The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-01-20
evening State Sol'r,lal.
FRIDAY EVENING, JAN. 20, 1871.
SPIRIT OF THE MOURNING Pamss

ia an article intended oy our nelgnoor u
explain away or smother the real object o
the movers in the Elder portrait business
when it says:
The negroes in the Senate of Virginia OPP
posed the purchase of Elders portrait of Gen
eral Lee, which nobody was surprised at. II
mattered nothing. Mr.. Massey moved that q
portrait of General Thomas be also put up In
the capital, and the negroes of course favored
that. Massey's trick was merely partisan. lie
knew that it would not go down with the Sen.
ate, and be did not want it to 60 down. The
JOURNAL, true to Radical hypocrisy, lets on
that it is grieved at the wrong done to the
memory of General Thomas and the injustice
of the Legislature in declining to honor
Thomas while honoring Lee. We are more
surprised at some Northern papers, the Tribune
among them, following the lead of the negroes
and Massie in this matter.
The Journal did not say one word in
support of the proposition to purchase a
picture of Gen. Thomas and place it in
the Senate Chamber--even though we
know it would have the effect Rabelais
tells us the portrait of the French monarch
had upon Edward of England, and be
saving in physc to the Conservative Sena-
tors. We objected to the name of Thomas
being brought up at all, only to be SUBJ
iected to insult and indignity. The country
will take care of the fame of Thomas and
Scott, and other great Virginians, who
have deserved well of the nation while it
will not object to the people of Virginia
paying the highest honors to those whose
memory they revere; but il was the AMI
mus of this thing of which the people will
complain. 4
Everything is done in a defiant spirit,
and for the purpose of arousing the SUM
bering passions of partisan and sectional
hate. 1t is not because these men loved
Lee so much, that they do this thing, but
because they hate the Union more. And
it is not so much a desire to do honor to
General Lee, as it is to advertise them
selves into notoriety as the vestals Of his
fame, that prompts the medesomeness of
these hypocrtical worshippers at his
shrine. We said the fame of Lee would |
keep till calmer times, but some of those
who admire him act as if they were afraid |
it would not last half a year. We are no |
hypocrite in this or any other matter.
Our admiration for the great Confederate
General is honest and sincere, and, there
fore, we regret the indiscreet course of these |
people who are building up popularity for
themselves at the expense of this good
mans fame. They are OVERRIDING the
thing, and inviting a reaction. If the
Dispatch wants model for statue of hy-
pocrisy, it must take one of these pre-
tended admirers, who are constantly bow
ing before the image of the hero, sthat
they may be seen of men," and advertise
their goods for SALE
The following paragraph from the
article in the Dispatch exactly fits these
advertisers" who would rise to fortune
by crawling in the dust before living
heroes, or by sitting in sackcloth among
the ashes of departed greatness:
"rhe honors paid to men spring from SEN
timent, the admiration of noble traits and gal
liant deeds, the unbought and spontaneous ila-
pulse of the public mind. Great are those
honors when prompted by this noble motive.
When it comes to that, that men bow and
crawl before power and bestow their applause
through fear, or to win favor, their applause
will be contemplate, and those on whom they
SLAYER will fully appreciate their base hypo-
crisy. They will be justly rewarded with con.
tempt and further oppression"
That is hard hit lat the majority 10 the
Senate. Yes /; let such honors be the
spontaneous tribute of peoples admira-
ton, affection and respect, and not a mere
tick of the politicians to exalt their own
virtues and win votes. The people ought
to have bought Elders portrait by sub,
scrption out of their own pockets,-and
then it would have been sacred from par
tisan pollution, and no political capital
could have been made on either side.
Everything indicates that the Democrats
in the South desire to taunt the people of
the North until they force another con-
fict It would seem as if we were never
to have peace,--and we really believe,
they are anxious for the military reoccupa-
ton of this section, and its government by
proconsuls In colonial times the South
ern States preferred 1.-THE rulers sent them by
England.
The Wing, like another Dioganes, is
trimming its lamp to go through the land
in search of honest men for office. That,
it declares to be the great need of the
times. We thought we had honest mon
in Office in this State, and we know the
Federal government is in the most trust
worthy hands that have directed its helm
since the days of old Zack Taylor, and he,
brave old warrior that he was, was too
honest to live long in the corrupt atmos-
phere of Washington. But General Grant
is younger and tougher soldier, though
not better, and will probably last through
his eight years.
The Whig, in the course of its remarks,
denounces that growing evil, the abuse
of every body by the press who does
not happen to agree with its conductors,
and which, it argues. not only serves in
many instances to bring the office into
public contempt, but in other instances to
serve the purposes of those who are
abused, by making them martyrs to per-
secution, and thus endearing them still
more to their supporters and worshippers
1t says:
We say this practice, incident to all free
governments of abusing public officials whose
politics are offensive to their assailants, or
whose public course, on any other account, is
disapproved, is fagrantly demoralizing; and
demoralzing for the one main reason that such
clamors disturb the popular sense of right and
wrong, erect barriers of prejudice not easily
broken down, and enable dishonest men,
who are really perverting the powers and OPP
portunities of office, to set up plausible pre-
tensions as martyrs, whenever their corrup-
tions are exposed and denounced. The people
hear so often the cry of "wolf, wolff" SO of
ten hear men bitterly villiied as towards,
thiavaa and aseassins. W HON thew find on close |