Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1895-05-23

the dust before them, and wher
instead of this they see it grow
ing in prosperity, patriotism ane
power, they become delirious
with baf1ed passion.
Yet if they could have then
will we believe that even they
would recognize the disastrous
consequences of their w folly
If the Southern people could be
made to assume the attitude
which these fanatics desire, the
South would be converted into
a land of towards and hypocrites
more subservient and far less
worthy of respect than the slaves
whom it formerly owned, and
seven or eight millions of de>
based moral serfs would replace
the same number Of American
freemen. The strength of the
country lies in the self-respect
as well as in the intelligence OF
its people, and no more deadly
blow could be struck at free in.
situations and the spirit Of liber.
ty and manhood which they en-
body than to destroy the pride
and self-respect of any section
of the Union, Happily for oul
future welfare this is impossible,
and men of all sections and all
parties should mark with salts
faction and not with railing such
reunions as that at Houston.
These ex-Confederates are or
gained, not for war, but for
peace, but no men are better en-
titled than they to recall proudly
the achievements to the armies
to which they belonged, and
none are SO we'll qualified to do
justice to the dead comrades who
fell by their sides. They can do
much, these representatives of
the old as well as Of the new
South. to preserve and protect
the truth of history and to guard
from suppression and distortion
many important facts bearing on
the civil war. They know bet
ter than any one else that there
is absolutely no truth in the
charge that that conflict was in
any degree a Shareholders war, or
that it vas waged for the per-
petuation of slavery. If the
South had been let alone by
Northern fanatics, it would have
worked out it's own salvation
from the horrible incubus of slav-
cry. 1t had felt the burden for
years, and some Of its public
men, as we'll as many of its peo-
pie, were seeking and would
have found a way in which it
could have been safely removed.
What the Southern people
fought for was the right of self
government, precisely what the
colonists fought for in 1776. And
there was this much,more iusti-
lcation for their revolt than for
that Of thei r forefathers: The
latter had always admitted the
sovereignty Of England, while
the Southern people had been
taught from the formation of the
Union that their highest allegi-
ance was due TO their State.
That question was settled by the
wal and settled forever, and the
South accepts the settlement in
the most absolute good faith, but
she cannot forget or spit upon
her past, and she would be a
corrupting member Of the body
polite if she did. No age or land
ever produced more exalted pat
riots than the Southern people
and soldiers who rebeleld against
the Union. They were patriots
IN the sense that patriotism is
the love Of country, for they re-
garded the South, and not the
United States, as their country.
A narrow and mistaken view,
but an earnest and sincere one.
and their patriotism was a love
pure and undefled, without.
money and without price. Never
was there a grander exhibition of
devotion, OF self-sacrifce, of un-
complaining fortitude than was
displayed by the South and the
men who fought and starved in
its defense. These things are
written in the book of fame and
nothing can wipe them out. When
the impartial historian of the
future shall call the roll of
great Americans-men who were
great because Of their respiend-
ent moral and intellectual quail
ties-the names Of Lee and Jack
son, Gordon and Hill, and of
other splendid soldiers who did
battle for the South will add
lustre and glory to his pages.
70 them as we'll as to the I'M
known but heroic souls who
composed the rank and file
OF the armies Of the Confeder-
acy, the North, no less than the
South, will hereafter render the
full homage of generous adinira-
ton and respect. The Northern
man who truly loves his country
and who wishes the perpetuation
Of free government has reason to
rejoice that the South though
conquered was not crushed; that
victory for the Union was not
followed by the moral degrade
ton of the defeated, but that the
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