The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-06-07
COLU,MBIA, IS. G..
Tuesday Morning, June 2, 1870.
no sarcnsm-our Sentiments.


much in the vein of sarcasm. When q
writer's irony is accepted literally by one
and perverted by another, it is time for
him to consider whether, after oil, it is
not best for him to use ''plain talk" IN
some remarks we recently made Gin the
style ironicaI," and which were designed
to be harmless and to excite nobody's
ire, it seems that we hurt somebody. We
beg pardon. Our Sumter cotemporary,
the Me,Ds. intimates that we prefer 'liv-
ing asses" to "dead lions," and tho
Charleston Republican thinks that it de-
teots in our pleasantly sportive article"
"certain vein which seems to Indicate
that the writer believes what he says OF
the greater self-sacrifice 'of the good old
days." Whereupon, the Republican, to
ease our mind and make us more COM
Portable, remarks that we have just as
good men as Curtius, Eneas, or Cam
bronze, and adds: "We question if any
of those ancient worthless ever faced
death with frmer spirit than Lyon, or
Mcpherson, or Stonewall Jackson" 1t
becomes necessary, therefore, for US "to
explain our thoughts" We will say,
thon, that the story of Curtius conveys
q noble moral and lofty spirit of self
sacrifce-that the classic sentiment,
s.it is honorable to die for ones country"
illustrates that feeling of patriotic feryor
which made up much of what was grand
in the Roman character; and that the SEN
timent attributed to Conference.-The
Old Gunrd dies, but does notsurrender
is full of soul, as embodying the resolute
spirit of the martyr, who grandly con-
sents not to survive q lost cause. Nor
can the Republican teach us the lesson of
appreciation of those who foughtor blcd,
or wrought or died for country, in the
late war between the States. Doubtless,
the North had its heroes, and we desire
to pluck not O single leaf from the
wreath which encircles brows either of
the living or dead. We know and we
feel that the South had them-men and
women-living and dead-officers and
privates. And we are sure that neither
can furnish brighter examples than the
South did of quiet heroism, of noble
daring, of self-sacritcing devotion. And
we may add. that no historian, however
able and eminent, will be able to associ-
ate with dishonor the names of those
Southern men who upheld, in the forum
or the field, the late Confederate cause.
When the impartial historian, rising
above the mist of passion and prejudice,
shall write q truthful history of the late
great war between the States in this
land, that history will be unlike both
Pollard's and Swinton's. He will do
Justice alike to South and North. He
will not hold that the North fought 10
free the African, or that the South
fought to perpetuate his slavery; but he
will trace the uprising OF each to that
noble sentiment, which loads people to
maintain in arms rights which they
hold to be theirs and secured by solemn
covenant. And the historian, doing
ample justice to each party, and recog-
nizing the high character of the motives
that controlled the actions of the honest
on either side, will, with one hand, lay
a tribute on the Confederate grave, and,
with the other, not withhold an equal
honor to the resting place of the Federal
soldier. And we may add, let the North
meet the South on these grounds-let
the North not distrust the homo and the
avowals Of the Southern whites--let the
North understand that deception and
hypocrisy are not elements in the South
ern character, and then may we expect
once again to have genuine restoration
of those feelings, which once united in
cordial union even Massachusetts and
South Carolina. But let the North con-
tinue to carry out the reconstruction
programme of seeking to invest the
Confederate cause and its upholders
with odium-let the North continue to
fight us, in peace, by hostile Legislation
and ungenerous requirements. and the