The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1872-12-12
Ghe Daily Argns,


Mr. summers P6a &C. Making.
Mr.. Summers motion on Monday was
entirely characteristic of him. He has
already and several times avowed the sen
tlment which it puts into form Even those
who sympathize with the sentiment will
regard the proposition as impracticable.
But 1t is to be remembered that Mr.. Sum
ner has before this carried through Con
gress projects which looked quite as i'm
practicable when they were first brought to
the notice OF Congress as this does now.
Mr.. Sumner S wish is to remove, so far as
possible, all national monuments of the
battles of the late war His present
proposition is to expunge the names of
them from the regimental flags and from
the army list Mr.. Sumner has acted
after his kind in the matter, and his col
league, Mr.. Wilson, has acted also after
his kind. There can be no doubt that
the resolution is a generous one, and that
1t comes with special grace from Mr.. Sum
ner. But, after admitting its generosity.
we must ask if it is theoretically the right
thing to do, and, if the answer to that
question is yes, if it is practically worth
while doing it. Both questions, It seems
to us as to Mr.. Sumner, must be answered
in the affirmative. There can be no doubt
and nobody but few demagogues any
longer affect to entertain any, that the war
was war OF the whole South against the
whole North. There were exceptions of
course. But they were and are not worth
noticing. Both North and South were
practically unanimous, and after the war
fairly began there was probably larger
proportion OF secessionists at the North
than OF Unionists at the South. Unless
we intend to make an ireland of the South
we must allow the men who hold the most
influential social positions in the South to
hold the most influential political positions
as well. What has come of separating
social standing and political trust we do not
need to go South to see. New York under
the ring sufheed to show it. The number
OF Southerners now disqualified by Federal
legislation from holding office is already
small and is constantly growing smaller.
We do not speak now of the legislation
which has disqualified them. But all
around them and growing up at their
feet Is population not disqualified in
terms, but none the less disqualified in
effect, West Point used to be an object of
special ambition to Southern youth. How
can 1t be now when the Southern cadet
knows that at the end of his course he is
t., go into regiment whose tradition and
whose trophies are Of victories which were
the defeat OF his own kith and kin? So.
too. with the navy 1t is not without
qualms that the Southerner of the present
generation can serve under the flag which
has been decided, and which he has in
effect acknowledged to be again the flag Of
his country. BY emblazoning on it his de-
teats We force him to transmit that reluc-
lance to his children This may be said TO
be a sentimental consideration and so it
Is, But it is an important consideration
all the same if it makes the difference be-
Sween opening the military and naval ser
vices to men Of Southern birth and breed
ing and closing those services against him