 1t was a contract ex-
orted from us. We recognize the fact /
nat the hand of time has changed the
ace of things, and made It our interest !
M duty to be loyal and true 10 the I
Inion. We are as patriotic sons of the !
lnion OF to-day as we We're Of the Union {
efore the war, as any State would find j
Ut TO It's sorrow If 1t should attemnt
rebel against the national authority. !
Now We recommend this view Of the '
ase to our Northern critics. Let them re- !
lember that we have a past TO cherish
'hich is as dear to us as their past is IN o
hem, and that we propose to guard II Il
acredly. and see that it shall be AL Il
'ays held in honor. But We are not il
lerefore disloyal to the government that il
/. We cherish and love it. and win dio k
'r 1t If that sacrifice be demanded 90 b
s. VI
FAVOKITISM IN THE NAVY
Washington disnatcb IL a. ., -.