Remember men and women who wore gray

April, since the middle 1990s, has grown to be a month-long celebration and remembrance to those brave men and women of Dixie who took a stand for Southern Independence.

These people of the South were the sons and daughters of those, who, almost a century before had stood up to King George and told him the colonies of England were going to secede from the mother country. Many governors, including Georgia's Roy Barnes, have issued proclamations to recognize the men and women who put everything on the line for their convictions and their freedom. Many mayors and counties throughout our country will do the same.

It is important that America reflect and study its past - and that includes that of both sides of the War Between the States. History has proven that those who remember the past are better people and that the nation is much stronger.

Everyone knows the South has always come to the support of the United States, both domestically and militarily. Records show that by percentage of population, the South has contributed more soldiers and lost more soldiers in the wars from 1898 to the present day than any other part of the country. In the current war on terror Southerners are still in harm's way and patriotically doing their honor bound duty.

Those who took the stand for Dixie were men and women of honor and included such people as: General Robert E. Lee of Virginia; Secretary of the State for the Confederacy, Judiah P. Benjamin; the only woman commissioned officer on either side - Confederate Captain Sally Tomkins of Virginia; and soldiers like Confederate Private Amos Rucker of Georgia who was an African-American and a remarkable man.

The people of Dixie were also great humanitarians, and, just as today, loved children. In 1864, Jefferson Davis' wife, on her way back to the Confederate White House, saw a young black child being abused and forcibly took the child from the man. The child's name was Jim Limber and was adopted and loved as a part of the Confederate presidential family.

April 26 is also Confederate Memorial Day in many states and activities are conducted throughout the month. Ask your Historical Society about Confederate Memorial activities and your library about historical books on those who fought for Dixie. God Bless America!

- Calvin E. Johnson Jr., is a resident of Kennesaw and can be reached at Dix414036@aol.com.

Lee's Farewell to the Army of Northern Virginia

After four years of arduous service, marked by unsurpassed courage and fortitude, the Army of Northern Virginia has been compelled to yield to overwhelming numbers and resources.

I need not tell the survivors of so many hard-fought battles who have remained steadfast to the last that I have consented to this result from no distrust of them; but feeling that valor and devotion could accomplish nothing that could compensate for the loss that would have attended the continuance of the contest, I determined to avoid the useless sacrifice of those whose past services have endeared them to their countrymen. By the terms of the agreement, officers and men can return to their homes and remain until exchanged.

You may take with you the satisfaction that proceeds from the consciousness of duty faithfully performed, and I earnestly pray that a merciful God will extend to you his blessing and protection.

With an unceasing admiration of your constancy and devotion to your country, and a grateful remembrance of your kind and generous consideration of myself, I bid you all an affectionate farewell.

"It might seem, at first thought, to be of little difference whether the present movement at the south be called "secession" or "rebellion." The movers, however, well understand the difference. At the beginning, they knew they could never raise their treason to any respectable magnitude, by any name that implies violation of law. They knew their people possessed as much of moral sense, as much of devotion to law and order, as much pride in, and reverence for, the history, and government, of their common country, as any other civilized and patriotic people. They knew they could make no advancement directly in the teeth of these strong and noble sentiments. Accordingly they commenced by an insidious debauching of the public mind.

They invented a sophism, which, if conceded, was followed by perfectly logical steps, through all the incidents, to the complete destruction of the Union. The sophism itself is, that any state of the Union may, consistently with the national constitution, and therefore lawfully, and peacefully, withdraw from the Union, without the consent of the Union, or of any other state. The little disguise that the supposed right is to be exercised only for just cause, themselves to be the sole judge of its justice, is to thin to merit any notice...

What is now combatted, is the position that secession consistent with the Constitution -- is lawful, and peaceful. It is not contended that there is any express law for it; and nothing should ever be implied as law, which leads to unjust or absurd consequences. The nation purchased, with money, the countries out of which several of these states were formed. Is it just that they shall go off without leave, and without refunding? The nation paid very large sums, (in the aggregate, I believe, nearly a hundred millions) to relieve Florida of the aboriginal tribes. Is it just that she shall now be off without consent, or without making any return? The nation is now in debt for money applied to the benefit of the so-called seceding states, in common with the rest. Is it just, either that creditors shall go unpaid, or the remaining States pay for the whole? A part of the present national debt was contracted to pay the old debts of Texas. Is it just that she shall leave, pay no part of it herself?

Again, if one state may secede, so may another; and then when all shall have seceded, none is left to pay the debts. Is this quite just to creditors? Did we notify them of this sage view of ours when we borrowed there money? If we now recognize this doctrine, by allowing the seceders to go in peace, it is difficult to see what we can do, if others choose to go, or to extort terms terms upon which they will promise to remain...

If all the states, save one, should assert the power to drive that one out of the Union, it is presumed the whole class of seceder politicians would at once deny the power, and denounce the act as the greatest outrage upon State rights.

But suppose that precisely the same act, instead of being called "driving the one out," should be called "the seceding of the others from that one," it would exactly what the seceders claim to do; unless, indeed, they make the point, that the one, because it is a minority, may rightfully do, what the others because they are a majority may not rightfully do. These politicians are subtle, and profound, on the rights of minorities. They are not so partial to that power, which made the Constitution, and speaks from the preamble, calling itself "We the People."

A. Lincoln, 7/4/61

Walt

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.