American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-05-30
TEE SINNER EULeGy.

w CIV AohNh W ttcN AoA
defending Col. Lamar against What
we conceived to be unjust criticisms
by a portion of the Mississippi
press, the severest of which APP
lpeared in its issue of the 10Th inst,
ut " hicb did not reach us before
our article was written and handed
20 the cOmpositOr. Our valued con-
Temporary makes quite merry over
what it snppOses to be 4 false fig
ure Of rhetoric employed by us,
but is singuially silent as 10 the
logic of the article Well, we may
lie az liable to such errors as any
one else, and if the Democrat is
correct in it's criticism, (Which We
sio not admit it should only serve
IN admOnish as against any future
attempts to oscar" above our level.
Whether the figure was in accord
Nnce with the strict rules of IhetO-
vic or not, it answered our purpose,
and we used it. We did not intend,
however, to rest the strength of eur
article upon its rhetoric, but upon
its logic-the stern logic of right =
and which we are willing to Submit
10 the decision of time.
We have ever admired the bold,
fearless, Independent course Of the
Democrat, and on more than one
occasion have given to lis able and
manly utterances the need of our
pOOr praise, but we can have no
sympathy with the course 1t has
seen proper to pursue towards Col.
Lamar
Believing that the various attacks
made by the press upon our distin-
guished Representative for pro-
nOunclng a euloey on the moral and
mental character of Charles Sum-
nrr, (nOthlng more were calculated
to place him in q false light before
the people, we felt it a duty iucum-
bent upon us, as an old friend, to
shield him, if possible, from their
damaging effects, at least until such
time as he could speak for him
self.
We have known Lucius @. C.
Lamar from his youth up; know
him, perhaps, as but few men in
Mississippi know him; we are ia
aniliar with his views as to the poll
cy of the State and of the South.
We know, further, that his noble,
rhivalrOus heart beats truer to the
Interests of his natal soil than to
its own peace and quietude, and
that his whole purpose in Congress
is to assist in re-instIting our own
section TO her proper position III
the c.,unciIs ct the nation. Know
ing all this, we should have been
false to the obligations of Il life long
friendship had we remained silent
when his character was so uniustly
assailed. We could not believe.
with his traducers, that The mere
fact OF eulogizing the literary ac-
quIrements, scholarly attainments
aud moral integrity of dead add
versary was sufficient ground for
such wholesale abuse. On the con
trary, We regaI ded it as a rare ex-
bibitiOn of magnanimity, which
would have the effect of placing
the South in an attitude to demand
the respect Of the North, and which
might, possibly, lead to the most
beneficial results.
1t is not the first time in the his
tory of nations that such tribute has
been paid to the memory of a dis
tiRguished citizen by a political
adversary; nor was such tribute
regarded as plea for future favor
and patronage, but rather as a
magnanImous recognition Of de-
parted greatness by living antag-
onist. In this light alone do we
view the attitude assumed by Col.
Lamar. The North had lost her
greatest statesman, and very natu-
rally desired a recognition of his
greatness, as an American, from
the South. Col. Lamar was select
ed for this Office, not for any love
of him, but because he having
taken stronger partisan grounds
than any other Southern Represen-
tative, it was thought he could ac-
cept the position without having his
motives questioned by either sec
ton. We confess, it required bold
spirit to do this, but knowing Col.
Lamar 10 be OF the cavalier type,
brave, nagnanimous, "true, tried,
tInsty," we felt satisfied to leave the
delicate matter in his hands. The
eulOky was pronounced, and speed
lily two belnispheres became vocal
with his praise, not simply because
he had paid glowing aud eloquent
tribute to the moral and mental
powers of Charles Summertime life
lopO anomC nf oIIr nccuIiar insf;tu