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Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 31. (ed. Reverend J. William Jones), Robert Edward Lee. (search)
n of the Union of the thirteen States. They, therefore, committed that question to the future, and the war came on and settled it forever. And right here, let me say, that the South has accepted that settlement in good faith, and will forever abide by it as loyally as the North, although we will never admit that our people were wrong in making the contest. This question was calmly and logically discussed by Mr. Charles Francis Adams in his speech delivered in Charleston, S. C., on December 23rd, last, when he said: When the Federal Constitution was framed and adopted an indestructible union of imperishable States, what was the law of treason, to what or to whom in case of final issue did the average citizen owe allegiance? Was it to the Union or to his State? As a practical question, seeing things as they were then—sweeping aside all incontrovertible legal arguments and metaphysical disquisitions— I do not think the answer admits of doubt. If put in 1788, or indeed at