The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-08-21
Address Before Confederate
 Veterans at East Lake
THE CAUSE OF THE WAR
RIuhtfuIness of the War and the He roIsm of the Confederate Sol dier-calm Review of the
 Great Struggle.

Ex-Governor Joseph F. Johnston at the confederate gathering a. East Lake Tn guly and IS published by Camp Hardee:
 "It may with some show of truth be argued that we are not sufficiently re- moved from the passions and peradies. and the bloody losses and disasteers or the war between the states and from the crimes of reconstruction to render an Impartial Judgment as to the rightfulness of secession.
 Tn the views shall submit it must be remembered that there is wide distance in this and most cases, between right and policy. nation may have the right and the just provocation to declare and enter upon war against another. but If the adversary has the stronger army and a better filled treasury it might be quite lmpolitic to exercise that right But yet again, there are cases where to fail to resent injuries and insults would bring greater disgrace and more permanent loss to a nation than the most disastrous results of unsuccessful war Whenever a people can bring themselves to submit tamely to wrongs for fear of disaster, they are then ready to lose their liberty, and with it the respect of the world.
 "In order to consider the question at is- sue it is necessary that we shall go back beyond the war of the revolution. and see what it was that induced our forefathers to take up arms to overthrow the gov srnment then existing
 At that time the people of this country were the subjects of the king of England Such liberty as they enjoyed was by the grace of the king and parliament and sub- feet at any time to De curtailed or denied whilst the different provinces had legis- Iative assemblies, every act they passed was subject to be revised, curtailed or set aside by the superior power. There were no states, but province and royal governors, appointees, and usually crat- ures of the king, ruled over them, and prorogued their assemblies whenever they talked too freely of natural rights.
 "The spirit of liberty was in the bosoms of these colonists and injustice kindled this into resistence of wrong.
 "The first declaration that the people of these colonies were and of right should be free and independent was made at Charlotte, North Carolina. on the 20th of May, 1T75.
 ''The flame spread ike wild fire in a strong wind over the provinces, and cul- minated on the -th of July 1176' when del- egates from the thirteen colonies in con- vention assembled at Philadelphia, framed and signed and uttered the Declaration of Independence.
 1t was a holy act worthy of freemen. That declaration was written by a southern man; the convention was pre- sided over by a southern man; the war to make it good was leu by southern gen. ercl and our Independence was finally se- cured by the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown on so1t.-ern soil.
 No Definite Agreement.
 ''sror about two y-ars the war was fought by the thirteen sovereign and in, ependent states without any written compact or agreement of Union what ever: they were making common cause | against a common enemy for the liberty of all; and even when the Articles of { Confederation were agreed upon on the 18th of November. 17.7 they were not signed by le delegates from several states for long time afterwards.
 ",These articles were hardly calculated to effect a lasting union; they doubtless were chiefly designed to lold the states together as allies in making the most effective strugf4 for independence; they did not set up any complete form of gov ernment no president W provided for; no courts established. and no right of di- rect taxation was then conferred upon the central power.
 After the war was successfully termin- ated by the surrender of Cornwallis fin October. 17s1 Great Britain recognized the independenca of the states, and each state was a free sovereign and independ- ent power, owing no allegiance or duty to any other power or nation whatever. The purpose of the confederation had been accomplished.
 Tt was not until the 17tn of September 17Si, nearly six years after the war closed that the constitution of the United States was framed and submitted to the states f.- their consideration.
 States Refused to Ratlfy.
 "The last article O. that constitution d-clared that 1t should be binding on nc state until 1t was ratified by nine of tht D thirteen states, and should not be binding on or affect sucL as -4I not accede to it.
 'In other words had only eight state. have ratified and accepted that instru ment 1t would have utterly failed t, create any government whatever. an, even if nine states mad acceded to an, should object to the articles over other above the nine assenting were to remai free. independent and sovereign states.
 Flight states acted on and ratified thi constitution up to about July 1st 17es North Carolina upon the first considera reflected the instrument by a two-third vote, and refused to become a member o the Union, and so diu Rhode Island: an this last state remained out of the Unio several years and the governoor wrote f General Washington after the Union wa formed and he had been elected and in augurated as president, assuring him e the good will of Rhode Is,--n,- and wishin the Union success.
 New York -or many days hung trem bling in the balance; the vote in the con yention was thirty TOT and twenty-seve against accepting. Virginia gave but te majority and several states in their act ot ratification and accession expressly re served the right to retire. whenever i their judgment the liberty and happiness of their people was involved; notably tn two states last named. New York and vir Einia.
 ''The constitution was compact be tween the states ratified by the states acting as such, for their mutual advant age and protection, and not by any gener al vote of the people of all the states.
 Had it been transaction between in diyiduals it would have been called partnership
 "Fvery stipulation contained in it. takel together, made but one complete an, jingle instrument. and each clause il HDs contract was of the same dignity ant