The Union and journal., 1870-04-22

W ~ - - ooiiiN"Ihhb btNtei hNhNstioh tsasse
tho Southern writers who have point
ed ont this truth, who have afforded an
explanation that vindicatcd their country
men. and who have used their pens brave
ly and afTcctionatcly in their behalf, have
been decrccd by shallow newspapers rs
villifyng the South, and "going back up
ON" their own people, simply because
OF their desertion of Mr.. Davis. This
injustice has never disturbed tho present
writer from doing his duty--saving the
historical reputation of the South, by
the only mode Of saving IL; that Is, by
pointing out the cause of their failure in
the errors and shortcomings of the gov
crnmcnt which they imposed upon them
selves. Tho folly of Jefferson Davis Is
the key to the mystery of the failure OF
the Southern Confcderacy-tho vindica-
tion of the people Of the South. In no
sense can il ever be the shame or dishon-
or of these (whatever may bc tho inter-
probation Of silly sentimcntalists) for 1t
is the misfortune ever of the best cause
and OF the bravest times served by un-
worthy leaders; nor have they for this
unhappy accident suffered in the estina-
ton of .ho world. but rather obtained
therefor its generous allowance and
sympathy.
Gen. Grant, however we may esteem
him, as u commander, superior to Nc
Clellan, has but small honors rs u con-
queror. Let II he said in justice to him
that in the opening of tho year 1861 he
fought against the advantages Mt which
Mcclellan would have been appalled,: that
the Confcdcracy, Mt least in Virginia, was
far stronger then to compel him than
il WAS to drive Mcclellan from Manassas
or from Yorktown; that he fought Lees
army with decision. with spirit, and With
something of success. So far, tho compare
son between himselfand Mcclellan may DO
held; and here it ends. While Grant was
..pounding away" insidious causes inter-
vcnded mt least to anticipate him; and
while the Northern General was doing his
best in the field. there was u black hand
laid on the vitals of the Confederlcy,
slowly COMPRISING the life out of 1t, and
leaving him only strangled victim to be
carried in his train of triumph.
The Southern Confcdericy was never
conquered by the force of arms. No des-
perate and multitudinous battle decided
its fate. There was no dramatic close; 1t
was the collapse, suddenly andcompletely
prostrate, of thoroughly rotten thing.
Jefferson Davis was not there, in his
speech Mt Rockets in 1861, no promised
he would be-'.wherc the last line of bay
nots was lcvcled;" that clown oftho war,
Bombastes Furioso Wise, did not do, rs ho
once declared he would do, in his colicky
style of or,tory (havinS a habit ofdelivcry
rs IL his oloqucnce cut him across his bow
els)-de in the arms Of CORY on the bat
tle-licld; "thc last ditch" proved blood
less, n slough from which have been bred
creatures with ditch-watcr in their veins,
the toad-eatcrs and dirt-eatcrs of our day.
Tho former ruler of eight millions of
people survives to felioitate himself over
n bargain by which he has sold out his
historical notoricty TO trading company
for $4,000 year, the clown of the war,
having laid aside his features and flint
lock pftols. supcrcntcncts n gift enter.
prise of "real diamonds and plated ware"
advertised by the certificates of negro bar
bers who have drawn prizes in his lottery;
the man of Atlanta, he ''of the lions heart
and wooden head" sells beans and pota-
toes; Northrop, tho great, has crept sOmc-
where into small hole, and drawn il In
afler him; Mcmingcr, the sorrowful
knight Of the tall black beaver hat, no
,norn enlightens tho world with schemes
of raising national revenues by collect
IONS IN the churches or black bags sus-
pended from the ends of long reaching
poles; the gun-boats that were to have
been built from broken pots and old
horse.shOcs. and the national treasures
that were to be-amasscd of gifts of sugar
tongs and finger rings have passed away
or arc remembered rather rs crazy firceS
than rs classical romances. Into such u
mean grotcsquc show have dwindlcd and
sunk all the theatrical glories ofthe South
ern COnic,ler;,cy. From descent so base
and ludcrous ii remains for tho historian
of the South. mt once faithful and affect
iOnatc to rescue the fame of his country
to show that great cause was lost, not.
indeed. through the weakness or demerits
of the people ofthc South, but that IL was
ruined by the incompetency of leaders
who. in n proper order, should have been
at the rear of its followers, and burlesqucd
hy the follies of its champions who are
thought of now only rs comedians and
chalatans. EDWARD A. POLLARD.
Lynchburg. Va, March, 1870.