The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1867-09-18
Southern Loyalists.

of any movement in the history Of the
world, however sacred and holy, however
criminal and wicked, when apparent or
real weakness or defeat gave reason to
adherents to desert, but what the oppor-
.tunity was greedily embraced, and the
converts signalizcd their apostacy by IN
over Jealous affection Tor their new friends
and new cause. Since the avaricious u
das betrayed his Master for thirty pieces
of silver, and the trembling Peter denied
Him, fearing the wrath of His persecu-
tors, there has been no cause or leader,
sacred or profane, when defe.t and over.
throw threatened, but what had many OF
the followers to rcnounce their allegiance
in the hope of reward OF influenced by
fears Of injury to person or properly.
The most earnest devotee in religion !:
the most gallant officer in battle, have
given way under the one or the other OF
the infucnccs-their principles, like Bob
Acres courage, oozing out at the ends OF
their fingers in the face Of defeat. Hon
or among thieves is only possible In the
event Of continued success, and becomes
a myth in the dungeons OF in sight OF the
gallows of outraged law.
The South, in her recent struggle Tor
independence, has proved no exception to
this general rule, and we notice, day after
day, those most stepped in "trcason and
rebellion" who fired the Southern heart,
voted men and money, pledged the last
man and the last dollar, and in fact did
everything but meet the dangers their
cowardfy natures shrank from, now de-
string to offer the property, nay, the blood,
of their more honorable Contederates,
upon the altar Of their unmistakablc 10y
atty. Conscious Of their own pcrhdy,
and doubtful of convincing others Of their
earnestness, they desire, through excess,
to establish the proof Of their position,
hoping by their very intemperance to be
received without the usual probation to
which converts are subjected.
Such men, who have been disgrace to
all ages and every undertaking, have usu-
ally found but temporary benefit from
their conduct. For although in times ct
revolutions good mon may suffer and bad
men rule, the inherent honor and truth
Of man will rise above the petty troubles
of the hour, and exert their sway over
the dcstinies of individuals and Of na-
tions. The base pandcrer to fearand ava
rice will be disappointed, or his temporary
success will only serve to make him the
more notorious victim of outraged honor
and truth.
It is a little remarkable with what
meapre success the Southern renegadcs
have met their windy protcstations of cx-
trcmc and unmixcd loyalty Either from
the character of the men themselves,
their ovcr-eagerncss to make their patrl.
otism pay, or in the present confusion of
political matters, their unblushing efforts
to ride into office upon the shoulders OF
the negroes, the better class of Northern
men openly dcnouncc them, or only re-
flait from doing so in hope of using them
for the purposes of party success.
We were especially struck with this
fact by the open declaration of some OF
the leading speakers in meeting of ex-
officers, soldiers and sailors of the United
States, held in the city Of Richmond Il
few days since. Their objects being po-
litical, Il discussion upon a pending reso-
luton brought out an inquiry into the
prospects OF reconstruction in Virginia,
and the means best to be used in accom-
plishng that object.
Lieut.. Col. Merrill is reported as say
ing, in substance:
s:That he had rather take by tho hand
u Confederate soldier who fought from
honest intentions in Il wrong cause, if he
honestly accepted tho situation, than the
so.callcd Virginia loyalist-cven if he
does have ncwspapcr-who voted for
the ordinance Of secession, and thereby
put the former into service against his
will"
"Col. Esbcrt says he was not in favor
of keeping in Office those renegade Vir-
ripians WHO voted for secession and then
went North as Union shricllcrs in pre-
ference to men who had pcriled their lives
in defence of their country"
Other members of the organization
spoke in the same spirit 1t may suit
tho purposes of calculating politicians to
use these subservicnt tools, but honorable
men, who pcrilcd their lives to maintain
the government, cannot continue in social
and political atfilation with men who
have no claims 10 their respect, and who
will surely contamnate all with whom
they como in contact. Men cannot and
will not forfeit their sclfrcspcct by useless
and distastcfn attempts to cover the base
ness of such characters under the convcn-
lent plea of party necessities, or reward
their crimes by official drains upon the
Federal Treasury. Such characters must
soon stand before their fcllow-mcn stripped
of all their masks, and die and be buried
in the ignominious graves dug by their
own conduct amidst the cXccrations OF
the ignorant people whom they have be-
trayed.
Many of these Southern loyalists have
tl,o, r,,nr ct onpod tho bounds of OIIl-