The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1901-04-06

admit tina, they were wrong and in the light OF the pas.
thrt, i've years they cannot do otherwise ne "ri'0'
himself down as an ignorant ass lie betrays ms H"oi
apce If history his ignorance of human nature his gnor
ance of the slow but steady movement which, az sure as
fate will result in the course OF years. In historians c
ceding, with practical unanimity, tue echn"' i'k "
The Southern states to secede
So far from increase of perspective ieadlng 70 an
admission hat they we're wrong" the trend OF opinion
among political and historical writers In America is To-
ward the opposite vew and with the passing years.
The following extract from Prof Princes article, in the
current Arena is fair sample of the expressions becom
ing more frequent each year, which may ne found In tne
political, biographical and miscellaneous writings OF
Northern men
Rut the capita instance of the exercise of imperial
vsrs hv Inc limited States government and its sanction
bv majority of the people, the American CIVIL war.
Now as question Of purely abstract right the seeding
states we're undoubtedly correct in their poslnon ne
Constitution was originally compact between thirteen
independent soveregntes whereby certain rights were
surrendered by them the Federal Government ana Ger
tain others retained Among tne atee .no risnS "
secession was expressly reserved by the States OF New
York and Virginia. and Rhode Island and South Carolina
refused to the Union until that rgnt nad Deen put
beyond the shadow of reasonable DOUBT Inc rignt Oh
secession was subsequently affirmed and reahrmed oy az
ferent States on different occasions notably IN the VIZ
cnia and Kentucky resolutions OF 1898 w. three mes
by the Legislature of Massachusetts, TN loo2 1914, ana
| d..
wal Of 1872 Nor it at any time prior TO 1861 scrl-
osy questioned in any quarter except under the exgen
cies of party politics"
Prof Prince enters somewhat into abstract argument IN
of the right of secession but this does not con-
corn Ms Nor does 1t matter that his entire article is
plea in Justification OF socalled imperialism Inc POM
we wish to emphasize s the admission Of the right
of the Southern States to they did The right OF
the South to hold slaves could not be denied because it
recognized by the Constitution itself yet under the In
fuence of passion sentiment enthusiasm and Stress tne
hgher law of Seward was appealed to- discussion gave
way to war, and slavery came to an end
There was time when the right of State to secede
was no more called in question than was the right OF al
Individual to hold slaves In the final court OF history TINS
right will day be adudged to have existed, as cor
afny as the power of truth and justice continue to ut
mately override passions and hareds and preJudces
This will require time but the historically short peroo
since the civil war has altered many of the hasty udg
mens formed at It's close The current may he said
have scarcely than begun to set IN the right drec
ton but the hundreds of casual discussions such as thi
from which we quote make up sufficient drift upon it
surface to show beyond question what is its course
Concluding this feature of his argument, Prof Prime
Says:
Far he it from any design of mine to call in questio
even for the intellectual pleasure of debate the decision
controversy that ended IN agony and blood thirty nv
wears ago No reasonable believes to-day that tn
result should nave Oeen III
the stern arbitrament of decreed For, while log
cay and principle was right yet it was mos
fortunate for the South end for the country at large tina
did not succeed The strife and horror OF that period
great as they were have found this ample compensation
the establishment of nationality whose power and fore
20 have proved both the advantage and necessity OF
stronger Union than could have existed without the CIV
IS war But the point make that the entire action
the United States government toward the South fro
10 1850 until the last seeding state RECONSTRUCTED Wi
- mperiasc and usurpative in the extreme and there
no possible constitutional legal aspect that make
any thing else"
When G. A. R. encampnents call upon the South
teach her children that their fathers were traitors, and
A. r. leaders indulge the hope and belief that Southe
" men will finally admit that they wrong, they cher
:. only vanity In its final DEGREES history seldom errs