The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-05-16
M E N, w o M E N
AND T N G S


1t may seem strange that nearly three
score years after the accomplished TACT
that 1 have become interested in theory
which as force in the conduct OF the
government is about extinct as the
"dodo" Nevertheless, l confess to being
excited about it.
1t all comes about because the goou
women Of the south have in their loVlns
hearts made us pause for day IN AprH
t. think about those who when their
states seeded gave their lives in defense
OF the right of secession, while they with
loving hands decorated their graves
can we'll remember as a lad the an
nual pilgrmages l used to make to the
cemetery in Eufaula to witness the SIM
pic ceremonies which, however never
failed to stir my imagination as 1t meant
the witnessing of the march and eVoiu-
lions of the Eufaula Rifles and the hear
ing of a patriotic address and the sing
ing of the airs so dear in Dixielaho'
From those days until the present eacn
year 1 have made my way when possible
to be a sharer in the memories OF MIC
mortal Day, but it is only recently that
1 have really become deeply Interested III
the history of the great conflict "hicn
ragged for four years between the men OF
the north~ and the men Of the south
Time has assuaged many OF the WOUNDS
that ranked, and a better understandings
softened much of the bitterness between
the two sections, for two wars have
brought together to fight side by sac
men or the sons of men who facea one
another in deadly enmity when the Blue
and the Gray fought for supremacy Oil
the great battlefeds for what each
thought was the right
Somehow 1 had suspicion whlch was
ashamed of that perhaps secession was
violation of the constitution, and that II
was brought about by the hotheads OF
the south without having any reai
grounds upon (which to stand either III 'ie
courts or before the bar of pubic opln-
ion, and therefore l never studied the
facts with any degree of thoroughness
until during the past few months when
L became greatly interested IN It,
l think we are far enough away from
the fratricidal conflict to examine the
records without showing any sectiona'
animosity, and while | am aware that
there will always be a diversity Oh
opinion in regar dto the constitutional
rights of secession, / am still confident
that careful perusal of the incidents
which led to the adoption of the consu-
tuition and its later Interpretation ootn
north and souh of the Mason and DIXON
line will show that it was no mere south
ern heresy.
From the foundation of the federal gov
ernment until 1851 and even at that date
the right of secession was insisted upon
1 not only in the south, but in the north
\ In fact, New England had been the mrs
S to advocate and threaten it. To discover
J. the basis of the doctrines of secession
: the history of the federal government
d will have to be closely looked into; pu
i
e like an outline. of the facts
Just bear in mind that the colonia
= states when they renounced their allesi
ance to Great Britain were separate an
distinct commemorative. entirely indepen
dent of one another The desire for com
:. plete independence was the claim ina
welded their union in their efforts
tachieve a common end The politics
pnion of these independent colonies wa
y based solely upon terms of agreement
er The first union of this character wa
4 formed by the 10 colonies in IVA, whic
es was followed by the union of the state
under the Articles of Confederation
IN 1777 (Maryland being the last state
n ratify them, in fish. The story of u
is difficulty to get them to come togeth'
at is full of interest, and if Gilbert LII
es ingston had not voted New York INTO u
o. union, forms one of the great IFS
history. 1t is well known that the En-
at pire state was radically and overwhein
O. ingly opposed to entrance into the unl'
r. which the constitution proposed. But
1T would take several columns and th'
or some. to give the details of the mol
80 OUTS to use a baseball term.
On july t. 1776, the colonies declar
that they are and of right ought
be free and independent states, and tf
furnished the text for those who bellev
- in and preached the states rights &c
trine which was the rock upon wllch I
an republic split This was followedeby t
Use further statement that whenever a
is form of government becomes destru
tive of the ends for which it was esta
80 lished, it is the right of the people
les alter or abolish it.
err
Henry Cabot Lodge of Massachusetts
republican scholar whom no democ'
and southerner would place on the w
ness stand as an impartial ffleno
his those of us who sit in the shadow OF
or great darkness has written: IT Is 80
Inc t. say that there was not man III
country, from Washington and Hami'
ian on the one side, to George CLINTON
ing George Mason on the other, VINO
it. garded the new system as anythms
inc an experiment entered upon by the s'a'
of and from which each and every 81
his had the right to peaceably Withdraw
lch right which was very likely to be
md ercised."
And since the senator from Massac'
do setts mentioned Alexander Hamilton
lks 80 s,,.n,isad ~ and that the statesn
ere who was without question one OF
most extreme advocates of a strong c
nan tral national government, expressed
a hot attemDt