Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1862-03-06
Eleventh Hour Converts to Loyalty
IFlom lle COumbu. capIlaI Cilr Fact. teb 9i.l

tFron the Columbus Capital City Pact. Feb. 2fl
Were there any loyal doubt remaining of
the speedy crushing out of rebellion and the
restoration Of the Union to its Constitution
al proportions, such doubt would certainly
find its solution and cure in the changed
tone of our Northern Tory friends within
ten days past Among the many sympa-
thizers with the Rattlesnake Confederacy
who disgrace the Capital City and its i'm
mediate environs, it is now difficult TO find
one who has not undergone miraculous
change of heart and sentiment ''on the eagle
question" since Forts Henry and Donelson
fell and surrendered their garrisoDs.-
Whether this eleventh hour repentance"
should be accepted as current loyalty, we are
given to doubt; but as Southern Rebels,
taken with arms in their hands, are TO be
thrown loose upon community without 9TH
er punishment than the humiliating one of
swearing allegiance to the country they fail
ed to destroy, we suppose It will be cbnsider-
ed magnanimous that Northern Tr.itors
should meet no stricter treatment 1t is not
proposed, however, that the amnesty TO
Southern Rebels shall be general, but that
it shall apply only to the lower strata Of
chivalry, who were imposed upon and coerced
into hostility to the Government. The arch
Rebels and their ulder-strapped-and-
starred subordinates are to be hanged, OF
otherwise summarily dealt with. Now, in
asmuch as the great difference between q
Northern Traitor and Southern Rebel, as
to the enormity Of the offence committed,
appears to be in favor of the latter, we are
at loss to discover why the arch-Traitors-
the Vallandighams, the Mat Martins, and
the Statesman clique generally-should be
taken into full social and political commu
MON on any more liberal terms than ths
Davises, the Slidells, the Masons, the Wises
the Floyds and Buckners. Geo. Manypenn,
is no better man than Gideon j. Pillow, ex
cept that he knows on which side of tn,
ditch the tow-path lies and if the forme
is to be allowed to continue as leader o.
the shoddy Democracy, why not permit thu
latter to resume his place in command O.
Federal forces?
Recurring to the radical change that ha.
lately taken place in the tone of our seces
sion friends, an editorial article in Sunday
mornings Statesman is suggestive of pass
ing remark. That we may not be misunder
stood as ironically referring to our repentan
cotemporary, for whose future prosperit,
and eternal welfare we have so sedulousll
Ilabored. with such meagre prospect of sue
cess, we c0Dy the concluding sentence OF tn
article referred to "But we cherish tn,
hope-the only substantial one we have 70
our glorious Union-that the people of tn,
Nor:h will frown upon and put down tn,
mad disuniopists and incendiaries in thei
midst, as the Southern people will sool
deal with the secessionists and continuation
rebels in their own section" That is wha
we have been laboring to accomplish, as al
humble auxiliary in the great Union move
ment, ever since rebellion first showed it
HYDRA head. We have, day after day, call
ed upon the people Of the North to ''frowl
upon and nut down the mad disunionist
. and incendiaries in their midst" and fo
doing which we are arraigned before jur,
of these very freemen whom we would shielt
from danger at the hands of the '!disunion
lists and incendiaries' who would crush d
for our unconditional defence of Govern
meut, We have labored faithfully, will
ali the effective energy at our command, b
warn loyal people against and silence ''th
secessionists and contumacious rebels il
..NsI 4AH nRNln I'M nNnal