The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1922-06-13

The prize OF So.UU IN gOld OHeItu ny
the Mary Brantley chapter, y. d. e.
to the Terrell county schools tor the
best ESSAY on THE Truth OF the war
Conspiracy OF 1861" was won by Miss
Katie Bridges. one OF the most gifted
pupils of the Dawson high school The
well written paper is Of great historical
value. and is published below by re-
quest OF the chapter:
"The Truth of the War Conspiracy
Of 1861"
"Breathes there man with soul so
dead,
Who never to himself hath said,
This is my own, my native land
Nor breathes there a southerner, a
patriot, who has not proudly exalted
his southland, his own, his native land,
or desired to learn the facts-true facts
OF the war conspiracy OF 1901!
aye shall know the truth, and the
truth shall make you free" for as our
own patriot, our idol, r. E. Lee, de
clared: Every one should do all in
lis power to collect and disseminate
the truth" However, through all past
wears history, art, literature and the
intangible monster, Public OPINION,
have been very unjust to the south, for
if the truth be told our Dixie land OF
cotton fields, forests-all the handl-
work of our Omnipotent-convert our
country into a veritable Garden OF
Eden, where song birds trill and flow
ers bloom unmindful of war or un-
truth. Many OF the most sagacious
statesmen, glorious deeds of chivalry
and heroism combine to exalt our be-
loved land to a standard envied, yet
essentially admired by all nations.
History is the getting of facts,
though the deplorable fact is true that
through petty jealousies and preJu-
dices historians have greatly and un-
Justly favored the north; but though
TODAY the ties of brotherhood bind the
north and the south inseparably, de-
spite this fact we desire to ascertain
the unbiased truth OF the conspiracy.
Consequently, considering the sub
ject logically, the constitution OF 1877
must be noted to determine the legali-
ty of the action of our forefathers.
This constitution was merely a COM
pact: mark, a compact between sover-
eign states; nor was it perpetual or ma
tional, as is manifested by Alexander
Hamilton's opposition to the doCu-
ment Hamilton was strict adherent
to implied powers" and loose con-
struction of the laws, hence his refusal
to assist further enhances the state
ment, "the compact of sovereign
states. Under this mutual agreement
each state had the perfect right to
withdraw or secede if injustice were
shown. Jefferson emphatically asserts:
IF states were not left to leave the
union when their rights were inter
ferred with the government would
have been national, but the convention
lthe originators of the lawsl refused
to baptize it by that name" Now. did
our south violate any law, morally or
legally, when she refused to bow UNI
der the yoke of oppression, but rather
openly, bravely seeded? The Creator
created all men equally and does not
intend that one nation should domi-
nate and suppress another with cruel
tyranny. Human endurance cannot
submissively bear oppression, therefore
the south, worn and harassed refused
to be suppressed seeded.
Secession is not-emphatically not
rebellion. Webster, the photographer,
widely differentiates the two words by
defining rebellion" as an instruction,
while secession" is merely a with
drawing; while we, supposedly loyal
southerners, have meekly, unquestion-
ably permitted our ancestors to be de-
risively termed rebels"
Thus far the south has been vindi-
Gated in that she was justiiable in
withdrawing; so now let us consider
the causes leading to the war, its tur-
moil and strife. Truth is not SANDER
or partisan, and though we maintain
that the north was responsible for the
conflict we admit that the war was not
waged to hold slaves. The south would
rot have needlessly poured out human
blood, wrecked homes and married the
sacredness of love to merely retain her
slaves. Furthermore, congress on July
%, 1861, unanimously passed reso-
luton maintaining that the sole pur-
pose for fighting was to protect the
union. However, history does not tel
that Gen. Grant, a slave holder, was
placed as leader of the northern army
and Gen. Lee, who had freed his slaves
commanded our Confederate troops
From the annals OF history we are told
that the war was fought for slavery