The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-09-21
FRIDAY. SEPTEMBER 81, 1900.
THE coNrEDERArE coNGHEss.

In the Conservative Review for Septem-
Der -here is an interesting article by the
Hon. John Goode OF Virginia, on The
Confederate Congress- of which Mr..
Goode was a member. In the article Mr..
Goode gives his recollections of the per-
sonnet and proceedings of that body. but
before doing SO he makes some reference
to the organization of the provisional gov
eminent. The provisional Congress as
sembled at Montgomery, Ala, on Feb
ruaIy {, 1861, and Mr.. Goode says of the
members that they have rarely, if ever,
in the history Of the world, been sur
passed for intellectual Figor and forensic
ability Chiffon and Curry, of Alabama:
Morton, of Florida; Toombs. Stephens and
s Hill, Of Georgia; Conrad and Kenner, of
Louisiana; Harris, of mississippi; Rhett
and Barnwell, of South Carolina: Reagan
and Wigfall, OF Texas: Garland, of Arkan-
sas; Davis ard Smith. Of North Carolina:
Jones and House, OF Tennessee; Tyler,
Preston, Hunter, Mason, Hives and
others. Of Virginia he goes on, would
compare favorably with the most gifted
and distinguished In any deliberative body
that has assembled in this or any other
country
MIR. Goode then proceeds to consider
some of the provisions of the constitu-
ton Of the Confederate States, noting es-
pecially the restrictions as 10 slavery. He
quotes President Davis as having said
trade. the provisions of the constitution
furnished an effective answer to the as
sertion so often made. that the Confed-
eracy was founded on slavery and in
tended to perpetuate and extend it In
point of fact, while property in slaves
9 already existing was recognized and guar
anteed just as it was by the Constitution
of the United States. the extension of
slavery in the only practical sense of that
phrase &as more distinctively and effec-
tually precluded by the Confederate than
by the Federal Constitution. The further
importation of negroes from any country.
other than the slayehoiding States and
Territories OF the United States, was per-
emptorlly prohibited; and Congress was
further endowed with the power to pro-
hihit the introduction OF slaves from any
State or Territory not belonging to the
Confederacy.
The question has often been raised in
the South as to whether or not it would
hayA been a good thing for this country
II the Confederate Sta.sss had succeeded.
We have our own views on that subject.
but at this late day il will do no good
10 indulge in speculation as to what
might have been We are willing, now
ever, to go on record to this extent: We
believe that those splendid men to whom
Mr.. Goode refers. and of whom he was
one, had they been let alone. had they
not been meddIed with and bedossed by
the rank abolitionssts of The North, would
In time have settled the slave question far
better for the black man, for the white
man and the country at large. than 1t
was settled By the abol:tionists. We mean
to say that il the Southern people had
been left free TO solve this problem in
their own way. they would in time have
Set the slaves free, and that. too. upon
such te' ms as would have prevented the
race clashes that were inevitably The
outcome OF forced emancipation and In
discriminate negro suffrage