The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-06-27

interior. wrote many things highly priced
because fresh from the people. Mr.. Dan
Eel did the fierce writing, Mr.. Ayiett the
humorous, and | the argumentative. or
didactic. | discussed; Aylett ridiculed;
Daniel Illuminated. Mr.. Aylett's humor
was peculiar: but I think the finest OF
its kind that ever appeared in English
or American journalism. IL was not hui
NOR suitable to standard literature eut
humor adapted to politics. and employed
for the rout and ruin of political antag-
onists. II was crushingly effective.
BY means of the Examiner Mr.. Daniel
soon acquired a decided influence In poll
tics. Especially was his control great III
the legislature OF Virginia This was
due. however, to another cause. besides
the influence exerted through his journal.
His power to impress his views upon
others In conversation was as great as
ever knew anyone 20 possess. lie had
this rare and valuable gift In the highest
degree: and 1t was not unfrequently ex-
ertod In shaping public procedure.
Mr.. Daniel was appointed TO the Italian
mission in August. 1858. 1 took the EN-
amincr of his hands.
He was in Europe during the Crimean
war. and also during the Franco-Austrian
war which ended with the battles or
Solterino and Magenta. Mention Is made
in the sequel Of the value which was at
tached by the State Department 10 his
correspondence.
He who will now turn over the leaves
| OF the Examiner from 1871 to 1857 will, |
am sure. come 20 the opinion, that though
a free lance. belonging 10 no man, not set
OF men. yet IT was more nearly In ma
tlonal politics an organ Of Judge Douglas
than any one else. We admired his ro-
bust talent. his sterling pluck. his solid
power. We always knew where he stool.
as well az We knew where the Capitol
stood. We knew what he wodld do on
every question. as well as we knew what
the sun would do In the morning. We
supported him for ths Democratic nomi-
nation In lS52: and | would have supported
him again In 1886. II he had not perermp-
torilv declined TO be a candidate for the
nomination then.
Up to November. 1857. the Examiner adj
vocated the doctrines Of the State Rights
party OF the United States. including that
which taught the right Of peaceful seces-
sion. whenever. i'm the opinion OF the sew
eral States, they should determine that
their welfare required a resort to that
dernler remedy. Up TO that time II was
the advocate only Of the doctrine. how
ever.
When Mr. Daniel returned TO Richmond
hAA AZ ! 'HA NtA y . 4N'Af II 4N~A AiAhtAs ~
poused the extreme resort. But even
Mr.. Daniel. who, more than any fifty
other men. was the author OF the seces-
sion OF Virginia, was not himself a seces-
sionist per Sc.
SECESSION.
T was in Washington city in February.
1861, engaged in editing the Washington
Union when he arrived there from Eu-
rope. on his way TO Richmond. He sought
me out TO ask my aid In the editorial
work he was about to resume. He told
me that he thought the South had COM
mitted a blunder. and that he was glad
10 feel that he had no part in making
secession. He was still in Europe when
South Carolina passed her secession ordi-
nance in November, 1860. and when Geor-
gia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and
Louisiana followed her example IN Janu-
airy. 1861. He thought this action decisive:
and that all the remaining States ought
70 join In the movement; and that. willing
or unwilling. they would be precipitated
into il. He thought the Southern States
could not afford 10 be divided. but should
DO unanimous one way or the other: ana
that by unanimity they could bring about
reconstruction, even by the act of seced-
ing. He felt that he had nothing left
90 his choice but 20 come home. cast in
his lot with tlt Cpull. ana snare neF lOI-
tunes.
Accordingly. as soon as he arrived at
Richmond. he opened fire on the Old Lin
Wing Convention called TO pass upon the
question Of secession. which had just been
elected two to one against the measure.
and by the 18th OF April following. that
body had been brought over. largely by
his powerful writing in the Examiner to
. nearly unanimous vote for the ordi-
nance Of secession. After the passage of
that ordinance all Southern men. with
the rarest exceptions. became practical
secessiOnists.
Before that event there had always been
q distinction between the advocacy Of the
abstract doctrine and that of the prac-
teal measure OF secessiOn: as marked as
the distinction between the positions Of
Judge Douglas and Mr.. Jefferson Davis.
This distinction is now obliterated and
the established doctrine is this: Socos-
sion is only justihable when IL becomes
absolutely necessary. Il IS implicitly an
nounced I'm nc opening lines Of the De
claration OF Independence. when In the
course OF human events IL becomes neccs-
sary for one people to dissolve the bands
which bind them 10 another" &c. The
doctrine IS exclusively treated by Ed
mund Burke. In his Appeal from the
New 20 tho Old Wings" The essential
ngredient-necessity-i the crucial test
which distinguishes that secession or re-
voiuiion which IS rightful from that which
Is soditlous.
10 IS very true that. along with many
other Southern journalists. the writers
for the Examiner did. during tho whole
period between 1917 and 1851. often write
articles OF warning in which we insisted
that. I'm Wow Of our right Of secession. the
agitation Of the slavery question by the
North would lead 70 the disruption Of the
Union. But the uiterance. even the habi-
tual utterance, Of such warning, differed
palpably from tho industrious organiza-
ton OF the measure. Mr.. jefferson gave
his warning. as Washington had done
before him. Mr.. Clay Mr.. webster. Cen
eral Jackson. all that class Of stern Union
men. repeated the abmonition. Are they
10 be COMPOUNDED with such fiery spirits
rs William T.. Yancey. Louis T. Wigfall
Lawrence NJ. Keitt. the Rhetts and
others, who deliberately organized seces-
sion. and precipitated the South into the
step? Can those who. as the crisis ap-
preached. gave even vehement and pas
sionate Iteration to these warnings. he
justly COMPOUNDED with the men who
coOlly. quietly. actively, industriously.
often secretly. I will add conscientiously.
and I'm tho end successfully contrived and
inaugurated the catastrophe?
DURING THE WAR.
I come now to speak briefly OF Mr..
IF- 10 mas