The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-02-27
THE LAST OF THE NOHTla Ga.
rsOLINA GUERHzEE.AS.

During the last gear or two of the rebel
lion, when the fortunes of the 'c0nfcd-
eracy" commenced to totter and its near fall
was apparent, the boast was made that
their armies would never surrender, but
would, the rather, retire to the rocks,
mountains, rayines and Businesses, and
there carry on bitter, relentless, and, ms
far as might be possible, an DISCRIMINATING
guerrilla warfare against the Union.
Whether such an idea was ever entertained
by the southern leaders is now difficult to
ascertain. The probabilities are that it
was suggested to both the north and south
at about the same time, originating in the
success of the guerrilas in Mexico, or
rather from the want OF success on the part
of the government of that country in sup
pressing their operations. BE this as 1t
may, when the time came forsuch warfare,
the southern armies quietly surrendered, re-
turned to their homes and lived peaceably
only when they-and we believe the late
confederate soldiers had little or nothing to
do with it-were engaged in ku-kluxing
some citizen of northern birth or a negro
who,perhaps unfortunately, possessed more
ability and talents, and was better educat.
ed than they were. The subsequent history
of the south and southwest, however. has
proved that If the confederate soldiers had
been desperate enough and had been led by
adroit and daring cbieftlans, they could
have waged a warfare which would have
been almost intermnable. The cOnfeter-
ate soldiers, as it proved, had had enough
OF exposure, danger and fighting, while the
officers, who would have made the acts of
their followers a terror TO all peaccable set
tiers, were the first TO give in their adhesion
to the Union. The safety and success
with which their operations could have
been carried on, is shown by the exploits of
that small band of railroad robbers. who
have made such havoc in Kansas, Nebraska,
and Missouri. They swoop down, like
hawks, on train ofcars, rob it and its pas
sengers of all yaluablcs, and then retire to
some OF the mountain Businesses, where
pursuit is well nigh impossible, and its ap
of affairs is to continue cannot be foretold.
1t is probable that it will be ended only by
combination of those circumstances,
which men call luck.
Our attention was drawn to this subject.
by the shooting, a few days since of
Steve Lowery, the last of that notorious
gang of guerrillas or bandits. The exploits
OF this gang remind one, forclbly, Of the
oil romances in reference to the highway
robbers OF England-not those who called
themselves gentlemen" but of those who
robbed and murdered all who came within
their reach. This, to be sure, the Lowerys
and their gang did not do by any means.
In his second inaugural, Abraham Lincoln.
speaking of the war and of slavery, said if
God wills that it continue 'until every
drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be
paid by another drawn with the sword, as
was said three thousand years ago, so it
still must be said, The judgments of the
Lord are true and righteous altogether
and, in another place he quotes that passage
Of scripture, this time referring only to
human slavery, closing with these words
''but woe to that man by whom the oifense
comcth." We do not propose to consider
here the doctrine of compensation or the
unerring fulfllment of the prophetic
language of the bible, although a most
powerful argument might be drawn from
the course of this miserable gang of out
laws But for the existence of slavery,
they would have suffered no wrongs,
would not have made themselves outlaws,
and would not have stepped their hands In |