The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1866-08-04
W. j. d CO..
The Idle Maj0r-G encra!S in the
SOuth-TIlcir Power for Mischief.

There has been Il great brcak-out
lately among those ~pcrsonagcs who
flourish as Heterogeneous commanding
Departments in the South. Gen. Thorn
as proposes to seize with the military
arm the Legislature of Tennessee, and
co-crcc ii into the ratification of the
Radical Constitutional amendments !
Gen. Sicklcs asserts his superiority to
any process from any court in South
Carolina, and insists that he can do
anything he plcascs in that State, with
out being called to account for any
violation Of law. Gen. Sheridan, in
New Orleans proposes to look after
the crave yards, and to see that no in
rcriptlOn is put ON Il monument that
ofiends his f~astidiOus taste and critical
sense Of propricty. Gen. Grant, from
Washington, issues a general order
which claims the right Of tie cpaulet
TO administer all the local affairs of
eleven States in the Union, whenever
the civil authorities do not act as he
desires. 1t is not difficult to discover
the cause of this perpetual activity of
the Southern Major Generals. They
have nothing lcgitimately to do there.
There is no more need of supporting a
Major general, with n great staff, at
New Orleans, Charleston and Mobile,
than there is in having them in Gin
c%innati, Chicago and Boston. All they
have to do is to draw hundreds OIL
thousands Of dollars from the public
treasury, and with it lives as regal vice,
rnys in the Southern cities.
Their cquipagcs are stylish and
splendid. Their stalls are composed
Of aristocratic and elegant young men,
who take the lead in fashion and social
dissipation. Idlencss is the parent of
mischief. The Major generals feel that
they must do something in order that
the Government and people may be
aware Of their presence in the South.
Tie consequence is, that they do all
sorts of silly, foolish ard tyranical
things that render them obnoxious to
the South and contemplate in the
North.
What, for instance, can be more alb
Brrd tl.an for General Sheridan to die
tate the monumental inscriptions upon
the tombstOnes of the South lie pro-
poses to lay his iron grip of power
upon the hand of affection and cause it
IL indite what he suggests as proper
uOon that monumental shaft which
commentaries domestic bereavement
md sorrow. The fountain of tears is
only to flow in the manner he prescribes
Ito find vent in a particularly limited
channel of his 4" patriotism" This is
after The fashion Of the meanest and
vilcst tyrants of Europe, who tremble at
n popular funeral, and are appalled, at
the ceremonies that sometimes take
place at the grave, whose solemnitics
are q rebuke TO their wicked admins
trations. .
General Sheridan has some military
reputation, and we should like to ask
him what possible good he supposed he
could accomplish by this order respect.
ing monuments and %graveyards. Ia it
calculated to foster q love for the Union,
and to inspire respect and regard for|
the Federal Government? Is il likelyl
to multiply the number Of 8 patriots"
nfhis school in the Southp Does be-
not know that there will be ten times
the bitterness and disloyalty In that
heart which Ia not allowed to pour ont
its feelings over the grave Of affection
and friendship :? That monument which
remains u~ninscribed owing 70 his arbi.
tssry order, will in it, very Darkness
bes perfect pedestal Of treason. I'll
Sl$ommemorate . grave Hike that OIL
Enehsst Emmett, who said-in words of
esoquence and earnestness that we're
lever surpassed" Let my tomb re-.
nam anAnscribed until other men and
ouief time: shall do justice to nv char.
Ac'er' when my country takes her