The Ocala banner., 1922-07-07

either peace or war.
To be just and fair we must all con-
cede that forts around Charleston
were not erected for the purpose of
protecting the harbors of Philadel-
phia, Boston or New York, but were
planted solely for the purpose of pro
tecting the harbor of Charleston.
This question, more than ali others,
was uppermost with the peace COM
missioners hopefully and speedily dis
patched to Washington to sue for
peaceful and amicable separation.
The official recorcs ,ell the story
that these commissioners were detain-
ed in Washington for nearly a month.
first on one pretext and then another,
but were assured by an intermediary.
viz: Mr.. Justice Campbell, associate
justice lof the supreme court of the
United States, that no steps would be
taken in any way to interfere with the
status of Fort Sumter
Mr. Justice Campbell was so thor
oughly convinced of this fact that in
an official communication to Secre-
tary Seward he said:
Il feel entire confidence that no
measure changing the existing status
prejudicially to the Confederate states
is at present contemplated"
Yet all the while measures were be-
ing taken to strengthen the fort and
hold it at all hazards.
It's evacuation meant peaceful So
luton of all troubles and the avoid
ance of the horrors of war
The die was cast, the Rubicon was
crossed-the commissioners were dis
missed without securing an audience
with the president
These being the facts, whom will
history say is responsible for the hor-
rors of war which ensued?
No one familiar with those stirring
times for moment accuses Mr.. Lin
coin as being responsible for the spir-
it which hurled the Country into war;
but if it be true that he were more
than mana super-man, occupying
place next beside Jesus of Nazar-
eth, as is proclaimed by Mr.. H. G.
Wells and others, one may be pardon
ed for believing that if he had used
little notifying ointment and had
received the peace commissioners in
good faith, and had had the firmness
of surrendering to South Carolina
what was justly hers, that the clouds
of war might have been dissipated.
We say this in no spirit of animos-
ity or harshness, for we believe that
if Mr. Lincoln had lived the cruel aft
ermath of war would not have been
tolerated
Let the wayward sisters depart in
peace" was Mr.. Greeley's advice, and
any number of papers of Mr.. Lincoln's
party voiced the same opinions.
For eight years preceding the elec-
ton of Mr. Lincoln the government of
the United States had been in the
hands of the democratic party, and
if one may believe Mr. John S. C. Alb
bott's so-called history of "The Civil
War in America one cannot get
away from the conclusion that from
his point of view at least the admins
tration, president, cabinet and all,
were guilty of sedition and treason
were all the while planning for the
impending conflict, yet when the thun-
derbolt of war flashed over the land. |
1t found the south totally unprepared |
for what quickly followed.
The ships of war nor the standing |
army of the United States had not |
been officered by those in sympathy
with the south; her arsenals in the |
south had not been equipped with the
engines nor the munitions of war; no |
ships of hers blockaded a northern
port; she had no army to rush across
the border to make war on her former
confederates, so the north cannot
make the plea that she went to war
merely for the purpose of driving the
invaders from her soil.
The facts of history proclaim in
measured tones that every important
battle of the war was fought on south
ern soil and every southern port was
blockaded.
In good conscience and before the
world the south can proclaim that she
fought in defense of her homes and
firesides and is guiltless of the hor-
rors which followed.
A SUCCESSFUL NEGRO BANK