The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-11-26
Beast Butler Crazy.

theory, with q certain class OF politicians,
that foreign war, in which the Johnny
Rebs" and "Boys in Blue" might fight side
by side, would bring the North and South
together, and efface, instantaneously, the
bloody memories of the war between the
States, The idea was wild one at the
best; one founded upon thorough mis-
conception Of the temper and spirit of the
Southern people. Yet it had q host Of advo-
.cates, and in New England was especially
popular.
The soldiers OF the Confederate armies
were not mercenaries, ready to bear arms in
any quarter Of the glcbe where pay ives
high and promotion rapid. Towards the
end of the war the monthly pay of pri-
vate soldier iii he got iD would not cover
the cost Of soleing on old shoe, and q years
pay would not buy q new jacket Of gray
The soldiers, however. fought as desperately
and as cheerfully as though the quartermas-
ter's funds were all in greenbacks, and, sus.
tanned by their love OF country, bore unmur-
muringly the acutest bodily suffering. Money
could not bring men Of their stamp to the
plane upon which they stood during the
weary.years OF war. They battled for their
homes, for their wives and their children, for
constitutional liberty; and when the strug-
gle was ended, and the starry Southern
cross, sank below, the crimson horizon, the
work OF the men,-who survived was not to
shed more blood, but to till the soil, to WELD
| the hammer, to earn bread for themselves
and those dependent upon them. No gaudy
uniform or specious promise, would have
tempted the true Southron to enlist in o new
war; whether against Maximilian in Mexico,
or the sea-girt Empire which the Confede-
rate people had little cause to admire. Nor
would love aof fighting lead then, where a
more substantial argument failed. The
Southern soldiers took up arms because it
was their duty; and, il ever again it becomes
their duty to fight o public enemy, they
will be no more backward in bearing their
part OF the common burden than they were
in the first revolution or or'upon the plains Of
Mexico. va
1t is nov five years and more since the
surrender of the Confederate armies, and
whatevey General Butler may think, the South
ern people have no stomach for fighting; far
less are they disposed to encourage the hero
of Bermuda Hundreds in his impression
that they are longing "to fight once more
under the starry folds Of the old flag" This
is childish folly. The Southern people do
not care sixpence for.the old flag. There
is no sentiment in the matter. The flag is
not hated-nor is it loved. Yet, as il is the
only Rag that we have, the South does not
desire to see it besmirched by either q for
eign enemy or treacherous politician. 1t is
the only general emblem Of the country in
which We live, and, now that our own
bonnie flag is furled, the stars aud stripes
will answer our purpose as we'll as any
other banner.
The crowningt argument of General But
Ter, however, is that the war which he advo-
Gates would bring US all together again,
.t'yith one flag, one country and one des-
'tiny," and that this would be worth call
'the loss OF blood and treasure" which a
foreign war would involve. II General But
ler bein earnest there is "a way of accom-
plishing h:s,laudable purpose more surely,
and more speedily, than by war at any
price. The South is a part OF the United
States. & For years it has been the ifootstool
Of politicians like General Butler: 1t has
been! kicked and buffeted upon all occasions,
retaining only the poor privilege OF paying
its quota to the, expenses, Of the general
Government. Now, if General Butler will
set to work to change all this; if he, and the
rest of the; Radical politicians, will treat the
South as they treat New England and the
West; if they will pass laws which are ma
tional and not sectional; if they will give
the South . share of the pleasures as well as
the pains of the Union; if they will cease to
maliSn, bully and SANDER our peoplc-the
tone ofthe South will soon change. and in
the course of a few years we may have
something OF the unity OF feeling and COM
mon brotherhood, which General Butler pro-
fesses to desire. This would involve moth
ing more than little magnauimity and
justice on the part OF the Northern leaders.
The brave can afford to be generous and
the hero of New Orleans and Dutch Gap
might condope the past and make bright his
future, not by prating about war, but by ad-
vocating steadily and persistently liberal
and unsellish policy towards the States Of
the South. - z.' .,.',. ......t.. : r..
.'- X. ..'---ss'. sz'--'-- y 49,
No HONEST man will object to an investi-
cation OF the affairs OF the Blue Ridge Rail-
road. We should like; to know something
about the $4,000, 600! of, bonds guaranteed
by the State; how it was, proposed to nego-
tiate them with German bankingg-house :in
New York; how the negotiation was. .nipped
inthe bud; and how much blame, or praise,
attaches to- Governor Scott in the whole
BUSINESS! The whole eventful history re.
u ~