The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-11-19
Tho Good Old Rebel on a Tear.

BErcuER in his Sunday sermon i'll Ply
mouth Church dilated upon the Cuban
troubles and atrocities. In the course OF his
exccration of the crueltics Of the CuhanS he
could not let the opportunity pass for the
indulgence of the self-rightcouS spirit which
ever crops out of hypocrisy. lie oiled him.
self after the following fashion:
"Not in the anguish Of our great stru9-
gle, thanks be to God. did this nation ever
perpetrate one single act Of cruelty. In all
the million of men that stood arraycd against
each other. not single man was ever slain rs
pepalty for treason and ] think il Is the
glory of our country. Yet there were cmis-
sarics spread among us to poison our clothes
and faint them with disease; men were sent
with torches to fire our cities and yet I'M
der such acts of provocation we find no re-
cord of cruelty on the part OF our Govern
mcnt toward its enemies
Now, then, the malice of the sclfrishteous
man percolates through this scli.complaccncy
i'm the illusions to torches > and "polson,'
| which, so far as they arc intended Us i sur
upon the pcop!cand Government ofthe South
during the civil war, arc base calumny,
which no man fit to teach religion and vlr-
tue from the pulpit would be guilty OF.
Nay, 30 one but servant OF the devil
would become the proclaimcr Of so base Il
libel upon generous people.
But good rebel in this mornings DIS
patch leaves little to the sclf-c0mplacency OF
Mr.. BEEcuER mud those who entertain his
sectional preiudiccs. We invite the attcI-
ton of such persons to the tremendous III
dictmcnt he draws against the Government
relative to the civil war. 1t is not ani>s
that in examining into the conduct and
crucltics of other peoples we should not for
get our own shortcomings. Intended for
the Cuban question. it well meets the self
righteous Misrepresentation OF REECHEE
pronounced from the p"Ipit in Il discourse
upon the same subject.
And now let Us say word to the point
The Indictment Of our correspondence.
disputablv truc-concerns matters that have
floatcd by and are not now within the reach
Of correction or redress. They were Incl.
dental to our civil strife. Upon the foreign
question they have no direct bearing. As
grievous Us they were, aud rs much is they
arouse sense of wrong when recitcd, we
ali know that we live under one Govern
ment, which it is our duty to sustain, and
furthermore, to improve i'll every way we
can.
1t is Our duty, moreover. to look upon the
wrongs we remember as the wrongs OF men,
not of the laws and the Constitution. The
men are ephcmcral and must soon die. The
principles Of government live forever. Let
lis hope that they will be revived in all their
Justice and grandeur, and let Us combine
with the Just and patriotic Of all sections in
giving them this new life and bcnctccncc.
As Americans VIC should feel bound to
aid or Government in publishing wrongs
like those we have suffered, if there be
wrongs like them committed by any foreign
nation against the United States.
As to the questions about Cuban atroci-
ties now discussed, We should all. rs faithful
citizens. consider them with reference to the
national interests and honor and to the de-
mandS Of justice and humanity. AS our
CORRESPONDENT seems to admit that the Cuban
atrocities are very great, he should in this
spirit 60 for Furnishing them. At all events
we suspect that bis suggestions will do more
to stimulate the measures for the punish
mcnt of the Cuban authorities than to in
ducc counivancc at their atrocities. We
may quarrel and have Lard knocks at home.
but we have not yet reached Il point in the
nations history when part Of the country
will join the foreign enemy in fighting the
common government of the country. Mas
sachilSctts came nearer doing that at one
time than any other State has ever come !;
but even she, while refusing to rejoice in the
national victories. did not aid the enemy.
We do not understand our correspondent
as going even SO far us Massachusetts went.
and we mean no reflection upon him. On
the contrary, we are convinced that he
would heartily rejoice over all Of our na
tional victories in Il foreign war. He cXcr-
cises the right TO speak his mind. But he is,
nevertheless, an American.
If Wur comes of the Cuban troubles. the
South will be is earnest and Us active for the
national defence as any other part of the
Union.
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