The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-08-26
jefferson Davis and His Northern

Winnebago County Agricultural Fair, in
Illinois, invited Jefferson Davis to visit
the fair and deliver an address. Mr:
Davis accepted this offer i'll graceful
and courteous letter, saying that 1t would
afford him great pleasure to visit a coun-
try that he had not seen since 1t was a
wilderness. AS soon as the announce
ment was made there were many EXPIRES
sions of Indignation on the part OF those
truly loval men of the North who regret
that the war ended before the destruction
of every citizen in the South. We learn
from Chicago that meeting was held at
Rockford, Ill, by the Grand Army OF the
Republic, at which resolutions were pass
ed to the effect that it was an insult to
the loyal citizens of Winnebago to in
vite the archtraitor Jeff. Davis to address
the relatives and surviving friends OF
thirteen thousand men murdered at An
dersonville alone by his orders" They
saw, furthermore, that they will not at,
tend the fair nor do anything toward
making it a success if the Board brings
forward this "archtraitor and coward"
When we heard that Mr.. Davis had
accepted the invitation to visit Illinois
and deliver an agricultural address we
were gratifed. 1t was kindly thing on
the part of the farmers of Illinois to IN
vite Mr.. Davis. 1t was a courteous thing
for the ex-President of the Contedcracy
to accept it. A good deal of bitterness
that belongs to the recent war unustly
centres around the person of MIR. Davis.
This movement of the Grand Army OF
the Republic is an illustration Of this in
Justice. If Jefferson Davis is an unwel-
come guest at a Northern agricultural
fair then no other Southerner who fought
in the war can be welcomed. We 90 not
see where the members of the Grand
Army of the Republic draw the line be-
tween Jefferson Davis and General Long
street, unless in this that Mr.. Davis pre-
ferred to cherish the convictions with
which he entered the rebellion, while
General Longstreet, with more wisdom
and courage, has accepted the doctrines
of the republican party. Mr.. Davis was
no more responsible for the rebellion in
the South than any one of thousand
other men. In fact, before the war, while
the question of secession was under dis
cussion, he was among the more moderate
of the Southern leaders. There were
twenty members and Senators in the
Congress which preceded the rebellion
more active than Mr.. Davis in bringing
about hostilities and more responsible for
the result. Mr.. Davis and his colleagues
|. in that Congress followed a public opln-
ion in the South, and did not lead it.
Mr. Davis was put at the head OF the
Confederacy simply because he had more
character than most Of the Southern
leaders. Even as it was the Confederate
Congress almost elected Mr.. Toombs, OF
Georgia. The election of Davis was the
expression of conservative sentiment
even in the Southern Confederacy: AS
President of the Confederacy MIR. DAVIS
did his duty as well as he knew how.
He did what any other Southern leader
wollld have done in the same place.
Therefore, to deal with Mr.: Davis as IN
any way more responsible for the rebel
lion than any one Of the conspicuous
men of the South before the war is to DO
him a great injustice and ourselves a dis
credit. -.
The wisdom of Mr.. Davis coming into
a hostile community to deliver a lecture
upon any subject might be questioned:
1t is probably the penalty which nc and
alI men like him who have held supreme
station in rebellion must pay, that he
must accept failure as closing to him any
opportunity for display or advancement.
We think it would have been gracious
thing for the people of Illinois to nave
accepted his act in the spirit which
prompted it. These members OF the
Grand Army of the Republic represent
only the dismal memories of the war:
This organization is known to be political
and secret in its character. Its members
use their army record for selfish political
purposes. The true soldiers of the North
and South have forgotten everything. OF
the past except its glory, and they think
only of their opponents as chlvalrous ana
brave men. We never hear of this Grand
Army of the Republic except when 1t
makes the mischief that is taking place
in illinois. The business of its leaders
seems to be to fan the expiring flame OF
civil wrath and diligently seek Offices.
An act like this in Illinois, this rejection
of the kindness and courtesy OF Mr.
Davis. will do moro toward exasperating
the South and intensifying the bitterness
of feeling which it has long been the aim
of patriotic men, without distinction OF
section or party, to extinguish, than any
thing that has occurred for long time.
There is not a true Southern man who
took part in the Confederacy who Will
not feel that he cannot be welcome IN
anv community which renounces the
President of his Confederacy as an "arch-
traitor and coward" ."-Ncp York HcrG!d.
All Co,Xc oP Dora yronhc