The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-06-02

war of subjugation, destined to be
the most gigantic which the world
has ever seen, was begun by the
Federal government against the
scccdIng Stntcs, ia complete and.
amazing disregard Of the founda-
ton principle OF its own existence,
as affirmed in the Declaration or
Independence, that governments
derive their just powers from the
consent Of the governed"
But. let us hear what Mr.. Lincoln
himself has to say on this question.
the issue as conclusively settled. In
reply to a committee from Chicago,
sent to intercede with him. to be re-
lieved from sending more troops from
that city to the Northern armies. Mr..
Lincoln said. in a tone of bitterness:
gentlemen. after Boston. CHI
cngo has been the chief instru-
ncnt in bringing this war on the
posed the South, ms New England
has opposed the South. II IN you
who are largely responsible for
making blood flow us il hns. You
called for war until we had IT: you
called for emancipation. and
have given 1t to you. whatever
You have asked you have had.
Now you come here begging to be
let Off. You ought TO be ashamed
of yourselves (See Tarbelrs Life
of Lincoln, Vol. IL. p. 1i9.)
3. Which, side had the legal right to
do what was done:
ION the column OF tho monument
erected TO our great civic leader are
the words pro arts CT focts, meaning
that the real cause Of the South was
that we fought I'm defense of our altar.
and our 1rcsidcs. And the man who
would not
".Strike for his affairs and his fires.
God and his native land
is craven and. q coward and unworthy
even of the name of man. Our country
was invaded by armed men, intent on
coercion and conquest. We met them
on the threshold and beat them and
drove them back as long as we had
anything to eat or strength to fight
with. We could do no more; we could
do no less and history, our children.
and even many of our former enemies,
now applaud our conduct.
There were however. two, and but
two, questions really involved in the
conflict. We can scarcely do moro than
state these and cite some of the many
Northern authorities to sustain the po-
sition that the South was right on
both of these. They were:
"(D The right of II State 10 sccede.
"OD The right OF the Federal Cow
crnmcnt to coerce Il seeding State"
AS to the first of these questions,
the late Judge Black, of Pennsylvania,
said what is true, that: Secession, like
slavery, was first planted In New
England. There he says, 1T grew and
flourished and spread it's branches far
| over the land, before it was ever
dreamed of at the South
| And he further says, that John
Quincy Adams, in 1899, and Abraham
| Lincoln. in lS47. made elaborate arGu-
ments in favor OF the legal right OF n
State to sccede.
| Mr.. William Rawle. also late of
Pennsylvania, in his work on the Con-
/ stitution, the textbook used at West
Point before the war, says: 1t depends
| on the State itself to retain or abolish
the principle of representation because
lit depends on itself, whether 1t will
| continue II member OF the Union
| Timothy Pickering, Josiah Quincy
| and Mr.. Henry Cabot Lodge, all of Mas
sachusetts the late Horace Greeley,
| Goodwin Smith, General Don Piet. of
the Federal Army, and the Hartford
Convention, all asserted and affirmed
the Same principle. And we know that,
had not this right been understood to
exist Mt the time of the adoption of the
Constitution, 1t would never have been
adopted.
AS to the second OF these ques-
tions--i. g., the right OF the Federal
government to coerce q seeding State:
| This question was discussed to some
extent in the convention which framed
| the Constitution. Mr.. Madison Called
the Father of the Constitutiono said:
n