The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-11-01
RIGHT OF SECESSION.
Did the Confederate States Surrender
ItouEeadmissiOn 20 the Union.


! Editor of The Times:
Sir,-The report of Mr.. Royals lecture
before 10 United Confederate Veteran
camp the other night states that he dis
tinctly insisted that the right of seces-
sion had been given up by the Confede-
rates at the close of the war. and that il
was the part OF manliness TO recognize
existing conditions and acknowledge
facts and govern ourselves accordingly,
and that this statement led 20 great
difference of opinion, in which ''the large
majority" differed from Mr. Royal.
IL this report is accurate so much the
worse for "the large majority
Mr. Royal is the best. most jealous.
most conscientious and most intelligent
student OF the records Of the war noW
known to the public. There may DE those
.,thlt excel him i'm these characteristlcs,
but If there are we, the outside public,
have never heard of them l have these
thirty years been q fair student with
reasonable diligence, of the records, ana
the point Mr.. Royal makes IS new 10 me.
And / assert that Mr.. Royal knows more
of the records of the war than the whole
entire camp Of the Confederate Veterans
from John Gordon down.
lie saws the right of secession was spc-
cidcaly surrendered and ropudiated hy
as 49, Il condition of our reception into the
Union. } have never thought Of that. j
supposed that, In fact. secession was ass
dead as The Achean League. ani / have
always intended that If anybody attempt
ca while 1 could ride "a horse TO as
/ sert the night OF secession East or West,
would pat myself to extra pains TO as
sist the Union in spanking them. 1hey
ought TO have been spanked in 1914. Sc
cession TO the public enemy in time OF
war IS different thing from secession
I'm a. fence of home and society.
This generation does not know ana
never Will. OF the trials of lS15-ls'o. VIZ
cinia was Military District No
The County court of Amelia. by special
order from headquarters. District OF Viz
ginia. was required TO remi; the nne ana
release woman punished Tor iiha
liquor without license.
The Court az Alexandria was ordered
TO reverse its Judgment and restore
horse 10 "a man who IL had decided h"d
no right 20 the horse.
sergeant OF infantry was detailed as
sheriff and tax collector TO 20 4o"l U"
tbc Northern Neck and collect taxes.
4 staff officer Of tho commanGl.s gen
eral Uas detailed 10 do duty as the cn.el
irstice of the Supreme Court or AppeAs
- Virginia. and the other judges OF tnat
venerable and illustrious court WeIe az
noiotcd nv special orders District NO J.
fror, such loyal men as could be toahd'
Not one OF them was native w - .l''
When this fact was mentioned at
dinner table one day In kchmCHu g.
| chief Justice Chase, he eXpressed H0lee
ulitv and on being assured IL Was
I DF
| fuse to appear before such a court
! Dut such courts We're the only pro
| lection of life. liberty and properly ana
/ we were obliged 10 do what We must.
Personally. ! was utterly opposed %
cofnc back into the Union. under me
! tests and reconstruction act WHEREBY d L
| The Confederates We're disiranc MS a eno
| the political power was Lodged ln ,He
| hand of the illterate non-proper'y
| holders.
one day. however a young doctor
f-or, Albemarle came into my Office
| for advice. He lived twenty miles from
/ charlottesville. and had been served WIN
an order from the provost marsh" az
| Charlottesville 10 appear before I'M "'
some date. stated in the order 70 answer
for wrong 20 a negro. had nolhlns 10
/ say. except that an order. ba'H'u "5
havonets must be obcyed. but chahseu
,n, mind ON the spot as To re-admis-
s,en. ANY government was preferable to
! tba rule ~ military satraps, who held
| the liberty OF the citizen at their Will
/ ana from that day ] was In iaFor OF re-
! admission on any terms 10 secure lne
protection of the guarantees OF Inc Con-
! stitution of the United states.
Simiiar conditions pervaaec the mir
,oen Confederate States. Conventions
u,ere assembled in all of them, under
! ~ military authority. Constitutions
! 80 framed under orders from WASH
inu,.u. AID We were rc-admitted to the