The tri-weekly news. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1865-1876, 1866-04-17
Lord Chatham and Andrew Johnson.


Chatam, succeeded century ago to,thei
premiership Of fEngland, aferthe extin.
guishment ofa fierce rebellion inA Scots
land; and Andrew johnson became
President at the close of terrific civil
war. The perils that encompass our
President are similar to those perils
which confronted Lord Chatham when,
he entered the halls Of State. Hence
the proceedings Of that brilliant states
man furnish historical lamp to our I'm
derstanding. ...4t.vg,-la ~
On his accession to power he found
Scotland hating England, and England
hating Scotland the Scotch were with
ing under the bloody and cruel penalties
they had inourred by treasonable acts
for several years. The English, led by
the Duke OF Cumberland, had slaughter.
ed pathway through i, venerable
cities and aourishing villages. The de-
vastation committed by the British
army on their sister kingdom may be
judged of by the fact that the country,
for fifty miles around the victorious sol
diery, was plundered and ravaged, not
q man ora house remaining. The Eng
lish had made desert, and called it
prosperity; they had created a solitude,
and called lt happiness. Scotland had
been conquered in body, but not in
spirit; for murmur j Of discomfort swept
on the wings of evory breeze, and the
Highland clans, whose romantic recol
lections were blended, with Scotch his
tory for many centuries, being dissolved
by Act Of Parliament. and the power Of
the chief over his tribe broken, were
still nurseries, of treason in thought, if
notin action. TO wipe away all record
of Scotland nationality, Parliament por.
hibited the use of the Tartan plaid in a
Scotchman's dress. Still, even this war.
fare upon the many.colorcd stuff which
entered into the garb OF both men and
women, did not restore their affection
for Government which prescribed
them, and did not induce them to pay
greater homage to those laws which o..
tcred mercy to all but themselves. q
At this era, Lord Chatham became
Prime Minister. A large party of Eng.
lish nobemen demanded continuance
'ofthe old penal measures against Scot
land, but they mistook Lofd Chatham
he soon showed to them that he was
man full Of the puresL humanity, as well
as statesmen whose lofty genius rose
under sense of duty to thefwholo Bfi.
tish empire, above the sordid bias of
faction. The plan he proposed for heal
ing these national grievances was simple.
Knowing that proud men, whose hearts
pulsate with historic blood, and whose
memories are reservoirs of deeds whose
worst features are rashness and u mis-.
taken pride, are to be governed more
through their feelings than thought,
through their time honored prejudlces
than by their fears, he decided at once
to appeal to self respect and good humor |
of the Scotch. He repealed all enact.
ments against their tartan garments, he
re.created Scotch regiments that had
been disbanded, he invited the young
Highianders to enter the ranks Of the
army, and gave commissions to the most
deserving. He granted their cities some
commercial privileges, and offered the
: hand of friendship to a whole irritated
people. The effect was magical. Scot.
land became regenerate. The land Of
traitors spread out at once as the land of
patriots. Rejoicings took the place of
groans, and smiles lighted up the faces
that, for years. had been wrinkled with
frowns, or wet with tears. The battle.
fields of Germany, Canada and Hindos-P
tan, for Lord Chatham was circling the
globe with the fires of. the British valor,
and the pealmg music Of British victor
ies were glorious witnesses to the mill
tary prowoss and mistaken fidelity OIL
the Scotch. Tho pen Of impartial his
tory will ever delight to record SO pre-.
"cious, an episode in the epic of national
grandeur. What Englishman would
dare tear the page from the annals Of
his country which records the conquest
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