The Republican journal., 1915-06-17
The South Not a Belgium.
A Southern Editor Takes Exception to
Charge Made Before the Confederate Vet


A Southern Editor Takes Exception to a
Charge Made Before the Confederate Vet
Grams.
From the World News. Roanoke, Val
One of the speakers at the session of
the Confederate veterans in Richmond
compared the Confederacy with Bel
ium. He said:
Gin the terrible picture Belgium stands
out in splendid contrast, enhallowed with
the glory of noble martyrdom. We,
too, have tasted of the same bitter cup
that Belgium is ,quafing, and we drain it
to the lees. We too, trusted to little
scrap of paper, and found what mock
sue may be determined, Belgium will
truer glory and nobler recompense than
| will the victor of the Dardaneles or the
conqueror of Russia"
Somehow this sentiment and the Ian
guage in which it is expressed does not
| impress us favorably. 1t fails to accord
with history as we understand it, and it
presents conception of the South in it's
relation to the North that Is very differ
ent from the conception which we be-
lieve is held by vast majority of South
ern people.
That the South tasted of the same bit
ter cup that Belgium is quaffing is true
to a certain extent. We experienced
the horrors of war, we felt the tragedy
of defeat, and we passed through the
woes of reconstruction, but our country
was not overrun or crushed like that of
the Belgians, and great sections of the
South scarcely knew, from what they
could see of it, that war had fallen
upon their land.
No paper of any kind was involved in
the question OF secession. 1t was ques-
( ton arising from difference of opinion,
the North taking one view and the South
another view. The South insisted that
the right to secede was inherent and
eternally established in the nature of
the agreement to unite, but the North
would admit of no such principle or con-
tention. and war resulted.
| Belgium and Germany are separate
nations, living under sep 4rate and dis
tinct governments, and having people
divided in languages, ideals and aspira-
tons. The North and the South, prior
to the war, were one nation, partners in
a great organization and working to-
gether shoulder to shoulder for their
common good.
The war which resulted from their dis
agreement was a fight between fellow
citizens divided for the moment, not a
| fight between nations. Men and women
of the North and the South spoke the
same language, had in large measure. the
same ideals, and cherished the same as
pirations. When the surrender at Apo
mattox took place, the difference that
had divided the two sections disappear
ed, old friends renewed their friendship,
and former citizens their citizenship.
The South took up the allegiance that
was severed when the war began and
warmly, enthusiastically and happily ad-
hered to that allegiance ever afterWard.
The South was not conquered country,
quaffing the bitter dregs of defeat at the
hands of foreign power, but part of
the nation that had fallen out with an
other part of the nation, and had come,
through the bitter sorrows of war, to
find a frmer brotherhood and nobler
destiny under the Stars and Stripes.
No American, whether he lives in Ban
gor, Tallahassee, or San Francisco, feels
that ne belongs TO conquered or con-
quering nation. He feels that he be-
longs to the United States, that he is an
integral and most important unit in his
country's organization, and that the
great and tragic struggle of the Civil
War was but as shadow between
friends, long since dispelled by the warm
sunshine of good understanding.
No, the South is not Belgium. 1t
dbl not have to adjust itself to the yoke
of foreign ruler. 1t was a part OF the
United States, that nation which we of
the South loved and honored many long
years before the war began and which
we love today with all our hearts, which
we defend with profound devotion, and
among nations leading to world wide
peace and worldwide justice.