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About The banner of the South. (Augusta, Ga.) 1868-1870 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 20, 1869)
4 ttifltf fiEV. A. J. RYAIJ, Editor AUGUSTA, Ga., FEBRUARY 20,1869. ALL subscriptions and BUSINESS LETTERS FOR THE “BAN NER OF THE SOUTH” SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE PUBLISHERS - L. T. BLOME & CO. RED X MARK, The red X mark is not a Ku-Kluxism, but a sign that your subscription expires with No. 52, Vol. 1. Please send your renewal at once by Express or Postoffice Money Order. Our subscribers are earnestly requested to attend to this little matter immediately. too muchTegislation. One of the great evils which beset a Republican form of Government is overmuch Legislation. Law takes the place of the tyrant and becomes the Auto crat of the country, grinding the people beneath its iron heel. It flows not “gently ” like “sweet Afton,” but with the force of a mountain torrent after a recent deluging rain, and sweeps justice, peace, and Liberty before it. It is ground out like corn-meal from a grist mill, and scatters its terrors in every direction. It is übiquitous and self multiplying and an evil to be tolerated only because it is itself—only because it is Law. In the United States, we have Law Mills at the various State Capitals, and Law Mills at the several Cities, Towns, and Villages which constitute the Municipal Governments of the country. And it does not even stop here ; for there are a thousand and one Societies ami Asso ciations, all flourishing great volumes of Constitutions and By-laws tor the govern ment of the members thereof. But with these latter we have nothing to do, as individuals who becomes dissatisfied with their laws have the blessed privilege of withdrawing from them. But the un happy subject of the Government, State and Municipal Laws—what of him ? Where is his relief? lie cannot fly from them, for which ever way he flies is Law; nay, he might almost say with Milton altered to suit circumstances, “which way I fly is—Law ; myself am Law !” Then, what is the remedy ? How to get rid of this ever present Night-mare— this evil of Republicanism ? Why, easily enough. Amend the Constitution so as to authorize the assembling of Congress once in every ten years only ; those of the several States so as to authorize the assembling of their Legislatures once in every live years; and of municipal bodies once a year. If that does not remedy the evil, then wc confess that we do not know what will. .But we think that it would have the desired effect ; and that under its application our country would grow and prosper with the most astonishing rapidity. There is, without don t, Law euough to govern the land now—nay, more than enough—a perfect surfeit, and a stoppage of the Law Mills would, we think, be a blessing to the people of the whole country. DEATH OF EX-GKWERNOR PICKENS. We have unintentionally neglected to chronicle the death of ex-governor F. W. Pickens of South Carolina, which sad event took place at his residence in Edgefield District on Monday 25th ult. Governor Pickens w 7 as a man of fine intellect and first-class ability. He adorned every position to which he was elevated by the State and Federal Governments. In early life, he served in the State Legislature, and subsequently in Con gress for several successive sessions Just prior to the war, be was Minister Russia, returning home in 1860, when he was elected Governor of South Caro i na. Au original State Rights advocate he threw the whole weight of his influ ence in the great cause in which South Carolina was engaged. During his term of office, the affairs of his State were administered with singular ability. Whether in office or out of it, he was always true to the interest and honor of the South, never wavering in his support of the Confederate cause. Very few of the prominent men of South Carolina have gone down to the grave more honored and universally re gretted thau Francis W. Pickens. With truth it may be said that bis heart was broken by the cruel wrongs and foul indignities heaped upon his native State. THE MISTAKES OF GOVERNMENTS. Governments, as well as individuals, are liable to make mistakes, to commit serious and even fatal errors. History is full of records of such mistakes—mis takes resulting in the toppling of thrones, the downfall of dynasties and the behead ing of monarchs. In bur day and generation we have a sad illustration of this fact. It is here at our very doors, in our own land aud Government. To profit by the teachings of History, to take warning by the example of those who have gone before, and to steer clear, in the future, of the evils whieh ship wrecked the past, is the part of wisdom and true Statesmanship. This is, in short, what constitues true Statesman ship—wisdom aud judgment, founded upon the wisdom and experiences of the past, and applied to the present and the future. Alas ! for the enlighteument of Nineteenth Century American civiliza tion, there is no true Statesmanship in the United States ! It is, perhaps, a bold assertion, but one which, neverthe less, we believe to be true. True statesmanship would never have committed the error which has ship wrecked the Constitution and bankrupted the Nation. It would never have de stroyed Liberty and usurped illegal powers. It would never have