Columbia democrat and star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1867, 1867-02-20
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..

We can hardly look at it without thinking
''cuss words" or invoking healthy-sized
damn" on the scoundrel whose fendish
brain conceived or whose hand executed the
impious production of diabolical ingenuity.
1t lies before us on the editorial desk,
among papers and letters, clippings and
scissorings, weighing upon our vision, sick
ening our soul-like an ugly nightmare chas-
ing away better thoughts and gentler emo
tions
1t was sent us by friend, with these
words accompanying the gift Respectfully
furnished to the La Crosse Democrdt-taken
by our special artist on the spot.
Let us describe it A little card picture
A mass of dark and heavy clouds-through
an opening in their centre, the noble face of
Washington, wearing that benign and dig
nifed look familiar to every American,
whether boy or man. There are the pow
dered wig, the ruffled shirt front and cuffs,
old-fashioned coat, in his right hand is held
black ,creath, while his left rests-on
ichat2
Not on a Shiny, creeping, loathsome ser
pent-not on some monstrous creation of
iEagination-not on gibbering, grimacing
devil-,1orse than that
The hand clasps the lean, gaunt, repulsive
pictured form of fLincoln-the sombre wreath
is poised above the mocking brow of the
late lamented," who ''shuffled off this
mortal COLI and departed for his eternal
home, wherever that home may be, by
way of Ford's Theatre, Washington, and the
politeness of one j. w Booth
And the ''late lamentedI' The artist has
given to his features sadness and pathos
which is simply ridiculous. He looks up
into the face of the foremost man of our
history, with about as much expression as
would be painted on an idiots face while
gazing upon the sudden apparition of an
angel.
Above the heads of both there is another
cloud opening, and squad of winged be
ings are preparing to receive the Unmatched
couple with the 'honors of war ~
Washington Lincoln!
A statesman linked with boor
A Christian gentleman with an ignorant
clownl
A soldier and patriot with bar-room pol
itician!
Purity with obscenity
Intellect with ignorance!
Light with darkness
The Father of his Country with It's de-
stroyer
An iIlustrious Rebel with an ignoble 10y
alist
Heaven with hell
Looking at the photographs once more,
we see two pictures:
Washington at Valley Forge, the winter
quarters of the Rebel army in 1777. In
huts the poorly-clad and worse-fed rebels,
exposed to the severity of t,rribe winter
pass the weary days, yet strong of soul and
brave of heart, trusting in their great lead
err See him at prayer-deriving consola-
ton and hope from on high, for the comfort
Of the people whose chieftain he is
Lincoln at Antietam, in 1862! He is
riding beside the gallant Mcclellan, over
that field but few days since made pain
fully memorable by the severest battle of
the war Pointing to a spot a short dis
tance away, Mcclellan sadly Observed
There we buried eight hundred noble fel-
owsp Scarcely bestowing look upon it,
with levity horribly contrasting with the
scene before him, Lincoln remarked" Mac,
did you ever hear Major P sing old Dan.
Tucker? " The General, touched to the
soul with so horrible profanity of such a
place, sorrowfully shook his head. Lincoln
called Major P, riding a few rods in the
rear, and insisted upon his singing the song,
and it was done
How do you like the pictures, worship
pers of the martyr? What do you think
of them?
Let US tn!n to the words of the two men
placed by an internal pictorial design in such
proximity. We quote from the Farewell
Address of Washington:
'It is of infinite moment that you should /
estimate the immense value of your
National Union to your collective and indi-
vidual happiness; that you should cherish
n cordial. habitual, and immovable attach
ment to it +; accustoming yourselves to think
and speak of it as the palladium of your
political safety and prosperity; watching for
is p eservation with jealous anxiety dis
whatever may suggest even
suspicion that it can, in any event, be aban-
doned and Indignantly frowning upon the
first dawning of every attempt to allenate
anv portion of our country from the rest,
or to enfeeble the sacred ties which now link
together the various parts.
1.-The basis of our political system, is the
right of the people to make and to alter
their constitutions of Government; but the
Constitution which at any time exists, till
- 4 &c