Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1867-01-31


An amusing but forcibIe illustration OIL
the plea made by unrsconstructsd Rebels
for the feadmission Of the Southern, State,
into the Union, without guarantees for thsil
future good conduct, on the plea that tb,
Prodisal Bon was 90 taken back, was givsr
BY Henry B. Stanton the other day at Phil
sdelphis. We commshd his remarks tc
the attention Of the advocates Of mistaken
clemepcy to the unregenerate and unre.
pentapt: .i .,... -.....
A Southern friend Of mine, whom I met
yesterday, coming 10 on the cars, tried &c
convince me that the North was too ssvere,
and be called my attention to the parable Of
the ProairAl Son; and have since turned
the parable over in my mind. He said,
You ought to treat the South like the
Prodieal Son was treated. You seem to be
q fair minded man., How would yeu like
to be kept ont of Congress ss you now keen
the South eut2" said to hin, "If
had, after taking an oath to support the
Constitution Of the Uuited States, sene int
rebellion, and struggled four years to break
up the most benefcent Government on earth
phhuk up ucut VI So,VOO,VVu,OVUU, hu0
sending unaRnounced and unannointed to
their last home $50, 900 men, and had failed,
should think i had got well out Of the
dire dilemma with Is cents in my pocket
and an unbrokeu neck" Ny friend still
clung to the Predigal Son. IL is a beauti-
ful parable. and have been coming it over.
You recollsct that the son demanded of his
father bis share of the inheritance, and,
having got il, went into far country, and
spent It 10 riotous living and otherwise. Ia
that / think the parallel between the two
cases is striking The South demsndsd
their share--they took it without the leave Of
the old Federal gentleman; they went into
. far country, and they spent it in rioteus
living and otherwise. But when the prodi.
gal was brought to the busks, you remem.
Der, he said g will arise, and 90 to nv
father, and will say unto him, Father.
have sinned against heaven and in thy sight,
and am no more worthy to be called thy
son. Make me ss one Of thy hired SER
wants. How striking is the parallel in that
respect Laughter and applause, The
South come back. and swageer up 10 Uncle
Sam, and slappinq him on the shoulder say
inruds tones: " How do you do, old fellow
How haveiyou Jared since We have been
gone? Had a pretty hard time of it since
we left2 Where are Stevens and Sumner
Come, let them dust MP the chairs ut the
Capitel, and get them readyl Come, hurry
up the fatted calf; bring out the visnds,
and let 8 eat, drink, and he merry. -
Aud our Democratic friends would
have us spread tho public table, with
the fatted calf smoking thereon, asd have
Wade, and Butler, aud Colfsx, and Phillips.
and Greeley put on their white aprons and
white jackets, and stand behind the chairs,
while Stevens, as head waiter, would say
"Mr. Davis, would you like slice of the
veal we'll done, or rare ?" Laughter. l.
Whereupon, Seward begins to draw the
corks, and Grant to circulate the cigars,
while johnson, the hum lie individual, gives
the fret toast: g Our Southern prodigals |
returned but not repepted they were lost
and are found; they wers dead, but are
alive and kicking againl" Laughter | 4
a. ! rather think our Southern prodieals
will fnd this is not precisely the entertain
msnt to which they have been invited. =
| hHpidusc, D