The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1866-05-16
Foote'S History" Of the War.
from the Yicksburg Herald

! H. s. Foote has written book, entitled "The Wal
OF the Rebellion"-a ludicrous misnomer-a history q
the war, in which the name of Robert E. Lee does MOI
appear much more descriptive title would b1
" The Life Wanderngs lin place and politics. ami
Confessions of the Author" 1t contains not word
of the war; chapter or line on the avowed theme
1t is in great part the history of the events measures
and doctrines in southern politics. that preceded and
led to the war; presented by the author from the false
and new standpoint that he SO treacherously
occupies.
But in the main it is written to gorify r. S. Foote.
He is the hero of the tale. The industry with which
he has gathered up from newspapers, from stump
speeches. from private conversations from friend and
foe every notice of himself that would tend to mag
nifty and make him important in public regard is traIy
wonderful. Not one crumb of praise escapes him; he
gathers all these tender tokens with the zeal of lover
and hordes them with the care of miser.
And when the text gives out, he crowds the notes
with new and freshly discovered compliments to H. s.
Foote The book begins and ends with him, and we
venture to say the personal pronOun " u occurs in it
ofener than in any book Of its size ever published or
that will be- unless the author continues his his
tory, "so-called" in another volume, which he merc
lessy threatens to do.
We did not take the pains to count the number OF
times that the author, by his own quckness sagacity
and patriotic zeal, saved the Union; but we know.
without counting that it more than nine Once
it was by getting into barouche and rushing up to
the white house to tell the president of some dark
Vaccinations of Benton (This, we think, was before
breakfast.) Once by grasping Webster by the hand
in the ante-room of the senate, and showing him
newspaper from Boston, containing alarming" intel
igence. Once by writing a letter to Calhoun. Again
by tender of his cooperation to Mr.. Clay.
In fact, he was for two years, in l850-1 rushing up
and down Pennsylvania ayenue-sometmes foot
but when the exigency was too great in a carriage
saving the Union His activity and agility on these
''momentous" OCCASIONS and the entire friskness Of
his patriotism, could be equalled only by the like dis
play of like qualities bya squirrel in tree-top.
But to treat the book seriously, whether becoming
or not it is gross and malignant Misrepresentation Of
the civil policy of the the part of the south
1t is mean bird that befous its own nest He falsely
represents that the south governed by heartess
military despotism that the rights of the citizen
that his personal liberty was, for four years. in the
name of State rights crushed out by the iron heel of
domestic military tyrants
Is there word Of truth in this? In all the perils
and temptations of position, was there an hour
when the president of the Confederacy assumed to
take upon himself the suspension of the writ of ha5e
corpu? And how does this tenderness to the prin
cpes of the constitution compare with the history of
northern events? And but for ninety days in all the
long years of the war; the writ suspended by the
act of congress, and then only in special cases.
But for this brief period, there never was time
when resident of the Confederacy, citizen or soldier
in camp out Of it. could not obtain the privileges of
this writ. And there was not a day but somewhere
from service, under the provisions Of this most gra
cous writ" Where, in all the broad Confederacv,
was citizen tried before military commission or
court-martial? The citizen as securely protected
in bis personal liberty IN the days of the profound
est peace.
We fought in the war on the principles for which it
was tought-the rights of States and citizens under the
constitution. If failed it was not because we were
not true to them. To be sure, there were men who
said, Let us, for season, roll up the constitution
and stow it away in dusty pigeonholes they did at
the north, and let us fight the devil with fre-et US
do evil that good may come" But such counsel
to principle, had few friends, and was
3corned by the Confederate government.
We fought the war; determined, however it ended
to hang up the unvioated principles of
the constitution. And Foote, the mean traitor to
every cause he damns with his service, cannot make
history of his malignant fasehoods.
With the views of our cause presented in this book
What right had he to seek high place in the govern
nent?
But he was member of the Confederate congress
BY his own seeking and he whnes and means and
makes pitiul confessions the NORTH for having been
so associated We do not think there is enough quite
Of the spaniel, even in Foote to make his humility
md confession satisfactory to those to whom it is so
gnobly offered
There is nothing more despicable in this book of
ulsome attery and mean falsehood than this halting
onfeSSjon unless be the constantly occurring mag
lant attacks upon Jefferson Davis Foote is his enc
NY and he would like to be considered his rival but
here is none so mean as to do Foote the honor of
uch an association.
Prlsionbound as be is, his word would stand against
he world Reverence and love are now paid him out
If all hearts, fully than in the day of victory
md power. Upon the public heart and Judgment, all
uch attacks strike as harmless as do the wings of the
)ats upon his sacred prison walls.