The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-01-05

freedom n wicked attempt TO destroy the |
Union. They hold that secession was |
new heresy gotten up to serve the ampi-
ton OF disappointed southern leaders. |
utterly ignoring the historic facts tnat
when the colonies wrested their inde-
nendence from Great Britain the treaty
OF peace was not made with the Conu-
mental Congress or the nation, but WIN
each of the Individual States as SOW
ereign. Independent republic, that When
the United States OF America hrst
came into existence under the Constitu-
ton II was by a secession OF each
state from the old Confederation; that
when the new Constitution OF lls' was
adopted by the States the right OF Win
drawal for what eacn State might deem
sufficient cause was distinctly reserved
by both New York and Virginia, and was
thus secured to all Of the states VINO en-
tered or might afterwards enter. the
Union. that South Carolina and Rhode
island remained out Of the Union as in
dependent. sovereign republics until the
rights OF each State We're made clearer Dy
amendments 10 the Constitution and the
right Of secession put beyond reasonable
doubt: that this right was emphaticaiiy
reanirmed IN the famous Virginia ana
Kentucky resolutions Of 1850 ana that
through a period OF many years the right
OF secession was not seriously questioned
in any quarter except under the oxigen-
]
cies Of party politics.
ANOTHER OMISSION.
These histories fail. Of course. to tell
us that New England had through a long
period Of years an unbroken record IN
! favor OF secession, that in 1904 the Legs
I lature Of Massachusetts, passed an act 10
the effect that the purchase and anneNa-
| ton Of Louisiana by the general Govern
ment would be sufficient cause Tor
| the dissolution Of the Union and would
! absolye the old States from their ale
/ glance 20 the Union; that during the war
! ~ 1872 tho New England states not only
nulliied laws OF Congress Tor the prose-
cution OF the war. but from pulpit and
| press and rostrum boldly advocated Sc
/ ceesion until the agitation eliminated IN
! the famous Hartford Convention, held
/ December Is. 1914, I'm which delegates
/ from all OF the New ElFand states not
only advocated the right of secession
! but formally resolved that the New eng
land states would actually secede n the
war was not stopped by O. given day, on
which the convention was 90 reassemble.
and il was only the close of the war, as
| f1. as can be seen, that prevented the
| actual secession OF these States. lnat
| Anru 20. 1880. ex-President John Quincy
Adams made a. speech. which was near
! tuv endorsed by New England, Boz when
he said that it would be better for the
| States to part in friendship from e"'"
| other than 10 be held together 10y con
| straint." and Ito form again more
| nerfect uuiou by dissoiv.rs that which
| could not bind and 90 leave the sepa-
! rated parts to be reunited hy the law or
| poiitical gravitatlCn TO the centre. lhal
| January a. 1872 Mr.. Adams presented p
potition from the citizens of Harerhhl.
Mass. to Congress. praying that 10 Wouiu
Immediately ADOPT measures peacehnig
TO dissolve the union or these states
| and assigning seven reasons Ior sucu az
! fiou and that when Mr.. Marshal, OF
Kentucky, offered resolutions consuming
Mr. Adams for presenting such pe-
fltlon. the question was debated FOR Two
weeks Mr.. Adams ably defended MN
| self i'm secession speeches when Woulu
have done credit 10 William j.. iahcos
or Robe Tcmbs. and the House OF
REPRESENTATIVES by an overw heimins VOC
laid the resolutions OF censure on ~,
table: that IN 1874 and again on tle --o
| OF February, 1916, the Legislature o'
,Toreachusetts passed resolutions aVo"-
inc the right of secession and threaten
inc to sccede II Texas was admitted INTO
me Union. AT that date the right OF se-
ceesion being admitted iu all sections
,-ortb south. East and West. and mar
". after the election of Mr. Lincoln, anu
nm 10 the actual breaking ONT Oh Wy
| war Horace Greedy, in tho Ne" 10.
Tribune. the New York Herald lie ~
cinnau Commercial. and other leau.
,,arcre af the North boldly advocated
me right of secession and opposed 'he
coercion Of the seeding states
CAUSE OF SECESSION.
rbese histories. of course, ignore the
immediate grievances which caused lhe
south 10 secede-that tn long aBltalloh
of me slavery question, the bitter abuse
| b.aned uuon the South, the INVASION on
her territory by John Brown, Wnom t-'
North canOnized as a saint, the Nloldllou
| bv the North OF Well-m5h every par "a
| the constitutional compact the eiec'loI,
| OF a sectional President 10y S'0'lo4io'
vote TO carry out the aVoWed lal VISA"
,,,rnoees of the northern majority, the
iariff the fishery and other bountles' tne
| dietribution OF the proceeds of the puphe
| lands the whole trend OF lt5lsia.Iol 'A
| discriminating in favor or the NoIlH am
| Northwest and against the SCUM al'u
| the manifest tendency TOWARDS Ciaii7i'iH
! the Union from the 'kepuDlc OF hcp"D.
ill.,. " which our fathers formed into a
| no,solidafed nation great centraized
nlutocracv which would ignore oia',
Sow relanty" and trampie under Ioot loca
salf-government or home rule-ah ol
thess made the South feel that she would
| be better off out of than i'm the ola Union
but when the border States stun cluhs
ia The Union. and on Bonded knees pleau-
ed for concession, compromise, peace
AIR Lincoln threw the sword INTO lh'
balances by forcing Beauregard 10 hit
ON Sumter when he had sent poweIlu
eeet TO reinforce 10 i'm violation oI MT
| Stewards plighted faith, and then usihe
| thfs as a protest Tor firing the nofth-
ern heart" and inauguraung one oil me
most wicked and unjustihable invasloh'
that a brave people were ever called Oh
But this paper is already too long
and / cannot point out In detal no"
these histories garble, tdlsiIy, ana lBuol'
the real facts of that great struggle IL
which the Confederate states, WIN
nopulatlon OF only five million whites
AGAINST twenty millions with only SID
hundred thousand men all told enhste'
in their armies against TWO million elEh
hundred and sixty-four thousand Two
hundred and seveniy-four men ehl5l.'
sgeinst Them. with inferior arms. equip
ments. transportation 1000, clotHliib' am
sunnlies of every kind against the su
perbly equipped ana luAuriously supphe'
arrntes of the North. yet Tor four Ions
veara fought over nearly every foot o.
her territory on over two thousand bat
tle-aelds. won a series OF splendid vic
tories which astonishcd the world, cdm
very near winning their independence
and when at last they yielded 10 over
whelming numbers and resources di'
al With no stain on their swords and M
dishon0r 20 their cause
Nor can / point out now the failure o
| -. ,o-,aIfaf hfgtOTieS TO tell OF IN