Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1895-07-25

| what the soldiers who fought for hel
Liberties desire the world to know.
More than a qaurter of n century
has passed since the fearful conflict
ended. More than twO-thirds of the
soldiers who fought under her ban.
nerS are laid to rest forever, and
those who survive are all old men
But they are fathers, and il is bu,
natural that they should desire that
their children and the generations
which are to come after them should
Know the truth respecting that pc.
rlod In their history when they were
making daily sacrifice of life for lib.
erty and justice. The world has
been told that the people of the
south fought to hold and perpetuate
the institution of human slavery.
IL Is true that slavery was the cause
Oh the war between the States, but
II Is not true that it was the cause
TOR which the people of the South
fought. The soldiers of Virginia
stood in steady ranks upon her bor-
aers, without the spirit of invasion,
put hlled with the purpose of de-
renee, and struck only when the peo.
pie Of the North invaded her soil
win deadly weapons in their hands.
ana deadly purpose in their hearts.
TIE AUTHORS OF SLAVERY.
If slavery was wrong, we answer
our friends of the North with the
historic statement that they were
the authors of it upon American
soil. We say to them that when the
convention of 1877 proposed to abol-
lsh the African slave trade, as soon
as the Constitution which they were
uellberating upon was adopted by
the convention and ratified by the
people, the answer came from the
representatives of the New England
States in that convention that their
people would not ratify that Consti-
tuition with that provision. The
reason given was that their mer-
chant marine was dependent upon
the African slave trade for its pros.
perity, and if the people Of New
England were deprived of the prof.
It's from that trade they would be
driven into bankruptcy. All the
Southern States, except the States of
South Carolina and Georgia insisted
upon the provision, but so earnest
was the opposition of New England.
so open and avOwed was it's purpose
not to adopt and ratify the Constitu-
ton with that provision in it, that
the convention was forced into a
compromise by which it was agreed
that the African slave trade should
continue until 1910. So for twenty
three years the ships Of New Eng
land were engaged in the importa-
tation of African negroes, and dur
ing that period they imported from
Africa more slaves than were i'm the
United States at the time the Consti-
tuition was adopted. These are the
cold, hard facts of history, as thew
are to be found in Elliot,s ODE.
bates" in Bancrofts History of the
United States" and in Charles Fran
CHS Adams's " History of Massachu-
setts." The historic old ship, the
Mayt1ower, was a slave trader until
she became unseaworthy. 1t is i'm.
possible to discuss upon an occasion
like this all of the facts and causes
when led up to and produced the
war between the States, but it is
gratifying to know that we are get
ting far enough away from the pas
sions of the struggle to begin to con-
slider these facts and causes with
something like judicial calmness
and historic fairness. The unbiased
student Of history in earnest search
for the truth is throwing more and
more light upon this subject with
every passing year, and we may be
assured that in the course Of time
the truth will be known, and when
1t is known the descendants of these
old soldiers who are assembled upon
this green to-day will be proud of
the history of their fathers as are
the descendants of the men who es-
tahlished American independence
under the declaration of Thomas
Jefferson, and with the sword of
George Washington. / believe it to
be true that no country ever entered
into war with clearer knowledge
on the part of its people of what il
was fighting for, and no people ever
had clearer conviction Of the right.
eouSneSs ofthe cause for which thew
fought. Everything that man can
sacrifice for liberty was willingly
offered.