Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1870-04-08

such destruction of discipline in the Con-
federate armies that General Longstreei
reported in December, 1864, that in
single day out of 200 men there were
400 confined in the guard.housc for de-
sertion; by such mismanagement OF the
commssariat that there were Confeder-
ale soldiers actually starving. while
there was grain rotting i'll depots from
which the Government had neglected 10
remove it, and the enemy was constant
y exclaiming his surprise mt the richness
of subsistence i'll every district he invad-
ed by physical exhaustion so premature
! " and wantonly brought about that but
two months before the surrender 9th OF
February. 1869 Gen. Lee had written in
an official report that must now remain
the clear and everlasting condemnation
of the authorities towhom it WAS address
ed-"our resources fitly and vigorously
employed are dmplcn'
Such were the things that conquered
the Southern Conlcderacy. The theory
that il fell under the accumulation of the
superior numbers of the North, sounds
pleasantly TO the vanity of The South, and
imprcsses the vulgar imagination, which
is apt, in mere statistical parallels or in
coarse estimates OF numbers, to seek the
solution OF the most intricate problems.
| The truth must be told or it will tell
itself eventually. TO the increased disas.
ter of those who would suppress it. No
matter what may be the oStcntation and
sclf.praisc of our times, the complace nj
phrases OF gallant struggles. &c, it is
certain that in future history it will be in.
glorious for the South that it failed in
cause where il had so many advanta-
gcs, and where the judgment of the world
had reasoned a pri0ri that il would sue
ceed Again and again has tins writer
! intorposed his pen TO avert this condem.
nation of history on the South, and To
point out the true cause of itS failure in
! the unworthiness and paltrincsS OF the
government OF Jefferson Davis, misem.
ploying the resources OF the South, de.
moralizing at last its people, and finally
giving it, a despairing and broken-heart.
ed prey, To itS enemy. To be sure he
has had small thanks for doing this. But
he is in no impatience or hurry he can
wait the judgment of posterity; and he
had far rather he known by it as the
Apologist OF the South than as the
paucgyrist of Jefferson Davis.
The emergency amounts to thiS-that
there is no possible hypothesis to save the
people of the South from the shame that,
in the reflections of time, will assuredly
fall on then surrender. except that their
efforts were enfceblcd, and diverted from
their proper efforts by n bad government.
Jefferson Davis was the prime source Of
their weakness-thc ca'isu culSaHS Of ths
failure. This theory yindcatcs the people
of the South, reinstatcs them in the
esteem Of the world and Of future history.
1t is the only possible mode OF extricating
the South from the dishonor of great
and unlookcd.for failure; and Il Is the
/ truth. Yet it is II somewhat bitter ~.
/ Election that the Southern writer's who
have pointed out this truth, who have
afforded an explanation that indicated
their countrymcn. and who have used their
pens braycly aud aifcclionatcly in their
behalf, have been decreed by shallow
newspapers as villiiying the South, and
going back upon their own people,
simply because OF chcir descrtion of Mr..
! Davis. This injustice has never dis.
turbed the present writer from doing his
du,y-saviug the historical reputation OF
the people oi the South, by the only mode
of saving it; that is. by pointing out the
cause of their failure in the errors and
shortcomings of the government which
they imposed upon themselves. The folly
of Jefferson Davis is the key 10 the
mystery of The failure of the Southern
Coniederacy-th yindication of the
people of the South. In no sense can il
ever be the shame or dishonor of these
(whateycr may be the Interpretation OF
silly sentimentalists y for it is the mis-.
fortune ever of the best cause and OF the
bravest times served byunworthy leaders;
nor have they for this unhappy accident
suffered in the estimation of the world,
but rather obtained therefor its generous
allowance and sympathy.
Gen. Grant, however we may esteem
him. us commander, superiorto McClel'
Ian, has but small honors rs Il conqueror.
Let it be said in Justice TO him that in the
opening of the year 1864 he fought against
advantages ut which Mcclellan would
have been appalled,; that the Confederacy,
at least in Virginia, was far stronger than
to compel him than it was to drive Nc
Clcllan from Manassas or from York"
town; that he fought Lees army with
decision, with spirit, and with something
of success. So tar, the comparison be-
tween himself and Mel Clcllan may be held;
and here it ends. While Grant was
pounding away" insi'lious causes in
tervened at least to anticipate him; and
while the Northern General was doing his
hest in the field, there was black hand
laid warmly on the vitals Of the Con
federacy, slowly COMPRISING the life out