The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1907-05-16

Cal HSoIly dShSU CIlc dCCcllllOll VI lllt
young people, Almost breathless
attention was given the splendid
address from first to last. Nc
analysis would do it and the speaker
justice, so it is given in full.
THE ADDRESS.
Memorial day has grown into ar
institution in our Southland. The
old Confederate naturally becomes
reminiscent when in the presence OF
his comrades he recalls the sacrifices
and conflicts of forty years ago.
The features and forms Of those who
stood shoulder to shoulder with him
in the conflict, or fell by his side,
come before his minds eye as dis
tinct as the scenes of Yesterday.
This is a day 5f sadness to him, not
unmiXed however with the proud
recollection that he was an humble
factor in one of the grandest
struggles for self government that
has ever occurred on earth.
The writer's and speakers of the
South owe it to our dead leaders and
the noble men who followed them to
vindicate their action in the eyes of
mankind, and prove to all the world
that those who fought for the South
were neither rebels nor traitors.
Fer this reason my comrades, and
the older people here, will indulge
me while l present some views not
new to them but intended for the
rising generation. Those perhaps
who studied Barnes and Fiske's his
tories.
We do not meet on memorial oc-
cassions to discuss the abstract ques-
ton of the right or wrong of the
conflict that was waged with such
fury forty years ago. The historian
of the future may probably declare
that upon the strict construction of
the Constitution one side was right,
and owing to the changed conditions
of National thought, the other side
was right. The North Carolina sol
dier did not discuss even the expedi-
ency of the question after the Old
North State made its choice.
Our comrades who sleep beneath
the sod died for the right as they
saw it. While memory holds its
place you and your sons and daugh-
ters will pay the homage of grateful
and loving hearts to their heroism,
as annually you strew their graves
with flowers, and teach your child,
rem to lisp their names and revere
their memories.
The necessity for the war was
written in the history of the Colo
nies, in the climate, soil and produc-
tions of the different States; on the
flag Of the first ship that brought
slaves to North America. The splen-
did eloquence and patriotism of
Henry Clay and others delayed it
the madness Of a few on both sides
hastened it. Two questions had to
be settled: The right of secession
and chattel slavery. We will show
that the right of secession rested
with the South, while slavery was an
incident of the war and would have
ceased in time without so drastic a
measure.
The Southern States exercised a
power that had been claimed from
the adoption Of the Constitution.
The proceedings of the convention
which framed the Constitution as
we'll as those Of the States that rati-
fled, together with the debates, go
to show that at that time there was
little difference of opinion as to this
question. Had the trainers of the
Constitution declared their intention
to create a supreme central govern.
ment, to bind the States beyond al
power Of withdrawal, it would never
have been ratified. The States OF
New York and Virginia, possibly
others, inserted in their resolutions
of ratification declaration that the
powers vested by the Constitution ir
the United States of America might
be resumed by them when they
should deem it necessary to prevent
injury or oppression.
Early in the nineteenth century
the doctrine of secession, character
lied as treason and rebellion in 1861
was openly advocated in Massachu
setts. The famous letter Of Col
Pickering, a member Of Washing
toms cabinet, written in July 1904
shows that he believed that the doc
trine of secession had the approva
of New England as we'll as New
York and New Jersey.
In 1911 the admission of the State
of Louisiana was violently opposed
in Congress. During the debate Mr.
Quincy, of Massachusetts,, said, *