Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 16.djvu/344

 338 Southern Historical Society Papers.

to resort to such force, mild or violent, as would bring about that removal.

It became necessary to strike the first blow that blow was in self- defence.

The overt act on the part of the United States justified it. Neither nation nor individual is required to wait until stricken after the assail- ant has ussumed the attitude of offence with the present ability to strike.

The squadron was ordered to Fort Sumter to attack ; the order will bear no other interpretation. There can be no authority to order the reinforcement of a foreign port in times of peace and with hostile demonstrations. That was an act of war ; was the first as- sault, the inauguration of the war by the United States. If ever there was a case of pure, unmitigated, unmixed and positive justifica- tion and self-defence, the law and the testimony mark that case for the Confederate government and Confederate soldier.

We yielded to the logic of force. The right still lives.

A new government has been built upon the downfall of the old ones. We have promised our allegiance to it. We will keep the faith plighted " at all hazards to the last extremity so long as the Constitution is respected." The element of evil and discord has been removed. Old things have passed away, and there will be, we venture to hope, no other cause for sectional jealousy. Our devo- tion to the Constitution at all times ; our conduct as soldiers for four years, battling from field to field, from time to time holding in check one million five hundred thousand soldiers with six hundred thousand give assurance that we will always be worthy citizens of a constitu- tional Union, and may be confidently relied on in times of need.

I know that in many things I have repeated an often told story, but, in the language of Mr. Webster, ' ' to state things a thousand times is not enough in these days of misrepresentation, for there are persons whose consciences, it would seem, lead them to consider it their duty to deny, misrepresent, and cover up truths."

In this effort, my purpose and desire have been to awaken the Southern man and woman to the importance of having their children study our lost cause from constitutional, legal and historical stand points, that they be not misled. It is time we were seeing after their school-books ourselves, and not trusting too much to others.

Our cause was worth all we sacrificed to it. Though lost, it de- serves vindication. Its defence by our arms at least checked central- ization. Understanding the principle of self-government, for which