permitted party interests to usurp the place of popular rights. But this has been done —this mistake has been made—and the whole country must suffer for it. This mistake was made when the war closed, and it is being persistently followed out, notwithstanding its glaring injustice and long train of consequent evils. This mistake was in treating the people of the South as a conquered, subjugated people, and subjecting them to tyrany and op pression. It has made more real ene mies to the Government than did the four years of war whieh preceded it. It has secured for Congress the contempt of the decent people of the whole Natioo. It has bankrupted the Government; ruined trade and commerce, impoverished the people, and placed in power, in many instances, the scum of the country. And, unless the policy which this very serious mistake has inaugurated is soon changed, it will be, indeed, a fatal mistake, for the Sun of Liberty will set in storm and darkness, and the waves of oblivion will roll over the ruins of the fallen Temple of Freedom. It is not too late to stay this tide of ruin and destruction. Let the people of the whole country stand up as a breakwater of Patriotism, to hurl back the angry waves of Fanaticism, and we may yet rescue our Constitution and our Liberties from the hands of the despot and the spoiler. It is not too late. It is worth the effort. VERY TRUE- The inconsistency of Radicalism aud particularly of Congressional Radicalism, in its dealings with the South, is clearly and forcibly pointed out in the following brief article taken from a recent num ber o! the Louisville Courier-Journal: TYRANNY OVER THE SOUTH. When the new Constitution of Ala bama was rejected by' a \otc oi the citi zens of the State, the Radical Congress, without right, reason, or rhyme, declared or ordained it adopted. The new Con stitution for Mississippi has been re jected by a vote of the people of the State, and Congress, instead of ordain ingl, as in the case of the rejected Con stitution of Alabama, that it shall be con ©S SlSJfpi; sidered as adopted, is likely to declare that the citizens of Mississippi may take their choice between accepting it and living under a Provisional Government. But why doesn’t Congress treat both States alike ? Why take one course to ward one of them and another toward the other ? If the rejected Constitution framed for Alabama is declared adopted, why not the rejected Constitution of Mississippi likewise ? And, if the peo ple of Mississippi are allowed to choose between accepting the Constitution they have rejected and having a Provisional Government, why not the people of Ala bama also? Can any of the Radicals answer such questions satisfactorily? Tbe Radical party in Congress is in no degree whatever a party of principle. It is simply a party of expedients, very mean and rascally expedients too. It wouldn’t hesitate to establish for the ten Southern States ten different, inconsis tent and contradictory policies, each of the ten policies to be changed as often as the hope of party advantage should sug gest change. The referring of the Constitutions of the Southern States to the votes of those States is simply insult, imposition, cheatery, dupery, mockery. The people are told that they are free to vote as they like, but there is uo freedom in the ease. Th y must vote just as Congress likes, or Congress will do with them as it likes. The French people may vote for a ruler of France, said Louis Napoleon, but any of them that vote against me shall be shot. I don’t interfere with their freedom of suffrage, but no one shall interfere with my free dom of shooting them. [For the Danner of the South.) THE COMMON SCHOOL SYSTEM- Rev. and Dear Sir: Your correspondent takes pleasure in awardi g you all the honor a Southern heart is capable of conferring. Your manly avowal of a deep sympathy with a fallen but glorious people—your cor dial support and defence of their institu tions, though mostly Protestant, and your enlarged and Catholic doctrines and charity, endear you to every Southern heart—Protestant or Catholic, Our ene mies, perhaps the charity of Christianity would say our oppouents, at the North and the few among us at the South, may hate and curse you; “Verily they shall have their reward.” Wc cau afford, in a pure faith, to leave the retributions of the future to au all-wise, just, and bene ficient Creator. Let us tread with hope, faith, and chaiity, the path of duty and honor, and the reward will be as certain as the retributions of oppression and in justice—cry aioud and spare not the wrong, though wc must be merciful to the wrong-doer. Truth, is better than policy—candor thau duplicity. The hardness of our fate, I sometimes fear, not only tempts us to suppress the natural feelings of our hearts, but actually leads us into the ways of insincerity and duplicity. This ought not so to be. There is a saying that we should “tight the devil with fire.” It is a very unequal fight, for he is used to it and we are not yet. Candor, truth, justice, virtue, and religion arc the wea pons which secure victory in the end. If this is not so, then it would seem to me that the providence and dispensations of the Great Ruler, are failures, which cannot be. There is no desirable destiny to which the Southern people may not aspire or attain, if they are true to their ancestral and traditional