Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1874-02-06
EnESH CAIIMNIES.

50 OF @ common q dutiy, ''h0'
Sc execution of the abolition Of slavery
90 the Union will be restored just as
This remark was made to us at APP
pomattox Court House, on the 9Th OF
April 1865, by distinguished Federal
General, with whose Adjutant General
we were arranging for the. formal sur
render and discharge Of the troops OF
Wilcox's Light Division Our dissent
n his remark = checked the enthusiasm
with which he was contemplating the
elories of the restored Union, and the
progress and happiness OF a united
people. Almost forgetting the amlca-
BILE relations in which we stood,
frown taking the place of the smile
with which he made the remark, he
rather harshly desired to know upon
what we based our opinion. we
promptly replied that if Generals LEE
ant GRANT, and SIBERIAN and JOHN
so--. and those who had won and lost
the fight conld adjust the troubles pc
tween the North and South, we might
agree with him. But unfortunately
reconstruction would be transfered from
the field to he cabinet, from the sol
die: to the politician. Those who had
saved the Union with their swords
would now give place to those who
had sought to destroy it with their
tongues.
We separated disagreeing as much
at the close, IS at the beginning Of orr
interview.
Nine years have passed, and time
has proved how correct our view OF
the matter was. Reconstruction * yet
incomplete, and it seems as If the dom
INFANT party was determined to make 1t
an issue in the next national campaign
Yet we were only partially correct.
TIE soldier has been as harsh in his
Judgment, ana az relentless IL hls
administration as the politician. lie
who received the surrender of General
LEE, and who reported the southern
people as legal to the Government,
aud quietly and peacefully at work to
restore their shattered fortunes, was
captured by the extreme politicians by
the tempting offer of the Presidency.
a0,i has stained his reputation as a
great soldier by The fendishnesa with
which lie has welded the civic scepter
over helpless people. Logan, But
Ter, Geary, Hawley and hundreds of
other political soldiers followed tLeir
leader into this safe warfare with more
zest than they had advanced against
the same men when in line of battle,
and with much greater success.
Then we can never forget the mill
tary administrations Of Generals
Meade. Sichles, and Candy in the
South. Those days VIII never be for
gotten, even after the whole country
will desire to have the hateful record
blotted on. Every petty subordinate
WIGS faithful to the bai1ests OF his
superior, and the Southern people were
ruled by an irresponsible military deE
! potism.
| Even now when the politicians be
| gin to think it is time to "unioad" ,ani
get rid OF some OF the political mon
strosities with which the Radical part,
! has cursed the country. We find Gen
eral Mcdowell still holding up South
era 1isloyaltF and liscontent as mon
ster il, hgobiins against any reduction
| of the :-rnly. In his recent testimon,
before the House Committee on Mill
tary Affairs, he declared that any re
duction would be unsafe. lie asserted
''Trere was much opposition in III:
South against the General Government
aud It would be difficult for the civ
authority to execute the laws in SOM,
portions of the South if not not for til;
presence. Of the military
We suppose General Mcdowell! coIlt
| not get a carpet-bagger, or even ;
miserable scalawag, the lowest orde
of social beings IN onr midst, to cen
firm his statements. We i,;.l suppose,
at this late day that persons who pro
fessed to have any regard for thei
character would hardly venture an,
| such assertion.
If we could meet Our Appoinatto,
General now we should as2. him t;
permit IS to withdraw our endorse
mcnt Of the Federal soldier.