The National tribune., 1909-07-01
Attitude of the South.

much interested in the article in The
National Tribune of May 27 from the
Confederate soldier OF Longstreet
command, wherein he questions botn
the wisdom and justice of the Emanci-
patton Proclamation issued by President
Lincoln.
The question very naturally arises as
to the legality and justice of the slave
holders claim to the property vested IN
his fellow-man While the CONSTITUTION
recognized the fact that slavery existed,
vet slavery was not creation OF lhe
Constitution, but was custom estap-
Iished by common usage without GER
tificate of legality from the Constitu-
ton. Neither did the Constitution guar
antee the return of an escaping slave to
its master.
But granting that his claim is true
that the Constitution recognized their
vested property rights in human beings,
still the gentleman's case must be
thrown out of court. as the South was
in armed rebellion against the Constitu-
ton and laws of the United States, ana
had set up another Government, whose
chief cornerstone was human slavery
Therefore, it i'll becomes the South to
claim benefits from either a real or
fancied provision of a Constitution
whose authority at that time they re-
fused to obey. The South has no just
cause to accuse the Government of in
Justice in the matter of payment for
the slaves. The opportunity was offered
them at one time to lay down their
arms and return to the Union, and they
should receive payment for their slaves.
The offer was scornfully rejected. The
South put their peculiar institution"
to the hazard of war and lost. They,
and they alone. are responsible for the
financial loss sustained There is no
disposition on my part to decry the
courage of the Southern soldier. His
conduct on the bloody battiefelds OF
the civil war proved him to be just what
he was-an American soldier, the most
splendid fighting man known TO history.
But the story that the South was over
powered by numbers Is decidedly
threadbare, as is the claim that the
Southern army at no time numbered
over 100000 men. AS far as numbers
were concerned, the South should have
won her independence. The odds did
not exceed three to one. possibly not
that much. The 13 Colonies established
their independence against greater odds
than the South had to encounter. Fred
eric the Great. of Prussia. contended
against a combination of European
powers whose armies outnumbered the
armies of Prussia almost or quite seven
to one; yet the great Prussian lived and
powered by numbers, but was outfought
at every point. The Lost Cause was
lost because 1t was unjust. Slavery, the
chief cornerstone of the Confederacy
was under the curse or both God and
man, and there could be no milder re-
suit than the surrender at Appomattox.
The war on the part of the shareholders
was one of the most wicked and unjust
wars ever waged Their leaders were
80 oh nh Of cFafs4 In
courage. They were educated by and
at the expense of the United States Gov
ernment. to which they had given theiI
solemn oath that they would defend i
with their lives If need be- and wher
the test came, when our Nation needed
men as never before, these men were
the cause, having proved recreant &c
the trust reposed in them; were fals'
| to their oaths, to their country and the
| Flag that they had made solemn oaIf
to protect and defend. Traitors. / be
| lieve, is the correct way to write it. The
accusation of the South that they wer'
| wronged and unjustly dealt with by tn,
Government has no foundation in trutf
or fact. After four years of war, will
the loss of life and the destruction o
property alike unparalleled in history
the Government came into its own. Th'
rebellion was put down. its armies weri
defeated and captured, were permitted
to return to their homes to resume tn
avocations OF peace. Their great lead
ers were permitted to return to thei
homes unmoiested and unhindered, III,
only one imprisoned being the arch
traitor, Jefferson Davis. and his libert,
was restored to him. with full permits
sion to go wherever he might choose
The only military executions were o
the assassins OF President Lincoln an,
the villainous murderer. Henry Wirz. o
| Andersonville infamy Never in histor
was such generous treatment granted
defeated rebellious people as was ac
corded the South. In return for thi
generous treatment the Daughters O
the Confederacy erect monument t
tho infamous Wirz. the murderer O
lunarmed. starving. defenseless men. il
erecting this monument to infamy tn
Daughters falsify history and declar
their sentiments towards the brave an
patriotic men who saved our country
On every possible occasion in the citie
of the South the stars and bars. tina
banner Of defeat. IS flung TO the breez
and glorified. That banner represent
no Government, no Nation under Heay
en-; it stands for no principle that eve
exalted Nation or made a peopl
great. 1t is the banner of treason, ~
ranny, oppression and wrong. TIL
principles ii represents were shot [
death on the battlefield almost SO year
ago. Its display is an insult to ever
patriotic American. 1t has no plac
anfbng the banners of the Nations c
earth. and should have no place her
in this land of the free. We see tina
/ cold-hearted, ambitious traitor, Jeff Df
Wis. brought to the front and lionized o
every possible occasion. The recer
presentation by the State of Mississippi
10 the battleship named in honor of ths
State Of a silver service. the picture c
Davis being engraved on the larges
piece. was In execrable taste. a designe
and gratuitous insult to the Unite
States Government. which he did h
best to destroy Some of the Souther
papers have recently been very bus
proclaiming 70 the world that in educa
tion. intellect. abilities. patriotism an
broad-minded craftsmanship Jefferso
Davis was head and shoulders abov
Abraham Lincoln. Jefferson Davis!