character for honor, integrity, and virtue. Let them pursue with an unwavering step the path of truth, candor, and honesty, and avoid the ways of double-dealing and duplicity, and their future will be as secure as their past has been honorable. I do not intend to be understood as intimating that our people have always done right—by no means; but 1 think it is safe to say that, as compared with other communities of this or any other nation, their reputation stands in the front rank. And l think it will stand the severest tests of time and adversity. I have great faith in the solidity and en durance of the Celtic and Teutonic mix ture of races which obtain in the popula tion of the South. We have not the isms and witch-killing elements of New England iti our midst, at least, to any great extent as yet. I hope we shall never have them. Your warfare against the New Eng land system of politieo-religio-com mon schools has attracted general atten tion aud the almost universal approval of the thoughtful and sound-thinking portion of all people, ihe grandest idea of New England civilization, has been that the Puritans have a right to serve God as they please and to make every body do likewise. All her institutions nearly, are based upon or partake of this solecism or paradox. Her doxy is Orthodoxy, and eveiy other is Hetero doxy. She thinks she can, w r ith the aid of tbe Negroes, govern the South better than our own people can govern it. “Busy-bodies in other people’s matters.” In their estimation we are great dinners, and that they are our confessors, and they think us too obstinate and wicked to perform the duties of the confessional, or to receive the benefits of the shrift. But is not their common school system one of intolerance, oppression, and un eharitablencss ? Does it not foster and develop to higher degrees, the inmate wickeduers of human nature ? Is it not a systematic organization of proscrip tion, robbery, and deviltry? Look at late developments in Tennessee, and wait awhile for further ones in the South and North. Do not understand me as denying the right of government to adopt a generous system of education in aid of the Church, and of those who are unable to educate their children. I do not propose to offer a plan which would be unobjectionable, nor am I prepared to say that the one I have in mind is at all perfect. Asa general rule, I think it best to leave the education of children to parents and the Church. There is uo command in the Scriptures which requires governments to train up children in they way they should go. This duty is imposed on parents under the instructions of the Church. Selma, Ala. Procopius. For the Banner of the South. THE ORIGIN OF THE BAPTISTS. NUMBER SEVEN. In the present paper we propse to con sider the survey of Dr. Ford while establishing the position for his eleventh and twelfth milestones on the track of time. He has left the fourth century out of his chart altogether. His twelfth milestone is dedicated to the Numidians and inscribed Century Y, while his eleventh milestone dedicated to the Donatists is said to describe the Church in the sixth century. It is very evident that the Numidians and Donatists are one and the same people; but, however, we will not anticipate. When Diocletian from his obscure home in Dalmatia rose to supreme command in Rome, in order to gain strength, he shared his power with Maximian, and declared him his colleague. These two governed, jointly, for about nine years, and, considering it expedient for the public good, associated with themselves two others of inferior rank with the title of cosars, each choos ing one. Dioclesian chose Galerius, a native of Dacia; Maximian chose Constantius Chlorus, a lineal descendant of Vespasian. These four sovereigns, having the whole power in their hauds, divided the Empire into four parts, assign ing to each one his own territory. The Church had enjoyed a general tranquility for upwards of twenty years, during which time the number of converts be came so great, that the Churches were too small to contain them. It was a peaceful and prosperous season, when in the midst of its tranquility, Dioclesian, not having the fear of God before him, but being moved aud instigated by the devil, and being counselled by Galerius, published, about the winter of 302 an edict for the total extirpation of the Chris tian religion. This persecution was carried on with unremitting cruelty for about three years. The sacred edifices were everywhere pulled down, the sacred writings were burnt, and every mark of Christianity was sought to be effaced Then it was that numberless Christians fled the light of day, and hid themselves iu hollow caverns, called the Catacombs. As in the days of Decius so in the days of Dioclesian many preferred the sweets of life to the martyr’s glory. Such of the Christians as, through a desire to cling to life, had denied their faith, were liberated, upon declaring that they were not Christians ; while many others not only denied the faith, but delivered to their persecutors the copies of the Scriptures, as well as all other volumes of pious Christian books, to be burnt by them Those who had delivered any of the sacred writings to the enemies of their creed, wore called “traditores” or traitors, aud the crime of which, in so doing, they were guilty was regarded as border ing upon