The Shasta courier., 1866-06-16
Shall the Blue Uniform be a Badge OF
Nobility or NOts

NoDlllty or N0ts
During one of the darkest periods of the
Revolution when Arnold committed the first
treason against the Republic, three obscure
militia men made themselves forever famous
by the arrest of John Andre, subordinate
party IN the infamy. By this single act
50 deep has been the brand placed by posteri-
Y on the treason Of Arnold, d,-Paulding, Van
Writ, and Williams, became historical
characters, whose names will exist forever
with the records of our country.
But let us suppose for moment that
arnoids treason had not been made most in
famous, and Andre had not been hung as a
spy for his participation therein. Sunposo.
that, after the close of the war, the Com.
mander in-chief had welcomed Arnold back
to his society with marks of increased rather
than diminished esteem had restored him to-
his important position in the army. and
thus indicated his complete forgiveness. if
not real approval, of his conduct. What
then, we query. would have become Of PauId
ing, Van Writ, and Williams Their
names, undistingnished by an act, which.
though prompted by the purest motives of
patriotism, became by highest authority
pronounced unnecessary and oficious swould
have slumbered in their native obscuritv
unknown, and disregarded
Mark the conclusion we wish to draw. It
is this: We are now so situated that the
million of men who wore the blue uniform of
the Union during the war take the place of
the three militia men. They served against
the rebellion. In positions of various prom
inence they periled their lives to subdue it.
They incurred fatigue, hardship, and suffer
ing on the march and in the camp they
died in loathsome prisons. to secure the unity
of their country. They enlisted and served
upon the theory that the Rebellion was
wicked, causeless, and in transgression alike
of laws divine and human. The whole effort
and exertion of the loyal portion Of the nation
proceeded upon this ground, and during the
whole of the war we never ceased to remem-
Der and assert it. If we had believed other
wise, if we could have recognized it as posi-
BILE that the Rebellion had any ground of
justification, our suppression of it, attended
with such terrible destruction to human life,
would have been wicked and inexcasable be-
yond example.
As soldiers who subdued the Rebellion,
these heroes of the blue uniform have claims
upon the nation for present reward and
gratitude, and upon the future for undyiDg
fame. They have these claims, mark you,
solely because they served against the Re
bellion. Individual instances of courage and
heroic devotion to their cause characterized
the rebels as well as the patriots. and it is
for the reason alone that the former fought
in wicked, the latter in glorious and
Just cause, that the Union soldier appeals to
the gratitude Of the nation.
But if, after ALL it shall be declared by the
+bot a. t1oJ
by Jefferson Davis is not deserving of punish
infinitely worse than Arnold's, is to be for
given and pardoned without single official
act or expression to denote his guilt if the
whole gigantic effort at revolution is to be
condoned by the nation, with no authoritative
seal of condemnation placed upon it, then
not only have these soldiers in the blue uni
form served needlessly and foolishly, but
they can no longer make claim upon the ma
tion's gratitude or remembrance. They bled
in cause which is now pronounced of no
vital Importance. They slaughtered oppo-
nents, who, it is now declared were no more
wrong than themselves. They fought to save
the Union it is true but we have ascertained
not criminal Acting in the capacity of po-
Iicemen they arrested these parties for often
ces which are pronounced by the authority
to be legal and proper. Their zeal was
therefore misdirected and merits no reward.
Such must ineritably be the result i an
dreso Johnson's Restoration policy is carried
out
Whenever the President takes to his en-
brace General Humphrey, fresh from the
rebel ranks, and makes him Governor of
Mississippi, he sullies the glory of the men
who fought against General Humphrey
Both sides in the war could not have been
right. If Humphrey was right, or not
wrong, then Hancock and Hartrauft were
wrong or not right. They relapse into OBJ
scurity, and oblivion covers the record of
their achievements.
What then must we conclude? This !.
That every man who has worn the blue uni
form, and every friend of those men, must
set their faces like flint against the policy
which declares treason no offence, and ad
mits its perpetrators to honor and reward
Every action in that direction detracts from
their glory, and stains the escutcheon of their
valor. Gettysburg and Antietam are nc
more proud remembrances; instead Of being
Meccas to which the patriot shall make his
admiring and grateful pilgrimage, they be-
come only the saddening and repulsive scenes
of internecine conflict, where, aoithout right
on either side, two American armies commit
ted causeless slaughter.
Either the Rebellion was wrong or it was
not. If it ras, let US place that condemna-
ton upon it, and demand that Justice in the
treatment of its perpetrators, which will be
security against its recurrence in the future,
and preserve the glory and honor of the men
who subdued it.-No,ristoacn Ia.) Herald.