In view of these facts, and of the history of all confederations of many small countries, it may now be clearly seen that the prize for which the South contended so strenuously would have proved but a calamity had she won it. There would have been in the country a condition of unstable equilibrium, with many centres of disturbance, which would surely have involved further division and probably further wars. To-day her people are citizens of a na tion second to none in military renown or com mercial strength, or in its power and influence for peace and civilization among the peoples of the earth. Were the right peaceably to secede, for which the South cheerfully endured all the bitterness of war, now tendered her as a free gift, every State would unanimously reject it as a curse.
Few generations of modem times have con fronted sterner problems than did the men of the South in lt361. In the natural world, when ever the climate has changed, the fauna and flora have had to change to conform to new conditions. This is the law of evolution, the one great truth of which mankind may feel assured °Eternal Justice° will alone prevail through °Conformation to Environment.° And the natural resistance to change by all interests in possession malces evolution mean war to the death of the least fit and the survival of the fittest.
Had the South been quick to apprehend these truths, then being first published to the world by Darwin, she might have accepted compensation for her property in slaves and surrendered her constitutional right to secede. Had she done so, over 500,000 lives and $10,000,000,000 of property would have been saved.
But the Anglo-Saxon is not a ready barterer of what he deems his °rights:° Nor would any nation thus founded upon °consent° have com manded confidence, or even inspired the national pride and loyalty which form the greatest treas ures of a people. The conflict, with all its death and destruction, its sorrows and its suf ferings, was but the necessary baptism of this nation, legitimating its disputed birth by a ver dict in the great high court of war, rendered in accordance with the laws of evolution, beyond which there is no appeal.
But while the generation which so lavishly poured forth blood and treasure may rightfully cherish to the last an ardent affection for its "Lost Cause," with its leaders and its heroes, not only its own children, but all succeeding generations, will enjoy great and enduring bene fits and blessings, the very fruit of the despera tion of its struggle and of the utterness of its defeat.
And in its influence upon national character, and upon the standing of this nation among other nations, it is no small matter to have made the record for valor and devotion to principle which the South has set; or to have produced such leaders and types as Lee and Jackson and their colleagues.
Briefly it may be said that the rise and fall of the Confederate States of America consti tute the most important feature of modern his tory, marking the sudden birth of a great nation. Such a nation could never have been founded in peaceful debate. The world may eventually reach a stage of development where such an event may be possible, but it had not done so in 1860. Previous to that date there was no assurance of stability to the nation. Since 1865 no convulsion could shake it. Suc ceeding years only demonstrate to the inhabit ants of every section the increasing advantages of living in an undivided and an indivisible country. See UNITED STATES—THE CONFED ERACY.
Bibliography.— Important works present ing the Southern viewpoint arc Davis, Jefferson, 'Rise and Fall of the Confederate (2 vols., New York 1881) ; Pollard, A. E., 'The Lost Cause> (New York 1867), and other works; Stephens, A. H., 'Constitutional View of the War between the States' (2 vols., Phila delphia 1870). See also Hart, A. B., 'Guide to American History) (Boston 1890), and "Ma terials for the History of the Government of the Southern Confederacy," in (American His torical Society Papers> (New York 1890) ; Schwab, J. C., 'The Confederate States of America> (ib. 1901; dealing with financial and industrial matters and containing a full bibli ography) ; Bulloch, J. D., 'The Secret Service of the Confederate States in Europe) (New York 1884) ; Callahan, (Diplomatic History of the Southern Confederacy' (Baltimore 1901) ; Curry, J. L. M. (Civil History of the Govern ment of the Confederate States) (Richmond 1901) ; Count de Paris, 'History of the Civil War in America); Greeley, 'The American Conflict' ; the 'Memoirs) of Grant, Sherman and Sheridan, and biographies of Lincoln.