The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1867-10-09
" National Monuments. y

ymphatic oracles of Northern opinion
Even that canny Scot. James Gordon
Bennett, who delights in misery as some
midnight hag delights in hell-broths, be-
meath the glimpses of the yellow moon
even Bennett is seized with CONSERVATION
and reddens to the very roots of his hair at
this legitimate result Of an unholy and
diabolical war. He says:
Chow long are We to bow our heads in
shame whenever national event like An
tetam calls for the broad minds of rea,
statesmen to give it a tone Of which we
may be proud? How long are we to enter
tain the representatives of foreign Powers
with sights like that which have made An
Iietam disgrace, and which have reflected
that disgrace throughout the world as a re-
proach against the republicanism Of which
we boast? We must have change. Such
scenes as Antietam has given US are the
best proof that nothing but change will
save us. Our march to corruption and all
the vileness of representation that clings
around it, has been in keeping with the
pace we have travelled in all that Of which
we boast. The career is a mad enc and
threatens ruin. Let it not be forgotten
that the Roman empire was born when the
Roman republic lost all respect for the in
telligence and virtue of its rulers. Finding
that they have not the capacity to project
and carry to successful issue great meas
ures of craftsmanship, they descend to a
war for the spoils; they minele personal
and revolutionary animosities in every act;
they even in national graveyard quarrel
over the corpses of the men who fell in de-
Tense ofthe country"
The Federal soldiers who sleep at Ante
tam should be honored by their people and
respected by their enemies even. for bra
very ceases to be partisan when death has
set it's seal npon the brow and heart. That
they should be gathered together and ten
derly deposited in mother earth; that they
should have the decent rights of sepulture,
reposing beneath the greenest yerdue aud
eentlest flowers; that the ground they
fought and fell upon should be sacred-no
Christian man will deny these things to the
people of the North and their departed
troops. But while copceding thus much
it can never be forgotten by the Southern
people that many Of those soldiers were
hirelings; that they dealt murder without
one sciotilla of principle or patriotism; that
those who fought for the restoration OF the
Constitution and the Union were deceived
that the bones of Southern heroes have
been turned up by the ploughshore or permit
ted shallow graves only to be marked with
derisive epitaphs, Remembering such things
we deem it but appropriate justice to hypoc.
risy and revenge, that the North should
be bowed with ignominy over the tombs oil
those who persisted vainly and worse than
vainly. This modification would have
been incomplete had it been merely a domes'
tic quarrel; but the degradation of o false
repnblicauism assumes perfect shape when
the representatives Of European lnonarchies
stand grimly by, amused and instructed
witness of dramatic scandal
Had the North been magnanimous at the
close Of the war; had she recognized The
fratricidaI nature # the closed combat as
one worthy Of alt possible oblivion; hae
she rendered the hand Of mercy to this
bleeding and heart-broken people; had sh,
helped gather up the Confederate dead; hat
she shown common honesty with regard t.
1.-THE objects Of invasion; had she manifested
Ieyen.tlie semi-civilized instincts OF a bruta
pugilist-grand and glorious would be th'
destiny of this country, and proud aud las,
ling the triumph Of Reconciliation. Tn
Ihideous satire of Antietam would hav'
|been, under such circumstances. impossible
i while Justice and Mercy pontooned tn
yawpsng chasm Of blood and tears
But very differently did the North de
termine. She proved remoreless, trick
and yindictive. She moved heaven, cart
and hell to perpetuate the memory Q
wrath. She smote the prostrate body
the South and dragged it contumelioasly a
her chariot wheels. She branded thos
who died for their homes and affairs as dog
and reprobates. She committed the ur
paralleIed crime Of degrading q superio
!, race. She bandished hope and love frol
i, the habitations Of man. She wrote fool o
! the tombstones Of her soidiery who die
for Republican liberty.
Under such inspirations it is not woI
J. derful that the North should be dishonore
even in the chornel house. for amen
backward 10 the career Of ambition when r
: venging past otfeuse upon a foe that is
longer formidable
And monuments are to be erected
Gettysburg and Antietanl-ta comment
g rate what? That on those bill tops I'll
= grey line of the Confederacy was thru
!. back by the defenders Of ths CONSTITUTES