The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-04-18
A Contrast--Sim Justice.

II
It is strange yet true feature in some
characters that when one has failed in bis
aim IN life through 'wantof perseverance
and manly efforts and awakens to the per-
ception of his error, he invariably assigns
it to wrong cause. ! Either he tries to
shift the responsibility Of his acts upon an
other, or by feigned morality picks flaw
in his abandoned aim, and tries, as it were,
to make virtue Of his failure by appearing
martyr for the cause Of right. And, like
the skuIker after the battle is over, he makes
the loudest noise, that thereby his own acts
may be hid. Such is the predicament in
which not few found themselves at the
close of the late four years. fight, and who
are now madly assailing the characters OF
men who stood ahead of them whilst the
battle was raging-men who now that the
appeal to arms has been decided against
them, sadly, but with dignity, submit to
fate-conscious of having done their duty
and stood by their standard to the last.
Their consciences are clear, and they are
content to submit their characters and
their acts to the impartial historian, salts
fed to wait for Justice until the passions of
the day have subsidized, when lofty an
swerving adherence to duty and honor will
be taken as indicative of the true man and
| the true patriot.
/ Among, the loudest Of the first class at
this moment is the "so-called Hon. ii. =.
Foote, whose absorbing passion for notorl-
ETY. induced him to select as his victim the
Hon. Jas. A. Seldom Of Virginia, late Sec
|retary of War of the Confederate States.
On him he vents his chagrin, and deals in
false and malignant assertions, whereby he
either hopes to throw oblivion on his own
: party, Or to hunt up an imaginary Justfla-
! Bile cause for his mean detection.
Our aimis to do simple justice to these
two men-to show who they are---that the
public may Judge for themselves whether
!, the charges preferred by the former are to
! be believed or not. !, ia .... ae "A
Who is the Hon.. II. s. Foote? A po-
) Ilitical renegade IA deserter One who
played the part of dog in the manager in
: the Confederate Congress, until he so dis
: gusted every one that a change OF base be
came imperative. and then he took upor
9 himself the second and more appropriate
role of deserter. And now that chance has
;, deferred the punishment due to his guilt
] he closes his career by maligning his former
honorable associates, and therefore need;
T no lust mans pen to further herald hi
! own infamy. ,.ali H4al 1s5ag So
. This is one picture--let us change it an(
! view the other-W Who Is he? A gentleman
and man Of honor, too dignifed to SHOW
: resentment at the paltry darts from tn
J culver Of such foe but in justice t.
L whose patriotism, and stern, true, and no
8 Ible devotion to his State and section th
J article is penned. A man, who after actin!
y in the cause of justice aud right for con
e science sake, will never be found fawnin
n at the throneof the conqueror. Only sue
II as thus turn and cringe are now found there
e The true the, hero, the patriot remain
!, quiet, waits and trusts, conscious that RICH
+ is mi ht--not might right the one calml
'e submitting to fate, the other, racked b
conscience, madly raving, outwardly at 9th
= ers, inwardly at himself. Contrast tn
y two. Let acts, not words, speak for then
IS selves. Metropolitan Record.