Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 23.djvu/28

 22 Southern Historical Society Papers.

not like the magnificent planet Saturn, girt by a combination of con- centric rings and surrounded by subordinate orbs which sattelite a central sovereign, whose name was taken from a god who devoured his children; but more like a constellation of co-equal solar stars which move through the heavens in radiant agreement and insepara- ble order. Carefully, therefore, will it cherish the citizen's loyal devotion to the State where he lives as well as his fidelity to the Constitution and his passionate love for the Union. The freeman of Vermont, wherever he roams on land or sea, shall be encouraged in memory of the Green Mountains of his State to fondly affirm, " I am a Vermonter!" The Virginia citizen, bursting with proud recollec- tions of his State's traditions and present glory, may without suspicion of his loyalty to the Union exclaim, " I am a Virginian!" And the son of my noble Georgia although nicknamed "goober-grabber" in Confederate times by the brave cohesive tarheels of Carolina will proudly announce, " I am a Georgian!" The patriot from well watered Michigan, emerging from his lovely lakes and claiming the right by his feathers to flock with the American eagle, shall say with unhindered enthusiam, " I am a Michigander!" And the mightiest man from Maine, glorying in a State whose ancient mountain spurs once fretted the British lion, may strike his broad palm upon his ample chest and bravely cry, " I am a Maniac! " But we all, whether cracker, hoosier, tarheel, Michigander or Maniac, while maintaining devotion to our several States will declare with one common voice to the nations of the earth, " We are all Americans! "

The South further believes that under the Constitution there can be solidarity of popular action without centrality of official power, Union without fusion, co-supremacy of State and Federal authority without conflict, and the blessing of co-equality among the people under impartial statutes without the bane of unnatural equalism con- trary to law*. It will beg for fairness and fullness of the ballot right, the undiminished boon of individual liberty, and for statutory guards to be set over the interests of the unsophisticated people to protect them against the experienced shrewdness and rapid greed of the monopalist who seeks to despoil them. It stands ready to umpire and adjust our financial perplexities fairly, because it has no broker- age in gold imperilled, no silver to sell, and nothing to demand but the emancipation of intelligent and honest enterprise. With threads of gold and silver and natural wealth it will make the financial cables