The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1865-05-06
:
SATURDAY, MAY 6, 1865.
The Old Woman md the Bear.


The Old Woman md the Bear.
On the borders of a vast forest which abound
ed in all manner Of wild beasts there once lived
an old woman with her husband, John. Driven
by hunger, bear one day made an attack on
the rude cabin that sheltered them John
promptly retreated to safe position in the loft,
and calmly surveyed The battle between his wifi.
and the bear, not caring much which side whip
ped. When at last the old lady proved victo-
rions, be came down and hailed her with the
congratulations Goodness alice, Peqgy, Gintthat
a big bear schdt l0e killed ~
So, now that Uncle Sam has killed his "bear, y
the Rebellion the s'JohnnicsY are coming up
and slapping him good naturally on the should
err, with ssGoodness alire amt that big Rebel
lion rOhdt ue killed r' II was evident 10 every
intelligent mind willing to admit that tseO were
greater than one, that the "bear'' would be slain.
But the men who adopted the declaration of the
Chicago platform that the war was a failure -
the men who "wanted the sontll TO have her
rights; who 'didn't believe in Abolition !" who
called slavery III Divine Institution, and the nor
NAL condition of the black man - who prated
about 1.-THE weakness and corruption of the Adj
minstration - who declared that ''the chivalric
Southrons could never be conquered - who
piled the public mind with wearisome disserta-
tons on s'the enormous debt" ''thehigh taxes,
'sthe publieextravagance y who called Mr.. Lin
coin "bufoon'' and a "tyrant;'' who never
rejoiced at Union victory because ''i was only
d. b0 70
when they saw a wounded soldier, but never put
their hands in their pockets to relieve his suffer-
ing family all these men stood quietly by willie
the fight was going on, without word of COM
incubation for those who were fighting the battle
for them, expecting and many of them hoping
that the tbear would whip. Then there We're
Others such men as are well-kuown in our own
midst who were even more decided in their
'tsympathes' for the shear" Men who kept
at safe distance from the fight, but were active
in their encouragement and secret aid who
winked at the tbear " as much as to say, 'Go
ahead Old Fellow, we're with you heart and
soul - who gave him all the support they could
in their cowardly, undetermined way who de-
clared the government a tyranny" and the Re
bellion "heaven-born cause" who sworc ale
glance to the government, enjoyed the mild pro-
lection Of its Laws, and yet heartily wished for
its overthrow These men shut their eyes to the
glorious history of our past they forgot that
there is Power who rules the destiny ofnations,
and is able to bring good out of evil; they for
got that there is-such thing as eternal Justice;
thov foroof that our Government iS founded On
the broadcast aud noblest principles ofhumanity
they goried in the idea of an empire which rested
on the blood of human bondage, and in their in
fatuation they verify believed that treason and
villainy would triumph, and that right and jns-
tice would be overthrow. The hope was Father
to the belief They couldn't tell exactly how it was
to happen, for might as well as right was against
them. But somehow they kept dreaming of for
eign intervention; they anxiously awaited an
uprising in the North against "the cruel war, u
and ''the burdensome debt; - they believed in
the '1ions' that were waiting 10 spring upon
Sherman; they were hopeful of the ''event'
which Lee was preparing to 'astonish'' the
world in their folly and prejudice they were
given over " to make and believea lie''f
Bnt the "bear" is dead Their last, fond,
lingering hope died out with the fall of Rich
mond aud the surrender of the Rebel armies
The big fights over. And now these secret cow
ardly Traitors, are coming down from the loft }"
and with mock jubilant faces, chucking Uncle
Sam familiarity under the chin, with ''That was
big Job but always knew we'd whipp'
1t was rather amusing to see how fond of the
"Old Flag these men suddenly became, when
about tswn buying, begging and borrowing ev-
erything that bore stripe or carried star; how
sociable they suddenly became with contempt
BILE Union men, +" the "mudslls'' of the commu-
nifty how "glad' they were that the war was
over and the Government re-established how
well they 'always knew it would end in this
way ard how "ridicuousv it was for the
South ever to take up arms against such a great
and good government as ours
j Wehave little faith in death-bed repentance
With all bis well-known forbearance, we have
always doubted whether the Almighty would be
justified in listening to the dying prayer of life
long villain. His repentance springs from fear
rather than low. So with these eleventh houl
Union men. While the slave coniederacy was
aourishing, they were buoyant and hopeful
'sThe South could never be conquered, . was the
burden Of their daily speech. Now that it is
drawing its last gasp, these men, with the cool
est impotence, gather within the sanctuary Of
the Republic, claim place and protection under
it, and declare that they "always were for the
Union ~ Before receiving them into fell con-
nection with loyalty, let them sbring forth fraits
meet for repentance" We are in favor of put
ting them on probation like other foreigners
who happen to be in our midst. To the Union
men belongs the honor of killing the "bear. -
To them belongs the privilege of dsposing of the
carcass. They don't intend to he interiered with
in the enjoyment Of that privilege. They have
fairly slaughtered the 'bear," and they mean TO
do with his body inst what seems best to them.
Rest assured they will bury him safe and deep.
Important Order.
het Reduction of Expenses. $50
The War Department in view Of the termna-
.;cn ,,f hst;l;ties has already begun the work of