The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-08-08

The Idle Major Generals ID Ga
South Their Power for Mischief
There has been a great break-out lasel,
among those personages who flourish 8
major-generzls commanding Department.
in the South. Gen. Thomas proposes s.
seize with the military arm the Lepislat.r
| of Tennessee, and coerce it into the rati6.
cation Of the Radical Constitutional amend.
msnts! Gen. Sickles asserts his superior.
ty to any process from any court in South
Carolina, and insists that he can do any.
thing he pleases in that State, without
being called to account for any violation a.
law Gen. Sheridan, in New Orleans, pffopo.
ses to look after the grave-yards, and ID
see that no inscription is put on NOM.
ment that offends his fastidious taste and
critical sense Of propriety. Gen. Grant.
from Washington, issues general order
which virtually claims the right OF the
epaulettes to administer all the local affairs
OF eleven States in the Union, whenever
the civil authorities do not act as he de-.
sires. It is not difficult to discover the
cause of this preternatural activity OF the
Southern najor-genefals. They have moth.
ING leeitimately to do there. There is no
more need Of supporting major-general.
with great staff. at New Orleans, Charles.
ton and Mobile, than there is having them
lin Cincinnati, Chicago and Boston. An
they have to DO is to draw hundreds Of
thousands Of dollars fran the public treas.
,ry, and with it live as regal viceroys in the
Southern cities.
Their equipages are stylish and splendid.
Their stats are composed of aristocratic
and elegant young men, who take the lead
in fas hion and social dissipation. ldleness
is the parent Of mischief. The Maior.pen.
erals feel that they must do something in
order that the Government and the people
may be aware Of their presence ID the
South. The consequence is that they do
all sorts Of silly, foolish and tyrannical
things, that render them obnoxious ID the
South and contemplate in the North.
What, for instance, can be more absurd
than for General Sheridan to dictate the
monumental inscriptions upon the tomb
stones Of the South? He proposes to 10y
his iron grip Of power upon the hand Of
affection and cause it to indite what he sug.
gests as proper upon that monumental
shaft which commentaries domestic be-
reaTenent and sorrow. The fountain Of
tears is only to flow in the manner he pre-
scribes--to find vent in a particularly limi.
ted channel of his patriotism. This is
after the fashion Of the meanest and vilest
tyrants of Europe, who tremble at q popu.
lar funeral, and are appalled, at the ceremo-
nies that sometimes take place at the grave,
whose solemnities are q rebuke to their
wicked administration.
General Sheridan has some military rep
utation, and we should like to ask him
what possible good he supposed be could
accomplish by this order respecting monu-
ments and graveyards? Is it calculated to
foster love for the Union, and to inspire
respect and regard for the Federal Govern.
ment? Is it likely to multiply the number
Of patriots " OF his school in the South
Does he not know that there will be ten
times the bitterness and disloyalty in that
heart which is not allowed to pour out its
feelings over The grave Of affection and
friendship? That monument which re-
mains uninscribed owing to his arbitrary
order, will 10 its very darkness be per.
feet pedestal Of treason. II will commem-
crate A grave like that Of Robert Emmett,
who said--in words of eloqrence and ear.
nestness that were never surpassed" Let
my tomb remain uninscribed until other
men and other times shall do justice to my
character. When my country takes her
place among the nations Of the earth, then,
and not till then, let my epitaph be writ
ten" What inscription could have been
put over the grave Of the Irish patriot that
was 30 fiery in its disloyalty to the Govern.
ment and so injurious to it and yet they
were the words that invoked waiting in ST.
lence. IfGen. Sheridan had designed to
add to the bitterness that may exist at the
South in consequence ofthe events Of the
past, to foster and perpetnate it, he could
not have devised d more certain way to Sc
cure it. The proceedings Of Gems. Thomas
and SickIes are equally reckless and foolish
admirably calculated to delay restora-
ton of the Union. and cause feeling that
will make ii, in fact, ever impossible. 0ae
OF the greatest obstacles that now exist IN
the oath Of rational unity, is the unemploy-
ed and idle heterogeneous with their mill
tary force in the South. The President
ought not simply to tverrule their general
orders, but he should recall the whole baton
of them and leave the South to take care
and,manage its own local concerns 10 its
own way. Gall the military idlers home |
Il CINCINNATI Enquirer.