The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-11-24
UNITED DAUGHTERS
 OF THE CONFEDERACY.

Again we commend to our readers pr. J. L. M. Curry's Civil History of the Government of the Confederate States. It is an able book, and can be used to great advantage in the literary programs Of Chapters A recent critic in a North ern paper speaks of 1t thus: -"It is clear, calm, accurate civil history. and his protests against what is illegal, un- christian. and unhistorical will win the appreciation of all students of judicial mind. who care more for truth than for tradition"
 Soon after its publication. The New York Times Saturday Review printed the following letter in regard to 1t:
 ITO The New York Times Saturday Review: In your review of pr. Currys Account of the Civil History of the Con- federacy,' you say all of the last section of the work is devoted to what the. a,i- thor has tried to show Is legal 1ustih- cation of the South in secession You add that his line of argument is interest ing and ingenious, but not invariably convincing. In other words, you hold with the entire North that secession was heresy. unconstitutional. untenable ard reasonable. It is time that the truth should be known and admitted. Secession was an existing constitutional right. The history of the formation or the Federal Union proves it. The con vention held at Philadelphia framed the original Constitution and submitted it to the different States (thirteen) for adop- ton. The State of New York held it's con vention to consider the question of adop- | tion at Poughkeepsie. Its presiding of. | fcer was Governor Clinton. It continued | ough and exhaustive consideration. the convention agreed to adopt the Constitu- ton submitted by the Philadelphia con vention with a proviso. That provfsS rpq hc Q q of the State of New York deem it for their interests and happiness to resume their sovereignty (secession) they shall be at liberty to do so.'
 Upon this reserved condition. the State of New York entered into the Union. The other States entered with like con. dition, for every State stood upon equal footing. The right of secession was here clearly proven, although to this day the North attempts to ignore and deny it.
 | the written interviewed Horace Greeley and urged upon him the policy of admit | ting the original right of secession, but that time had developed the necessity | of exercising and maintaining a higher and God-given right, viz, the right of self-preservation. To allow the right of secession would break us into frag- ments, thus making us the easy prey Of
 Mir Greeley at the time admitted the right of secession, but held that to do so publicly would be extremely unwise. as 1t would tend to stop enlistments.
 The time has come when the whole truth should be frankly admitted.
 The truth being known. the North will | know and be convinced that the people of the Southern States were never rebels. This conviction will do much to the final extinction of any lingering sectional | enmity." E. l.. Hall.
 Since the organization of the U. D. c. many beautiful and encouraging things have been said to them and of them. dorsed their work and commended their leaders. In the cities where the conven- tions have been held, the men have l welcomed their assembly, and have | shown marked interest in the proceed ings.
 in an address before the Daughters of Missouri. Hon. R. W. Nicolls of Mar shall spoke so eloquently of the heroic South that 1t gives us pleasure to print an extract from 1t today. It Is a re- markable feature of the war that he em. decisive battle in the four years strug- gle. which Is in many respects peculiar
 "The Southern confederacy lives alone In history, but there 1t will live forever in the dignity of honest purpose. high | principle, and the grandeur of heroic sacrifice. It flashed into the family of nations like sword drawn from its scab- I | tions like that sword returned to scab- bard. It's birth was registered. its cpl | taph written in the blood of the South bravest sons. It was born, 1t lived; IL died, amidst the roll of drum. the blast of bugle, the rattle of musketry, and the cannons thunderous roar.
 It's landmarks were measured by the bayonets of her soldiers. Its constitu- ton was burned up in the flames ot war. Its flag tattered and torn, fell to earth to rise no more, It lived and had its be- short as they were. they were long enough for the South to write indelibly upon the minds of the world her noble character, high aim. and true design Those years flashed across the sky of history with the brilliancy of mighty comet; they were years of undimmed glory. In them were fought the bloodiest battles since the invention of gun powder. And, strange to say. not one was de- cisive. At Appomattox these war-dogs of the South parked as fiercely and hurled their hail of death as truly and as surely | as at the first Manassas
 Most wars end in one decisive battle Wolfe won Canada from Montcalm upon the heights of Abraham at single blow Cornwallls at Yorktown. Waterloo was the end of Napoleon Bonaparte Solfe- rino closed the Franco-Italian war; Sa- dowa, the F'ranco-Austrian war; Sedan was the exit of Napoleon III. But in the war between the States. although match ed in the desperate ratio of five ur six to one, there was no QueDeC, no 1Ork- town. no Solferino, no Sadowa. no Wa terloo.
 The Southern Confederacy lies far off in the by-gone years under the cypress trees and the ivy vines, broken shaft upon it's tragic tomb. It was a land of fair women, of brave men. And now. even now, a glorious halo of blessed memories cluster and cling around that name.
 This assembly of intellect. beauty. character and worth, now, thirty-six years after the war. tells truly how ten- derly you cherish and honor that name"
 Tuscumbia Chapter.
 The regular monthly meeting was held November 18th. As a literary program of readings, rectations, and music had teen carefully arranged by Mrs Saw ttlle, it was regretted that so few of the members were present
 A letter of War Times in Tuscuumbia, written by Colonel Thornot. was select ed by Mrs. Sawt"lle from the historians book. Should we judge by the frequent interpolations by the other members of tales of horrors and aggrievances 'one | better" we may hope to receive other instructive and interesting contributions to war "reminiscences.
 How Albert Sidney Johnston died at Shiloh" was very enjoyably given. and it was unanimously agreed to continue the literary program throughout the win ter meetings.
 The committee appointed to arrange for
 an entertainment, or otherwise raise | TOoOaV for ba y,opnpant fiInd ranortad