The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1898-05-14


duction, Mr Carlisle arose and
was greeted with enthusiasm. He
said:
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, Eel
LOW CITIZENS. The thunders of
an opening war now fill the air.
From the other side of the ear tn
there comes the sound of battle,
at once both wonderful victory
and astounding defeat. The
echoes of booming cannon are
sounding on the sea still nearer
home. This opening war is be-
tween two nations far apart,
whose lands the ocean separates,
whose speech is not the same.
Two alien races are beginning this
contest. What will the outcome
be! When will the end be reach
ed! To us the end seems sure
victory to our arms. Yet that
end is known to Him alone who
exercises supreme providence
over wars and nations as well as
over homes and individuals.
Thirty seven years ago the air
was full of the opening thunders
OF another war, as they sounded
over all this land of ours. 1t was
not between two alien races, of
different lineage and speech; but
between those who we're of one
country and are of one coun-
try again. Less than IL hun
dred years before their fathers
and grandfathers fought for free
dom from a foreign ruler side
by side; and now again, their sons
and grandsons are volunteering to
fight a foreign foe side by side.
1t is appropriate now, on this
Memorial Day, to ask, why were
those former brothers then en-
gagged in deadly combat Whv
struggled they SO ohstinateIy IN
the agonies of mortal conflict for
-four long, weary years, ending
all the evils of such cruel warfarcl
The answer is not difficult; and it
should be given now, and after
repeated, for the sake of truth
and right. Wrong ideas are he d.
ing taught, and erroneous terms
are used: SO those who are too
young to know from memory, are
being led astray. Hence let us
briefly consider this answer, in
part negatively.
That war was not fought for OF
against the freeing of the negroes.
Yet many believe such was It's
cause. The North was not in
arms for humanitarian reasons, &c
free the slaves of expressing
southern masters; nor was the
South in arms TO retain possession
of It's human property. That sub
lect WAS incidental. 0r even acci
dental, to the war. No NOV,
was made by the Federal govern
mcnt TO free the slaves, unit
three fourths of the wars dura
ton had expired Even then i
was only Il war mea ure, adopted
when the North began to despair
of success, although all adv1n,
tages but right were on its side
70 rouse its peoples waning zeal,
the government issued the eman
cipatiOn proclamation.
That war was not rebellion or
the side of the Southern States.
The term is widely used, and ha.
even been allowed to creep into
and remain in the histories used
in our schools. 1t is false term.
Rebellion is an illegal and uncon
stitutional revolt from legal and
constitutional authority. The
Southern States, as independent
and sovereign realms, entered into
"A voluntary federation with the
other states, under n written con.
stltution, for the exercise of the
powers and the privileges OF
national life In the exercise of
their inherent and unsurrendered
right, they withdrew, or seeded,
from that voluntary federation,
that they might enjoy their sover
eisn and independent rights as
they were not allowed to do by
the other states in that associa-
ton. 1t was constitutional Sc.
cession of equals from their equals,
and not rebellion of subjects