The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-03-17

! got free. slavery would grow ana four-
ish fer another century at least"
Upon this observation, and following
closely the line OF thought suggested
by it, Major Hunter said:
Now think. perhaps, the race
needed another century of Christian
discipline to lit them for the duties OF
citizenship--if indeed in the Provi-
dence OF God, the time is ever coming
When the leopard can change his spots
and the Ethiopian his Skin But how
ialiacious or sophistical this view is,
although 1T Is entertained by many re-
spectacle and cultured people al the
North. We know that it was not for
slavery that Lee and his people of
virginia took up arms.
slightly per cent. of orr Southern SOL
olers were non shareholders. 1t was
ior the right Of a State to solve its own
domestic problems, without impertincnt
and ignorant Interference by ether
states or by the Federal government.
II was for the right to preserve our
superior civilization from alien and
depasinS contamination. It was for
our inherited rights under the Consti-
tuition, as framed by the Fathers OF tho
Republic. and In resistance of the in
vasion CT our state. And these rights
arc as vital to-day as they have ever
been. and as much so TO the North as
70 the South. The controversy has
simply been shifted from the arena OF
arms to the forum OF reason, and If the
Rcpublic is to be preserved and impc
,rialism to be escaped it must be upon
; the principles FOR which the Confcd-
crates so bravcly fought There was
one expectation OF the Abolitionists->
! TO the everlasting credit OF the negroes
be it snid--thnt was not realized during
the war Such had been the benef
cent relation between the families OF
! the Virginia masters and their slaves
that the Instances were very rare in
which the latter proved unfaithful 10
their trust. So far from awaiting
themselves of tile opportunity offered
TO do wrong by the absence of the
great mass of the able bodied white
/ men In the army, their service was
| generally moro loyal and their fidelity
more marked. 1t is, perhaps not too
| much TO say that the conduct of the
negroes OF the South during this cru :
cial period is the most remarkable cN-
hibition Of moral attributes their race
has ever given l was not until the
/ l'recdmnn's Bureau and the horde OF
camp followers and carpet ba ggcrS
came among us that the seeds Of alien
ia ton We're sown between the races.
| How prcsumptuous and utterly UNI
! founded, therefore. Is the assertion
which certain school of Northern men
persist iii Observation-Disclosures in extern
llation OF their own wrong doing hat
General Lee fought for slavery in the
face of his wcll-known views on that
subject, and his explicit and solemn
declaration, made at tho close Of the
| war to General Fendleton Eve had. 1
WAS satisfied, sacred principles to main.
tain and rights to defend, for which
VIC were in duty bound to do our best.
even if we persisted in the cndcavoI.' -
This is true view OF the spirit ami
mating the South In its resistance to
tile cncroachmcnt of Federal power,
and Major Hunter IS to be thanked sin
ccrcly for his very clear exposition,
which we trust Will make an impress
sion upon those WHO have not fairly
judged us either in the plans they
have made for our government or in the
judgment they have written OF our
purposes.