The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-02-21
who have mad. American history. sepa.

Jncksons staff. The hall was crowded
90 It's doors, With not n vacant seat ~
The building. a splendid company OF
members OF "a. p, Hill Camp, Petersburg
waa present. Former Governors j, Hogo
4 Tyler, OF Radford: William D. Cam
ercn. OF Petersburg and Charles 7, Q. Fet-
= Fall were among the frst to arrive. WINE
she routine business was being disposed
81 General Fjtzhugh Lee came and was
escorted to one of the chairs reserved
for the specially invited guests, the ex.
4 Governors and the Governor Governor
Montague came In last of the dstin.
rushed company. He took the ROMAN
Ing vacant seat.
The routine OF camp meeting was
quickly transacted. and Commander
Smith happily introduced Colonel Cam.
eron. who on the part OF the donors OF
thu pn. trait OF Genetal kempel was TO
present II to the camp.
After portraying in most beautiful
language the Sunny South as II was
before the war--''a country to be proud
of.a blessed country to live in; coun.
Try worth dying for Colonel Cameron
came to that troublesome time just
preceding the Civil War,
Concerning 1t. he said:
To such n race. so sired. so reared,
70 competent to know their rights. so
trained in political perception. so loving
peace and yet so brave. shere came
crisis which ro-coa them to a choice
I. en- two imperative evils.
II they weivE. Their claim to consu-
tutional protection of their property and
domestic institutions, allowed the exec
utve and legislative depar tments of the
United States to nullify constitutional
guarantees and submitted that lesisla-
lures of Northern States should treat
asifempty words the decisions OF the
Supreme Court. they would but abandon
their natural fortress for the open coun-
try and be thereafter dependent upon the
caprice of n sectional majority.
Experience had taught them that every
concession made to fanaticisn1 but
whetted the appetite OF that raving beast
for further aggression, Within ten years
the cry OF the ruling faction had
changed from compromise to "surren-
dero'
THE ISSUES INVOLVED.
The ultimate fate OF the weaker section.
II a policy of submission should be ac-
cepted, was plain as the handwriting on
the wall at the feast Of Belshazzar. Not
slavery alone was involved, but the
sanctity OF the constitutional compact
and all the rights OF the States which
that involved. and under government
controlled and administered by the en-
ponents OF higher law" the only
measure of forbearance in denial Of their
rights. antagonisn1 to their interests,
contiscation Of their property would be
the wolf1sh mercy and elastic conscience
Of a party which had canonized John
Brown. piloried Chief-Justice fancy for
and had denounced the Constitution as
"a league with Satan and a covenant
with hell On that road lay no safe
ty. but. on the contrary. self-stultifica.
ton. treason to their convictions. humil.
iation and ultimate ruin.
The alternative was to revert to the
theory End practice Of their Revolution
airy siree-to insist that the consent OF
the governed was an essential to the
legitimacy of any establishment, to re-
affirm the doctrine Of Franklin and
Adams and JAY Of the inherent right Of
peorle to abolish and withdraw from
government which had ceased for them
to sul,serve the purpose for which
formed: to commit no aggressions. to
make no demands outside Of their own
territory. hut to assert and exercise the
reserved rights Of every party to vio-
lated contract-the right to cease mem
bership y, union which was no longer
administered by the letter or spirit of
the Constitution which created and de-
fined its powers, and to erect within
their own borders a structure adapted
to their needs. consistent with their po-
litical views and preserative of their
domestic rights and institutions
ACTION JUSTIFIED.
Thus. one by one. with elaboration and
dignity. the States OF that vanished
country decided. They proclaimed their
DEGREES of separation In solemn form. de-
clarcd their pacific purposes. justified
their action n almost the very Ian.
gpage which the colonies addressed to
Groat Britain In 1I76 and then assembled
at Montgomery to launch q new ship OF
State upon the sea Of experiment.
The answer (for The episode Of Fort
Sumter has no 81 aIinance in determln-
Ing the question of overt aggression was
the claim OF right and the announce
ment of a purpose. to coerce by force of
arms the submission Of the seeding
States to the bonds of Union and the
authority of the government at Wash
ington
So the issue was joned And so
there came time in that far-off coun-
try (our time. my comrades) when the
God of battles was invoked against usur-
patton and .fr.ned Invasion, and when all
the blossom Of youth and flower of man.
hood in that fair land rallied to flag
which stood for constitutional liberty
as the fathers OF the republic had as
serted and defined II. and against des-
potic rule and coercion by the bayonct
as George the Third had exercised them.
HEROIC DEEDS.
Then came the splendor Of heroic
deeds! The dedication of an entire
people. their lives. their fortunes and
their sacred honor, upon tho altar Of
sacrifice!
The glory OF hceting victory. snatched
from the very jaws of opposing fate!
The pathetic spectacle OF transcendcnt
genius and almost superhuman valor
lighting. like Sisera, against the stars
IN their courses! The tender beauty Of
woman's ministrations and the brave,
sweet faces which masked their aching
hearts! The uplifting OF souls to self
oblivion! The dellrirm OF the headlong
charge! The superb record Of con stancy,
loyalty and endurance. which lend rain
bows luster TO those bloody annals! The
pickering brilliance-the sunset OF the
Confed eracy-of the last essays Of des-
perate courage to avert the inevitable
And then, the darkness fell!
The speaker then paid a beautiful trih
ute to the ragged. war-worn veterans O.
the Confederacy, Continuing, he told
how with indouitable spirit they hav.
builded new Industrial and polit ca
an Hmm &c