The Louisiana Democrat., 1865-08-09


" forward in the exercise of their
military prerogatiyes. Unlike those
real heroes who have carved out for
themselves an ever-enduring name in
history, and whose height, like mon
umentaI towers. can be measured.
"By the far-reaching shadows thas they
l9 cast" s,,i4 ri, .s,esss ,a.s
the small fry Of military magnates
have shown their weakness by
their sensitiveness, and their heart
lessness by thei. disregard Of right.
It is always 'the CALLED jade" that
winces. The hero, like the true ar
.tist, makes the whole earth a pedes-
tai whereon to stand; while the pre-
tender, after aworld Of vain endeav-
or, finds no broader base than the
soles of his own military boots. s..tp
Having promised thus far by way
of exordium, we may be permitted to
express our surprise that an officer,
SO distinguished as Major Gen. Ter
ry, and from whom the exercise of a
sound judgement and generous fer
bearance might SO reasonably have
been expected, should proceed to
such harsh extremities in the case OF
Robert Ridgeway, late editor Of the
Rietmond WAig. Mr. Ridgeway had
been a Union man throughout the war;
had suffered persecution for the sake
Of his principles; had resigned the
editorial control of the Wig pricr
to the commencement Of active hos
tilities because of his opposition to
secession and his loyalty to the old
flag. When "the star spangled
banner" was again streaming victo-
riously from the flagstaff and high
places of the late rebel capital he re-
turned to his old office and resumed
his old vocation. He thought that
under the flag Of his country the
right of criticism and the liberty Of
the Press were sacred. Thinking
that all classes throughout the South
had suffered sufficiently--tlat the
guilty and innocent alike had "drnnk
Of the cup of misery and humiliation
to its very dregsp-he, with, perhaps,
undue boldness, expressed his opiu7
ion, and protested, on behalf Of those
who had been his enemies, as well
as the enemies, iiof the Government
throughout the war, against the ppli-
cy of further imprisonments, .confs-
cation and executions. Thereupon
the offending Wig was seized and
suppressed by order of General Ter
ry. o4is5c si af
We do not intervene in the case
as the apologist Of Mr.. Ridgeway.
Many passages in the Objectionable
article were too harsh in tone to have
any good effect. They were in vio-
lation Of the proprieties of taste
perhaps libellous Still Mr.. Ridge
way, as an original Union man,
thought that he had a right to speak
boldly on behalf Of his erring neigh
bors, and considered it no crime to
obey the divine Injunction" Love
thy neighbor as thyself" Thinking
the course pursued by the Govern
ment wrong, he censured it, and
pointed out a plan which he consid-
cred better calculated to produce har-
mony and good fellowship again
throughout the Omitted" sisterhood
of States. II ls'tl.
There was no reason to- fear that
the Government would be endangered
| or seriously Inconvenience by the
article in the Wing, and the suppress
| sion Of the paper was not necessary
| as a war measure. If Mr.. Rdgeway
wrote andpublished libellous articles,
the laws Of the. land provided for his
punishment. The suppression Of the
paper, under the circumstances, by
the strong arm Of military power
can only be regarded as as act Of des
potism, and as such we protes,
against it. By acts of that oescrip
ton the honor and dignity Of the ma
Etion are placed in peril. President
Johnson needed no such vindicatior
before the sober people Of the lar,
as the one so indiscreetly yoluntaere,
on his behalf from the Head quarter
Of the Department of Virginia.
n. 0. Times.
4 RECONSTRUCTION IN ARKANsAs. THE Iii
tie Rock Gszettg thus describes the. .sensibl
] course pursued by the peoplp of 7ArkAnsa