The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1907-05-16
NUMBER 10.

er of the House. From this decision
an appeal was taken and the Speaker
was overruled
Here was an open contention of
the right of secession by a Massa-
chusetts representative and q deci-
sion by the House that 1t was law
full matter for discussion.
The proceedings Of the Hartford
Convention Of 1914 are familiar 10
these school children here. need
not recite their famous resolution.
The New England states in 1914
threatened dissolution OF the I'm
ion. In that year the Legislature Of
Massachusetts adopted this resolu-
tion:-''The Commonwealth Of Mas
sachusetts faithful to the compact
between the people of the United
States according to the plain mean
ing and intent in which it was under
stood by them, is sincerely anxious
for its preservation; but that it is
determined, as it doubts not that the
other states are, to submit to undei.
egated powers in no body of men on
earth" 1t further declared that the
project Of the annexation Of Texas
unless arrested on the thresh hold
may tend to drive these to dissolu-
ton of the Union.
Prior to the Louisiana purchase
the settlers on the Mississippi river
who were harrassed by the Span
iards, petitioned Congress, saying, if
Congress refuses us protection; if it
forsakes us, we will adopt the mea-
sures which our safety requires, even
if they endanger the peace of the
Union, and our connection with the
other states No protection-no al
legiance"
You see the right TO secede was
advocated by the North and West
and threats to avail themselves of
this right were made by Northern
Legislatures, leading statesmen and
petitions to Congress.
Through fifty years Of our history
this discussion continued and the elo-
quence of Webster and the logic of
Calhoun were exhausted while no
satisfactory conclusion was reached.
Finally, when the Southern States,
for grievances that are fresh in our
memories, and far outweighed all
the fancied evils that New England
suffered, or all the trials the Missis-
sippi Valley settlers bore, Withdrew
from the Union, and reasserted their
sovereignty, they were coerced by
Federal powers, and falsely repre-
sented, not only to the world, but to
our own children, as traitors and
rebels.
The question of the justice Of our
cause having been so completely es-
tablished why should our people adj
nit, as we know they sometimes do,
that it was best after all that we
failed in the attempt to establish Il
separate government? Does the fact
of failure prove that we were wrong
and our enemies right in the contea-
ton? Was Providence on their side,
and were we fighting against the
fiat of the Almighty? If so, why?
Were religion and character on the
side Of the North?
If America had to suffer the penal
ty of violated law, were we Of the
South sinners above all others? In
the conduct of the war which side
exhibited most OF the Christian and
least of the brutal character? To
ask these questions is but to answer
them.
In the Confederate Secession" a
work by an Englishman, the author
draws deadly parallel between the
methods and aims of the two peo-
pies, and sums up the matter with
these significant words: All the
good qualities were on one side and
all the bad on the other"
Let us discuss the old superstition
that heaven is revealed in the imme-
diate results of Trial by Combat. "
We know that the Christian civiliza-
ton of the first centuries went down
in the darkness of medieval times;
we know that Paul was beheaded
and Nero crowned and Christ cruci-
fed. Our defeat was but another
instance of Truth on the scaffold
and wrong on the throne"
The North succeeded because
they mustered over 2,555,000 men
and had the world to draw supplies
from; while the South failed because
she only mustered 100000 and was
confined to her own territory fer
supplies.
Northern writer's and speakers
have attempted to show that the
South plunged this country into des-
perate war for the purpose of per-
. ] NJ 4ha fonE- IF