The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-05-18

South. and this WeStern<Scythla, tor .Whlcn tney
cared nothing Did South Carolina and her sister
States claim Higher rights than were threatened by
Massachusetts, statesmen Did they invoke doctrines
different from those that were expounded by the
teachers employed by the United States Government
at West Point? If not then by what process of rea-
soning would they deny to South Carolina rights as
serted by Massachusetts, or withhold from her doc
trines taught by the government. Was it by Tho
logic of the free booter, and,
Because the good old rule,
Suficeth them, the simple plan.
That they should take who have the power
And they should keep who can.
How much more consistent was the attitude Of
Jefferson Davis towards Massachusetts, when she wa
arraigned before the Bar of the Senate when he said
if Massachusetts chooses to take the last step which
separates her from the Union, it is her right to 60,
and l will neither vote one dollar nor one man to
coerce her back; but will say to her,, '"God speed,
in memory of the kind associations which one exist
ed between her and the other States.
In striking contrast is the answer given to Miss
issipp's declaration of separation: 1.-THE Constitu-
ton of the United States and the laws made in pur-
surance thereof must be enforced; and they who
would stand across the path of that enforcement must
either destroy the power of the United States or it
will destroy them"
Knowing the adherence that the world can be
made to feel towards human slavery, they shifted
their base and said that the war was precipitated be-
cause the South desired to perpetuate the Institution
of slavery.
Who was responsible for the institution of slavery?
Az ain, 1 appeal to unpre!udiced history which shows
-. ,1--os, ,uoc forcoI rDop The co1,pfrv hu Enn-
land against the earnest protest of the South, when
the States were colonies under the control of that
country; that the first statute establishing slavery in
America is to be found in the lannon's Code of Funda-
mentals or Body of the Liberties of the Massachu-
sets Colony of New England adopted in 1641; that
the "Desire' one of the very first vessels built in
Massachusetts, was fitted out for carrying on the
slave trade; that the trade became so popular that
great attention was paid to it by the New England
ship owner and practically monopolized it for a num-
Der of years.
History further attests that Virginia was the first
state north or south to prohibit the slsre traffic from
Africa and that Georgia was the first to Incorporate
such prohibition in her constitution. Thus it will
be seen that Massachusetts fostered the traffic so long
as it was profitable, and that Virginia and Georgia
be it said to their everlasting credit led the world in
an earnest attempt to prevent the very thing for
which the South is so unjustly assailed: (See report
U. D. C. History Conn.,
The question naturally arises what were the causes
of the war; For what were we fighting? Again in
the light of unprejudicial history we assert that when
the slave holding states undertook to exercise rights
claimed by other states for themselves viz, the right
to peaceably separate, they were told that "The
Constitution of the u. S. and the laws made in pur-
suance Thereof must be enforced, and they who stand
across the patio of that enforcement must either de-
stroy the power of the United States or it will destroy
them.
Whereupou our country was invaded by armed men
intent on coercion and conquest. We met them at
the threshold and drove them back as long aswe had
anything to eat or strength with which to fight. We
could do no more and we could no less without falsi-
flying our pedigree and being untrue to that God
implanted spirit of liberty and fair play in our
breasts. ait was the struggle of free and Virtuous
patriots. Our rights were violated, and the Con-
stitution was disregarded by those who with p~uritani-
cal eHrontery denied its binding efficacy and claimed
to be guided by a higher law.
Says MI. Williams a distinguished northern writer
T h South was invaded and a war of subjugation