The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-10-21

discussed ably, eloquently, ingeniously,
and at length. Unfortunately the facts
were against him in both inst . res.
When the Constitution was adopted by
the votes of States Mt Philadelphia, AMI
accepted by the votes of States in popu-
lar conventions, it is safe to say that
there was not a man in the county
from Washington and Hamilton on the
one side, to George Clinton and George
Mason on the other, who regarded the
new system as anything but an expert
nent entered upon by the States and
from which each and every State had the
right peaceably to withdraw, right
which was very likely to be exercised"
Whether secession was good policy or
not IS not the question when the histor;-
cal position of the South is to be fixed
IL the right to withdraw from the
Union existed and was reserved at the
time of the adoption of the Constitu-
ton then, the States of the South COM
mitted no political crime when they
attempted to secede, and the policy or
impolicy OF their action was matter
for them to decide. If then secession
was resorted to from the conviction that
it was justifiable the morality of the ne.
ton cannot be questioned
viction of the requirements OF duty as
seen by the Southern people it will be In
teresting to relate an incident in the
life Of Gen. Lee taken from Longs
Memoirs. 1t was ON the day before the
surrender at Appoma ttox. General
Pendleton, his chief Of artillery, found
him lying on the ground, and acquaint-
ed him with the conclusion, at which
many Of the general officers had arrived.
that it was best to surrender the army.
After listening and expressing the hope
that that hour had not arrived he said:
Il have never believed we could, against
the gigantic combination for our subjuga-
ton, make good, in the long run, our in
dependence unless Foreign powers should
directly or indirectly assist us. But
such considerations really make with me
no difference. We had. I was satisfied
sacred principles to maintain and rights
to defend for which we were in duty
bound to do our best even if we per
ished in the endeavor.
| No sane man can doubt the sincerity
of the convictions of our people when
he remembers the unparalleled sufferings
and sacrifices which they endured in
the prosecution of the war; the patience
with which they endured them, and the
WITH WHICH Luey clun2 10
them. The women made contributions of
their jewelry to the common treasury;
the church bells were cast into cannon;
lads who, but few months before, were
so timid that they would have screamed
at scratch met on the field of battle
the king of Terrors with smile; young
men went to their death with the alacri-
ty of the bride groom to the altar; and
the old men like ripe corn ready to be
gathered bowed their heads and fell in
to the arms Of the great reaper. These
were not traitors-but heroes and pa
triots; and they now live in the bosom
of the All in All.
The short life work of the youngest
of these faces, Col. Henry X. Bur-
gwyn, Jr., is soon told. He had every
socia advantage, the benefit Of a re-
fined home-culture, and training at the
schools. Appointed cadet he was too
young for matriculation, at West Point,
but studied there year in preparation.
Another plan was marked out for him
by his father, and he was entered at the