apostaey. Upon their repent ance, according to the severity of the ecclesiastical discipline, they were to be enjoined a public austere course of penance, and if in holy orders, to be deposed : but in this the Bishops had power to dispense, or to grant a relaxa tion or indulgence. Donatus, Bishop of Casce-nigra* in Numidia, took offence at the mildness with which Mensurius, Bishop of Carth age treated penitent Priests and Bishops, admitting them te their functions without insisting ou canonical penance, and re fused to communicate with Mensurius and his Deacon Cecilian, because they held communion with penitent traditors By a false accusation against Mensuriy* alledging that he had given up to the persecutors the sacred writings to be distroyed, he engaged many otliers of the Numidians in his party. Upon the death of Mensurius, Cediian was chosen Bishop of Carthage in the year 311, and Donatus and his pa rty accused Cccilian of having received traditors into communion, pretended to set aside his election, and regarded it void. He refused to bold communion with Cecilian and separated from the Church, declaring that by the admission to communion of penitent traditors, the Church had become defiled. He set m> an altar of his own, and drew with him a numerous faction. Seventy Bishops of the Catholic Church, chiefly Numidians espoused the cause of Donates, and nier at a place called Cirta in Africa. They pronunced sentence of deposition against Cecilian. On this occasion they elected one Majorinus, the domestic Chaplain of Lucilla, a rich and powerful lady of Carthage, and an enemy of Cecliflan because he had rebuked her on a former occasion, to be Bishop of Carthage in the place of Cecilian, whom they had de posed on the ground of his having been a traditor, or at least of his having com muned with traditors. In a Council held at Rome .shortly afterwards, Cecilian was acquitted, and the schismatical Numidi aus, with Donatus at their head, were condemned, and their proceedings set aside. The Donatists pretending that Cecilian was no Minister of Christ, nor those that adhered to him members of the Church, maintained that they had no true Sacraments, and, by admitting to their communion lapsed persons, and profane traditors , were themselves defiled, and ceased to be of the true Church. To condemn their error, the great Council of Arles was assembled out of all the western provinces of the Empire in 314 They were condemned by this Council and appealed to the Emperor. Constan tine gave them a patient hearing, mat ters of fact being that of their charge, in the hope that they would return to the Church. But seeing that they were obstinate, and would abide neither by his deeision nor that of the Council, he, in 316, enacted severe laws against such Donatists as refused to acquiesce in the decision of the Church. In the same year, upon the death of Majorinus, an other man named Donatus, also was by them elected Bishop of Carthage, and it was from this one, as it is said, that the sect took its name, although he was not the first author of the schism, but Do natus, 3ishop of Casce-nigrce The schism assumed large proportions in Africa, and in a Council held at Cartil age by themselves, they undertook to unchurch the whole Christian world besides themselves, and commanded all who had been baptised by Catholic* to be again baptised ; to prevent which, Constantine by law made it capital for any one to re-baptise another. They boasted of great purity and sanctity, like the Novations, and were very numerous in Africa for about one him dred years. St. Augustine with St. Optatus and many others refuted them, and almost extinguished their sect. We will now tor a while examine the chart of Dr. Ford. His ingenuity is interesting in the extreme. He writes for those who are in the habit of taking his word for what he says; but we, who are in the habit of examining for our selves, although charged with the mod abject slavery of will and opinion, will show that Dr. Ford desires to lead his co-religionists as he desires. Listen to his quotation from Mosheim and then please listen to ours, and when we are done we invite you to the book itself and examine for yourself. “The Donatists” says Mosheim, “en* joyed the sweets of freedom and tran quility as long as the Vandals reigned in Africa; but the scene was greatly changed with respect to them when the empire of these barbarians was over turned in 534. They, however, still remained in a separate body, and were bold enough to attempt the multiplica tion of their sect. Gregory, the Rom.ni Pontiff, opposed these efforts with gretd spirit and assiduity ; and, as appeal' from his epistles, tried various method' of depressing this faction.” This e the quotation of Dr. Ford from Moshein lie put a full stop where there is only : comma, and he leaves the pith of th sentence entirely out. Now we are oi posed to give the full force to Mosheim.' sentence. It is as follows : “Gregory, the Roman prontiff, opposed these eff r;v I with great spirit and assiduity ; and as I appears from his epistles, tried varioi’.' ! methods of depressing this faction, wine | was pluming its wings anew, and aiming |at the revival of those lamentahw divisions which it had formerly exei t• in the Church. Nor was the opposed' : of the zealous Pontiff without etlect ; seems on the contrary to have beer
