New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-07-23

case, The fact that a charitable society bore
the name of "Hays's Brigade Relief Assoeia-
ton - or of Crescent Regiment Relief Asso-
citation" no more made them Confederate sol
diers or organizations than the title of aztec
Club" OF Montezuma Association, assumed
by number Of officers of the United States
army, would justify the belief that they are
MeMcans and supporters of the empire Of
Mazimilian, and that, therefore, they are enc
mics of the American government.
The truth is that thenames of these chalita-
bic associations were adopted chiefly from
motives of convenience. 1t was the readiest
mode of raising and of distributing to the
needy and to the suffering, the small pittanoe
OF charity which the losses sustained by the
warstill left our people to bestow.
" The very head and front of their offending
| Hath this extent-no more"
We insist they were in no just sense Con
federate military organizations, Their meet
ings were public. They had not even door,
keeper. Their proceedings We're regularly
published General Sheridan or any other
federal officers might have attended. They
might have become members of any one or of
all these "relief associations, and have con
tributed through any of them any amount OF
charity they may have desired to bestow upon
the most needy Of an impoverished commu-
nifty. Could it be said, if General Sheridan
had become, as he might have done, a member
of one of these charitable associations, that
therefore he belonged to Confederate military
organization, ana was consequently an enemy
of the government? Such an inference would
be absurd and we therefore have q right to
conclude that his order in the premises is
more mature consideration would have cor
rected In its present form it is an official
announcement to the world of the existence
Of ''reorganizations 81 Confederate companies,
regiments batteries, brigades and divisions I"
We have already shown that it was an error to
suppose their existence, but fact that 'Sreliaf
associations" bearing a civic designation as
simulated to that of a former military organiza-
ton, had been established for exclusively
charitable purposes.
But, it may be said, bad taste was shown in
coupling the names Of such charitable organ
izations with those of former military bodies.
We eoncede that all questions of taste are
legitimate subjects of criticism, and the adop-
ton Of these names was not indorsed by many
of the most ardent advocates of the charities.
But it was deemed the most convenient mode
Of distributing the charities, and, also, Of col
Letting from distant cemeteries the remains of
fallen comrades.
| But while we concede that mere matters OF
taste are proper subjects of criticism, we deny
that they are appropriate questions for Iegisla-
| ton or military orders. If our Constitution
like that of ancient Rome, had established a
censor as high officer of the government, we
might regard his opinions as law in all mat
ters of taste and good manners But if such
an authority legitimately existed, the crit
cisms of the censor might not be restricted to
the South, but he might find in other sections
of the country, conduct equally obnoxious to
good taste, and calling as loudly for correc-
ton. But as no such Office exists under our
Constitution, it is hardly legitimate for any
one to assume it, and it would have been
wiser to have left the correction of mere
question of taste to the civil laws and an en-
lightened public judgment
The "relief associations which have been
dissolved by General Sheridans order,
were headed by gentlemen of intelligence.
Of integrity of honor, and of loyalty
to every just principle that regulates the con
duct of good men. No one can justly charge
them with a purpose Of violating any engage
ments into which they may have entered or
Of pursuing hostile design against the gov
eminent when their paroles of honor re-
stricted their actions. If General Sheridan
is in possession of any information which
shows that any of them have violated the
terms of their paroles, it would be his duty
to have them legitimately arrested The fact
that he has taken no such action is concIu-
sive evidence that he possesses no such in
formation-for he is not an officer to NEGLECT
his duty to his government It is also mega
tive proof that he cannot believe in the ex-
istence for any illegal purpose of any
such organizations as those which the
order styles "Confederate. In other
cases where it is charged that citizens
have violated laws, we find that they are
brought by the military authorities before Mr..
Commissioner Shannon or other so-caIled
civil ttuG1OIIIy' Ill6 4dCG IlaG no such pro-
ceeding was had in this case, authorizes the
inference that it was not deemed that any law
had been violated
In every view of the case, therefore, we are
compelled to consider this general order as
most unfortunate. We think we have shown
it is both impolitic and Illegal and that it does
not correctly set forth the circumstances sur
the case. We think we have shown
that it is not the breakingup of Confederate
reorganization" for none such existed, but
the suppression of charitable association
which was bringing relief to the sufferings of
a distressed community.
We think that when General sher- I
dan calmly reviews his action in
his matter and divests himself of the preiu- I
Ices and antipathies which attach to his posi-
ion, he must regret the form of his action. {
It may crafty those who seek to perpetuate +
liscord and unkind feeling and may "spHt {
5he ears of the groundlings at the North, but q
it "eannot but make the judicious grieve." 1
1t will be welcomed as boon by the revolu- v
-ionists of Faneuil Hall, but it will not smooth
The way to reconciliation or tend to that ,,aaoa