The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-11-16


the arms they had won In Battle, and Which
they had borne so long with honor. As they
stack those arms. they cast their eyes upon
breaking with 4 gfisf unpttefSblA; Sads they
burst unto uncontrollablest tesss-thoae men
!hnoss. IN is @ bold hearts @ had neyeriqnsilsa amid
9Sds we're opposed 20 ti$.-.. They iSre not
now conquered in battle. butsthe lsy down
| their arms. because they scarce nave ssrength
and foot-aore, and cannot longer march, Obi
| II was a most piteous, moving sight-epough
| to make the angels weep. Where waa the
glory OF that victor,2 Had the leader OF that
| Immense host had the feelings of msgna-
! nimity which ought TO animate all, true SOL
diers, he would have marched mis- army to
Washington, and demanded that fun, COM
| tion be granted to tho men who had givon such
| unmistakable evidence Of devotion to truth,
honor and right.
Appomattox Court House. and for . moment,
| in his heart, believe that the followers OF
Robert E. Lee were traitors or rebels. But,
| my comrades, the "victor" ON that occasion
meaning OF the word ''magnanimity." much
less of the sentiment. Talk OF Granite mag
| nanirlity on that occasion, in concediDg the
terms that he did to General Lees demandsi
l scout the idea. General Lee went to that
interview with tho firm resolve to out his way
out with the small remnant left, il terms were
not granted him deemed honorable in war
Grant saw the blue mountains not far ofI-ne
had sad experience of what that little army
was capabic-he was afraid General Lee
might make his way into those mountains,
and then he would loee the supreme glory OF
termnatir the war by the surrender to him
| Of his great antagonist, and he granted the
| terms, without which he could not have pro-
cured that surrender. Call you this magma
| nimity? But it is said he prevented General
Lee from being prosecuted for treason. he
had, then, fortunately Tor him, mentor who
| forced the idea into his dull brain, that his
| own honor and glory were in some way con-
| lato tho parole granted General Lee and his
| soldorr, and he acted in accordance with the
| suggestions made to him. That mentor has
since gone, and VIII at has been his course, as
| the head Of powerful government. towards
General Lee and his followers2 Compared to
what has been done to our people, it would
have bcen mercy to have hung all our lead
| crs. civil and military, and then granted
peace and amnesty to the masses. Jefreys,
himself, could not have devised more exquisite
| torture and cruelty than has been infict cd on
| all our people.
From that field at Appomattox, where the
vast superiority OF tho Southern man and
soldier over the Northern was made 80 mani
fcst to the dullest comprehension, there went
up vow to degrade and humilia,e into the
very dust the race which had proved itself so
far above its conquerors in all the elements
| OF genuine manhood. Death could not do it,
| for the slaughter Of heroes could but make
/
sary for me to specify the hellish devices
| which have been adopted TO carry out the
firm resolve to break and cower the spirit Of
our people, or show how they are now in con-
| stant operation? Let the state OF things in
your own State. down-trodden under the feet
OF your former slaves, and Of their far worse
coadjutors, the carpet baggern and native
| reneyades with martial law in existence in
many quarters, tell the talel
Thnt great philosophio historian, Gibbon,
tells us. in speaking Of the heathen Emperor
Of Rome. Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, that
"he was severe to himself, indulgent to the
imper rfections Of others, just and beneficent
to all mankind. He regretted that Avidius
Cassius, who excited rebellion in Syria. had
disappointed him, by a voluntary death. Of
tho pleasure Of converting an enemy into a
friond; and he justified the sincerity Of that
| sentiment by mOderating the zeal OF the Se-
nate against the adherents OF the traitor"
| Compare the sentiments and conduct OF that
heathen ruler. Of a heathen people, with
those Of the head of this free, enlightened
| Christian republic and his Senate and follow
ers, aud what must bc the Judgment?
As, at Apponlattox, the vast inferiority Of
| Grant to Gen. Leo. as q military commander
was made most manifest, 80, at tho head Of q
powerful nation, his utter deficiency in all the
| elements of that true grandeur OF soul, go
c,n.picuously displayed in retirement by his
great antagonist, has been most signally de-
monstrated-th.c career OF the two, respective
ly, thus furnishing another illustration OF the
| fact, that
''pigmies are pigmics still. though perch'd on
Alps.
And pyramids arc pyramids in vales.'
We are sometimes told that we must turn
our backs upon the past. forget all our che
rished traditions. ideas and principles, and
fall in with the progressive spirit OF the age,
singing pmahs to a regenerated and re-invi-
gorated Union-that we submitted our cause
to tho arbitrament OF arms. and the decision
WAS against us-and that tho highest luw
which can exist is that established by force OF
| arms.
That tho red-handed conqueror. with his
foot upon the necks Of his victims. or the
armed robber on the highway should assert
such monstrous doctrine as this is not to be
wondered at; but when it comes from the man
who, while struggling for the right, has been
compelled to yield to the force Of arms in an
unequal contest the mantle-I had almost
said OF charity, but will say-of oblivion
should bo allowed to fall over the weakness tn at
cannot resist the temptations or adversity.
| fear there are too many prone to adopt the
maxms OF prudence which, ae Burke says,
when carried too far, degenerates into "rep-
tilo virtue"
My comrades, much !cose !.cSn.Ss has been
used, by friend as we'll foe, upon this sub-
ject OF submitting our rights to the arbitra-
ment OF arms; but, in no sense can the South
ern states be said to have submitted their
| f.o k1aT INT 49,