Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-05-23

1t needless 10 recur to those diff
fetences OF constitutional construct zion
| which prevailed IN the Respective sec
| tons OF the country ana which were
| naily submitted to the arhltrameOt of
| the sword. The great prime pies for
! which the South contended before and
| during the war were identical with
| those upon which the Union was found
| ed and 10 which the fathers OF the re-
| public adhered. and In defending them
| the people of that section were but true
| 10 their teachings and traditions. Gods
| truth is immutable. unfailing and un-
| err1ng, ana though the cause was lost.
civil liberty and the right of local self
government was saved from the wreck.
| Eternal right can never be made
| wrong.'
STATES RIGHTS PREVAILED.
In the good providence of God the
| effort TO establish two or more indie
pendent republics on the North Amcri-
can Continent failed, but State sover-
eisnty and the right of the States TO
exercise those powers, not distinctly
granted to the Federal Government,
are to-day everywhere rccognized-they
are now part of the American system.
The Acts OF Congress- enacted during
the wild frenzy OF the reconstruction
period ana intended to destroy the uu-
tonomy of the states, have, one by one,
been swept away by the decisions of
the supreme Court. and that august
tribunal has finally ana iudcially de-
termined that The constitution, in ali
its provisions, looks to an irdestructi-
BILE Union composed of indcstruct,Dle
States" Each of the forty-iive stars
which form the national constellation
shines with an equal splendor. and no
star on the blue OF our country's nag
differs from another star thereon in
glory.
THE SOUTH'S NIND1CATION.
We cannot now undertake TO con-
slider in detail just how lar the final re-
suit OF the war. as now accepted and
understood WAS q Vindicdtion OF the
South: one or Two illuStratiousm must SUI
fee. The Confederate Armies had sur
rendered. President Lincoln. the only
man whose dniuerce could have con-
trolied the policy of His party in tAe
matter Of reconstruction and whose
character and courage would have
made the Grimes OF that era impos-
s!blo, was dead. lie had fallen by the
hand of u crazy assassin. Mr. Davis,
the illustrious President of the Conted-
crate States. was Il prisoner confined in
the gloomy easement OF Federal fort.
The people o. the North. stuns 10 mad
ness and infur'atc with hate clemOred
for his blOod-they sought TO make him
the vicarious sacrifice Tor the sins OF g
whole reSrsn and "the lone martyr OF
g lost cause" Acting under the instruc-
TONS of brutal Judge. whose name will
De forever infamous the Federal grand
jury In this city Indicted him for high
treason and public sentiment demand
ed his trial and conviction. The situa-
ton wae serious. The law department
Of the government hesitated: Chief Jus
lice chase intericrcd. The question was
referred TO the ahlest constitutional
lawyers of the country and after the
fullest and most exhaustive investiga-
ton they with singular u1;animity. de-
C.led 1t would be Impossible 10 convict
MIN. For this reason he was never tried
ana the case was soon afterwards dis
missed. This, we submit. WAS not only
M acquittal but "A Vindcntion. JefGer-
son Davis was not a traitor, nor We're
The men who followed him guilty of
treason. tAop!ause.)
NORTH At LAST UNDERSTANDS
With the lapse of time, everywhere at
The North the mist OF prejudice is dis
appearing and reason Is resumins its
sway, The South. and the attitude OF It's
people liz that great contest. lis, at last,
being understood. The greatest states
man i'll The upper branch OF Congress
the venerable Senator Hoar, of Mnssa-
chuSetts, Is no longer Il partisan but
l''4Ni- 49, anu TIC ultSiS lIS ScHIl1lGutS
of the loftiest ana broadcast patriotism
when lie speaks of Virginia and Virgil
mans, and Mr.. Chauncey NJ. Depew.
now a Senator from New York. in
speech delivered at n dinner given to
the Southern Governors. referring to
the subscriptions made for the estab-
lishment of n home FOR Confederate
soldiers, at Austin, Texas. aaid: Eight
t-nths OF these contributions come
army through the war am glad they
it shows that we can love a FOE who had
the courage to fight and die for his
opinions; 1t shows that we can rise
above humanity to heavenly traits"
In an address delivered on n Federal
Decoration Day, the present Chief Jus
tice Of the Supreme Court Of Massn-
chusetts. Judge Oliver Wendell Holmes,
Jr., who bears upon his person n scar
from 4 wound made by 4 Confederate
bullet. thus summarized the situation:
We believe that 1t was most desirable
that the North should win. We belcv-
ed in the principle that the Union IS
l!ndissoluble; but we equally believed
that those who stood against US held
just as sacred convictions that were
the opposite OF ours. and we respect
them ms every man with q heart must
respect those who give all for their be-
lief" y noble sentiment, braVely eX-
pressed. ard worthy Of the great Jus
tice from whose lips it fell.
LEE. THE GREAT LEADER.
Turning from the cause TO its great
leader. who was but the representa-
tive of the people he lea and the princi-
pies for which they contended, we fiud
everyw here and in every quarter bur
one o9inion. Robert +. Lee is to-day
universally regarded as the supremest
type of American manhood. His char