The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-08-07
Southern Love Of the Union.


In recent number of the New Orleans
Tribune appears an able article on the condi-
ton of affairs in the Southern States general
ly, and in Louisiana in particular. A portion
OF this article will be found below, and we
commend il to the special attention of our
readers, as an expression OF the deliberate con-
victions forced upon the true Union men
/ of the South by the course of events. These
men at least know whereof they speak. They
have seen the progress Of the struggle, they
have suffered, hoped and waited, believing
that when the triumph of the Government
made good, that treason was really to be made
"odious,' and that their own faithful devo-
tion to the Union through those dark and
perilous times would receive at least the poor
reward of the governmental approval. Their
disappointment has been most bitter So far
from treason being made odious, they find it
favored, fattered and consulted, while their
own. Unionism, instead of being counted a
merit, is held as stigma and disgrace, sub
jecting them to every species of persecution
and insult. Is it any wonder that they cry
out against the injustice of a policy which
offers premium to treason, or that they have
no faith in the good results of that sham mag
nanimity which conciliates the guilty at the
expense of the innocent? They know well
that the temper and spirit of the Southern
rebel are unchanged, that he has learned
nothing and forgotten nothing which can af-
feet his aims or purposes; that he needs but
power and opportunity to renew his old hos
tility to the government which he believes 10 be
only favoring him through fear, and that the
strong arm of authority is the only influence
to which he is amenable. Says the article in
question:
1t was no light work to re-establisb the
Union. Let us now protect it and maintain
it by our vigilance. We repeat, force alone
can impose upon the generation that have
made the war and that have lost their slaves.
No reconciliation, no repentance, no common
ser e, can be expected from them. Those
who speak of the healing of the past differ
ences do not know anything of the old gov
erning class of the South. President john
son has pardoned thousands and tens of
thousands of rebels. But REBFLs DO NOT
PARDON UNION MEN. Let those who are not
acquainted with the sentiments of rebel So
ciety read the following card, which has re-
Gently been published in the Shreveport News.
1t will be seen thereby that a Young man who
has served for three years in the Confederate
army, was put under. the ban of society. be-
cause he had been at some time a ceik in
the United States Quartermasters Office. The
poor young man, in his effort to regain the
confidence Of his fellow citizens, protests that
ne had been driven there through necessity,
and that he never loved or heartily endorsed
the United States government such are the
declarations publicly made in Louisiana. in
the newspapers, in cities where federal offices
are stationed We find another card of the
same character in the Ceddo Gazette II
will be sufficient to copy that of Mr.. F. O.
Bishop. .fFa
Then follows the card in question which
after stating that rumors have been afoat eff
fecting the "honor and past political record" of
the writer, proceeds to brand them as false,
and says:
enlisted in the Confederate army as pri-
vate soldier at New Orleans, in Co, b, Capt.
Francis Lee Campbell, and attached to the re-
gimt mt of Col. Randall l.. Gibson; at the eN-
pration of the war. and a'ter three years
service for the cause OF the South returned
to New Orleans: after which necessities, and
circumstances beyond my feeble control, tore
ed me to accept service In the U. ). Quarter
masters Department at S125 per month.
can assure my friends and the public general