The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-07-03
THE GREATEST REUNION.

HEGEEATIST REUNION.
when ono hundred thousand people, with
fatigue and discomfort and at their own
expense and without any other hope Of
reward than the approval Of their con-
sciences and the qualification Of those
emotions which are founded in nature,
gather in one strand assemblage 20 testify
their love and devotion to a cause which
IS called lost" the phenomenon may well
excite surprise IN the minds OF those who
look for a ready return fl spot cash 10
every evidence of patriotism so called.
The sixth reunion Of the United Con-
federate Veterans will be memorable
while memory lasts. In its magnitude
and its harmony, and In the elevating
sentiments which il infused in the breasts
of all who participated or witnessed it.
this grand outpouring Of Southern sym
pathlzers Will never be surpassed or
eQualled.
The most notable events. besides Cor
poral Tanners speech and the dramatic
scene at the auditorium in which Gen
eral Gordon introduced Mrs Davis to
the excited veterans. were. IN their
chronological order. the speeches Of Or.
j. L. NJ. Curry. the parade, and the ora
ton Of General Stephen D. Lee.
DR.. Curry treated the constitutional and
social questions which preceded secession
In mastery way Among his notable Ut
terances we find these.
1t may not be unworthy OF note that the
first throat OF disunion by Massachusetts
was while her people were engaged in the
slave % trade Tho nrst instance OF
rebellion 60 by a State against the Fed
eral Government was that OF Massachu-
sets. and Oh the ground that she was
Justified by (the doctrine OO state rights
and state sovereignty. In her declara-
ton and deeds OF hostility she inter
posed her sovereignty TO resist tho author
ity OF the Federal Government. Governor
Strong said TO the Legislature, Il was
under the same obligation 10 maintain
che rights Of the State as 10 support the
Constitution OF the United STATES" The
Legislature in 1914 called the State free
and sovereign" declared the Constitution
80 be a national compact" and said that
IL was much the duty OF the State
authorities to watch over the rights re-
served as OF the United States 10 exer-
else the powers which are delegated. and
that States which have no compton UNI
pre must be their own judges ana exc
cute their own decisions"
In the election of 1850 in direct antagO-
nism to the opinions and covenants Of
tho men who achieved our Independence
and framed the Constitution that made
the Union. II was deliberately decided
that the States could not exist together
as slavo-holding and non-slaye-holding,
and that the "irrepressible conflict be-
MN ON fIs ttraIfo
Of barbarlsm" should be eiaced from the
Constitution and the laws. Governor
Chase. In February. 1861. said: "rhe peo-
pie OF the fIee States (who believe that
slave holding is wrong cannot and viii
not aid in the reclamation Of fugiuNes
from labor, and the stipulation in the.
Constitution becomes therefore dead
letter" The Southern States believed
that the transfer of the government oil
common country TO an executive ana 10 a
Congress, elected upon the platform OF
pronounced hostility TO their institutions
involved a Reputation Of the covenahtea
faith OF their sister States. and released
them from all obligation 10 bear the bur
den of their own covenants. when they
we're denied the benefit OF the correspond
inc covenants OF the other contracting
states. Il Calhoun, 2S9)
Tho seeding states then openly, Win
,ooet rublic declaration Of purpose, oe-
,ermined to withdraw from the COM
,act and establish separate govern
-, for themselves. They inaue 10 en-
rc,cbment on their ncighboiN uehlen
and deprived them OF no CONSTITUTIONS
,schts male no assault on property u
destinations. but sought only TO hooP ~
wavward sisters. as the rest OF nl'nN'''u'
"enemies in war. In peace mems il'o,.,, ,,,,
Mt al \tNru liEAAn anu Nt'N
~.,,,orp states were not taken 10y sur
- Nothing was ever more deilDeI"V
-. calmly considered, moro li"iMs
-. ,notiured what was done was
-. fnrfiveiv done but IN open day. ana
a. rhe exercise OF rights CLAIMED III INC
convention which made the cons u'u''o''
g., the States in the ratification OF we
,nstrument, ana continuously from Una.
- a. ,he final action. The secession OF
a sovercign state was regarded as Ndllu'
- tho act by which the same Snte en-
800 the Union. Virginia and New YORK
-, whose acts the fate or the instru-
,oent depended, In raufying the C0nsu-
,u,,on declared mat the powers grained
~ mann could be resumed when perverted
20 their injury or oppression, that every
newer not granted remained with them
and nj their Will. thus most carefully
Guarding me reserved powers against
fnpafrncnt ana Placing iheih ptyohd 'ho
coss,ihe Interference and control OF the
Government or the United states. 1hese
notifications being accepted by the other
ss,ates with this construction OF the
PROSTITUTION made the construction as
binding morally as n II had been inserted
IN the Constitution itself. Rhode Island
fingered untn after the inaugurWson OF
Washington ana gave her rauncauon.
without objection with the same explicit
svowsIs.
Dr.. Curry might have added that 'all
suss povers OF government are obtained
snay frsm t,ss o<nssrrs OF the sovernsd."
- o. sne unanimous QArrinx MINOR