The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-02
MEMORIAL ADDRESS
AT HOLLYWOOD, 1911
Causes Of the Q6nfict-- Gould and Should Have
Been Avoa e .e5l Its Colossal Ctst-"rne
l Field of Fame >,

49," tiieS eNerted upon the popular
mind
The nrst of these was the puplica-
ton of "Uncle Toms Cabin" a story
IN which the genius OF its brilliant au-
'nor with dramatic power painted in
darkest hues the life and the treat
ment of the negro slaves in the South
erh states Though n travesty and n
libel upon the Southern people. it was
so conceived and expressed that it
poisoned the minds of multitudes of the
people OF the Northern States against
the people of the South.
me second Yves the repeal of the
Mlsaouri Compromise by the kansas
Nebraska Act an act which. in theory.
unwisely opened up the great North
was made by politicians the basis of
an appeal to the fears of the people
OF the free States-an appeal which
was Sroundless, because slavery could
not for economic reasons, exist in
those regions
The third was the Gaming of Senator
charles sumner in the United States
senate chamber by Preston s Brooks
an act of savage violence which added
fuel TO the flames already airing the
Northern heart against the alleged
insolence and arrogance Of the South
ern slave holders
Fourth. the John Brown raid and
the sanction and commentator with
which that murderous assault upon the
homes OF the Southern peopAl was
received IN some quarters at the
North. which. in turn. fred the heart
or the southern. people and aroused
their apprehensions as to their Sc
onrity unless they took radical meas
ures for their protection.
Then came the election of Mr. Jint
coin, and the secession of South Caro-
10
Florida, Alabama, Mississippi Louis
lam aud Texas
Secession Did Not Necessarily Mem
North Carolina. Tennessee. Kentucky.
Missouri, Virginia. Maryland and Della
ware--scven of the eight remaining
save states. embracing in wealth. pop
nlaton and martial resources largely
'he greater part of the military and
financial strength of the Southern
States continued to stand firmly bv
the Union. They saw nothing in the
election of Mr.. Lincoln, or In the pre.
dominance. by a mere plurality vote, OF
sectional party (Which was a mi.
nority party not only in the whole
country, but n minority party even in
The free States) TO Justify the disrup.
ton OF that Union. which they cher
lshed as being. under the Constitution,
the bulwark of their safety and their
liberties. and the surest hope of rep.
resentative free government under tho
sun. Nothing hut some act OF tyranny
ma wrong which would imperil their
existence rs free States would move
those states from this resolute atti-
tude of answering adherence to the
Union, and fidelity and loyalty 10 the
constitutions the government and the
nag of their fathers.
Arkansas. alone, was wavering: but
q
manned steadfast but for events which
forced her to take sides. either against
or for the coercion OF her sister South
ern states.
BY the withdrawal az those seven
seeded States IT, irsuo of peaceable
secession. or - tc'h'c coercion, was
directly ~ r. .Ad had inevitably
10 hc tr later decided. nor
&C" 'sn he long delayed.
question the decision OF
fraught with rs momentous
.uences as ever turned upon any
iion or people or their govern.
inert
That the Federal government. in
1861. had no power under the Consti
tuition. by force and arms or other.
wise. 10 coerce back into the Union a
Slnic which. 10y the act OF a sovereign
convention OF it's people. had with.
IL
ton which. at that time, could hardly
be regarded as debatablc. 1t was a
doctrine cmphatically sanctioned bv
the action OF the Convention which
framed the Federal Constitution and
had received the support of men OF
character and intelligence of all no.
litical parties and OF almost every
shade of political opinion from the
adoption OF the Constitution down 10
n I ipr, ,,f
the seeded states in his call to arms
of April Is, 1861.
Overwhelming proof OF this state.
ment can he produced II has been
presented by the lamented Beverley r.
Munford In the priceless legacy he has
given his country in his book, entitled
"Nirginia's Attitude Towards Slavery
and Secession and he collated only
part of those proofs. though enough
Ia amount to a demonstration.
Nowhere was this doctrine more
strongly stated than by Mr. Seward,
Mr. Lincoln's Secretary OF State In
his official letter to Charles Francis
Adams. the American Minister to Great
Britain. on. the 10th of April. / s6l. In
which speaking authoritatively for
Mr.. Lincoln. Mr.. Seward said:
YOU will hardly be asked bv re-
sponaible statesmen abroad why has
not the new administration already
suppressed the revolution. Thirty-five
days are snort period in which to
repress, chiefly BY moral means. a
movement which Is so active, whilst
disclosing itself throughout an en-
p!re. He president Lincoln) be-
lieves that the citizens OF those States.
az well as the citizens OF the other
States. are too intelligent. considerate
and wise TO follow the leaders to that
destructive end (anarchyD. For these
reasons he would NOT be disposed to
reject cardinal dogma of theirs;
nanAly. that the Federal government
9AR,pot reduce theiseceding states to
conquest even although