The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-08-14
Hermann Gessler and Adjutant Gem
eral ThOmas...An Historical Par

tional life have been compressed into the
last two or three years Of our American
experience; and it would seem as If our
civil war is not to be closed until its annals
shall be furnished with instructive paral-
lels Of all the great scenes and occur
rences in past history This must be for
our probation, for our needful experience
and education, and must be necessary to
qualify our American people for the part
they are to take, and the rank they are
to hold among the great nations OF the
earth. There is probably no prominent
character in history, good or bad, noble
or ignoble, honorable or mean, that will
be without parallel in our future history
of the great American civil war,
ALBEIT of Austria had his HERMANN
GEssLER of Brunegg; Secretary STANTON
has his Adjutant General THOMAS of Wash
ington ALBERT sent his GEssLER to enforce
ducal DEGREES in the Swiss Cantons. STAN
TON sends Thomas to enforce war office
DEGREES in the Southern States. GEssLER
was eminently successful; so was Them
As. GEssLER thought that notwithstand-
ing his success, the people were not per-
fectly satisfied and acquiesced in his COM
mands, only because they could not sue
cessfully resist.
Meanwhile" says the historian, seer
tain doubts and fears from he knew not
what cause, arose in the mind of GEssLER,
and struck him with a presentiment that
all was not right. He imagined that
people wore il their looks less object sub
mission to his authority, and the better to
satisfy himself of the correctness or erron-
eousness of this view, he commanded BER-
ENGEE Captain Of the Guard, to erect at
dawn of day, in the market PLACE of Altorf,
pole, on the point of which he was to
place the ducal cap of Austria. An order
was further promulgated, to the effect that
every one passing near or within sight of
it, should make obeisance, in proof Of his
homage and fealty to the duke.
Numerous soldiers under arms were
directed to surround the place, and COM
pell the passers by to bend with proper
respect to the governing power. GEssLEn
likewise determined that whoever should
disobey the mandate, and pass the ducal
badge without the requisite sign of honor,
or should exhibit by his bearing feeling
of independence, should be accused Of dis
affection, and be treated accordingly
a measure which promised to discover the
disconnected and furnish sufficient ground
for their punishment. ...... .-..
"History," remarks the historian,
"scarcely records another instance of tyr
amy so CALLING, irritating and humiliating
to the oppressed" and so insolent on the
part of its author" ........
But, now, the history OF our American
war, records an instance of tyranny"
far more calling, irritating and humiliating
to the oppressed, and far more insolent on
the part of its author. And of this new
instance OF insolent tyranny, no less per-
sonage than the Adjutant General of the
American army, was the author or instru-
ment .
Adjutant General THOMAS was sent by
Secretary STANTON to the Southwest to in
augurate his negro policy, and has given
an account of his proceedings, which was
lately published in the New York Times,
in the course of which, he says he was
compelled to speak to the troops along
the route in favor Of STATIONS negro po-
icy. According to- his own account, he
did a vast amount of talking" speaking
one day seven or eight times" He states
that during his tour he met with an Irish
regiment, the Ninetieth Illinois,
This regiment, which had demonstrated
its valor and loyalty upon the battlefield,
'he resolved to insult, Cypress and humili-
ate, and having accomplished his malig-
lnant purpose, SO far as was in his power,
proving, himself to be a meaner instru-
nlent sof atyranny than was Gessler, his
prototype, he has been shameless enough
TO av0w Ithalact boastingly, presuming, no
ado ebt, lthat.ihe would thereby oonciliate
fahd prppitiate the demoniac spirit of radi-
calislh, which, bat few months before,
/ had questioned his4loyalty, because Of his
cpfesuned lahti-abplitionist bias. 4a
. Ltst any sketch wednight make of this
Of dt8G ,a,hce oftyannyomight be consid-
:, ar9,fft@ srdtaMn pictune,awe reproduce,
= -npd bnh words Of the American CESS
d .qroO ,{iohis sceneiJwithi tho Goth Illi-
9 .Il5t arotop 1, Ipresentingb an outrage up
- - tadt beaies ofIbraHemea; and an exam
Il bae .etossakaa, tsnd Ifisndish Tyranny,
il rsgo dqaIiri1thei annals ofihistory. This
" atgoda stassLERs says;dH ,ba9b tnGilGg
e!odv qRg to, themIh ,yhile,a 4 proposed
g. Tor the President Of the United
1u3oliIif1a jvHSsil 10 sstirnH