The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1922-06-13
'The Truth of War Conspiracy of 1861"
Prize of $500 in Gold offered by Daughters of confederacy
Won by Katie Bridges of Dawson High School

but we 90 not learn llldl Ollly @OO,OOC
slave holders were in our army, while
$4,000 constituted the army OF the
Oppressors.
In 1909 the first slave appeared on
the United States coast, brought here
bv a Dutch vessel. Thereupon the
northerners began a profitable trade,
while we, deeming slavery or bondage
crime, refused to indulge in the bus
mess and declared it morally wrong.
Finally. however, the negroes-1lly
treated and abused-sought the balmy
south, whose climatic conditions re-
sembled their own and where they re-
ceived the best, very best treatment.
Here jealousy began its deadly work,
and Selling the north in its destruc-
tive clutches caused our former foe to
assume her doctrine OF mistreatment
and cruelty to slaves. We deny-with
all the boldness and fervor OF our an
cestors-we deny the fact.
Mr.. tombstone, in his Truth of the
War Conspiracy" asserts: The north
violated the constitution and refused to
stand by decisions OF the supreme
court. This drove the south TO seces-
sion" Moral if not legal law de-
mand equity and justice for all, yet in
America, "the land of the free and the
home OF the brave" no state should
have authority or precedence over an
other. Thus, were the first threaten
ings of war-discord and conflict
caused by the Missouri compromise
OF 1920. By this unconstitutional and
illegal act slavery was restricted, and
only after long struggle was Mis-
souri, allowed to enter the union.
Again, by the tariff acts of 1883 the
south was abominably maltreated de-
spite the fact that the constitution
saws tariff must be uniform, and one
section not be Disseminated against in
favor of another" After such coercion
and oppression, when men were re-
fused freedom of speech, under penal
ty OF death, the south through the
speech Of noble Patrick Henry-the
epitome of all her patriotism and love
of Sfreedom-cried out: Give me liber-
ty or give me DEATH"
War clouds gathered and with
mighty onrush the storm was descend
ing. War was inevitablel And the
first to render force necessary to de-
fend and protect right is the aggres-
sor in a war" Here we point accus-
ingly to the north, the aggressor. Now,
furthermore, we have allowed our
cause to be termed the "lost cause" Is
it lost? The spirits of thousands of
dead resent the very question! Our
recent war was fought to maintain the
same principle" non-interferenCe with
Just rights" Nor was the war of 1901
a civil war. However, the north call
ed it so, and we, by accepting the
name, have acknowledged we were a
nation and not sovereign states with
no right to secede
We needs must answer the great
question, "Who fired the first shot at
Fl. SUMTER" which aroused the world
with its sound We know that Lin
coin and the United States began the
war "by committing at least four
points in the south weeks before Sum-
ter was fired on" Though these acts
were secret and the most treacherous
weaken the force. Secrecy emphasizes
treachery."
On December 6, 1860, solemn
armistice was formed in Charleston
and on January %, 1861, one was en-
tered into by Pensacola and the Unit
ed States by which the government
agreed not to attempt to reinforce Fort
Pickens. To violate an armistice is an
act of hostility nay, of war, Even
Germany is observant of truces!
Yet, Capt Wedges, United States
officer, was sent with an armed force
to reinforce Pickens. He was stopped
at Pensacola by the existing armistice,
and sent to Capt. Adams commanding
him to reinforce the fort. Adams re-
fused, and Gideon Wells, secretary of
the navy, sent dispatch by Lieut..
Worden ordering Adams to render aid.
Lastly, Adams still refused, and
Wedges committed an act of war the
night before Sumter was fired on.
He secretly reinforced after 9 p. m.
April 11th Accordingly the south &C
cepted this as an act of hostility and
prepared to act Beauregard, the
southern general, sent an admonition
to Wedges to prepare, and within one
hour, according to his declaration, he
fired-the first shot? Yea, verify, the
first shot; yet that shot was provoked
by atroCious deceits and strategies oil
the northerners. True, history does
cnumerate the causes leading to the
final outburst of the harassed COnfed-
crates
Now, however, we lay aside all NAL
ice and contentious, securely bar the
gates of Prejudice and Jealousy, foi
1--WE owe it to our dead, our living anc
posterity to preserve the truth, repe
falsehoods, so that we may secure JUS
and fair hearing before the only tribu
nal from whom we will receive jus
tice, and that tribunal is the bar o
history"
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