Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1875-02-03
GMAPE sIIoT or CARDS.

GRAPE SHOT on CARDS.
THE Philadelphia Press ofJanuary
18th. in . brief editorial under the
above caption, discourses right to the
point touching Sheridan's kilograms
from Now Orleans, and Secretary
Belknaps replies. The Press takes
the only common sense, honest view
that can be taken. Tho fact is, before
the late cementing Of the Democratic
party North and South, and Democrat
ic victories North, the acts of Sheri.
dan wonld not have caused a ripple
in Democratic circles. But now the
old rebel spirit dared voice itself,
and has taken the first step towards
the overt act of again training its
guns upon the nationa! Capital. One
phase Of this first step, is falsely, mer-
cilessly, aud without the slightest
cause therefor, abusing and bcrating
the gallant officers and soldiers of the
Union in the rebellion. We invite
attention to the article of.the Press.
It says q.
Now that their full effect
has been had, and their force cannot
be broken, we have word to say
about General Sheridsn's famous
"banditti' telegram and Secretary
Belknap's decisive reply, "We al stand
by you," which 40 startled the country
a few days since, and shook with
alarm and apprehension the counting
houses and quiet Newspaper Offices and
luxurious club rooms Of Phiiadelphia
and oil the cities Of the Atlantic coast.
Sheridan and Be;knap are both ex:
Perienced soldiers, trained in the very
beet of military schools-the camp
and the battlefield and they might
be safely let alone to put down . riot
in their own way. But NO; the ama-
teur statesmen of the North, who from
behind their paatepots and scissors 60
glibly instruct Gen. Grant and Con.
gress how to deal with the vexed
Southern question, are also brevet
field Marshals, and undertook with
equal readiness to rebuke the Secre.
tsry of War and the Lieutenant GEN
eral for not quelling riot on the same
principles ~ yon would report q pray
er-meeting or sell yard Of muslin.
Common sense should have taught
any cool, clear-headed man that these
rongh, prompt, determined kilograms
were written, sent and calculated for
the latitude Of riotous New Orleans.
When Sheridan flashed over the
wires his nervous message d electric
- electricity itself, and gave It himself
at the same time to the local rsporters,
it wss intended mot for President
Grant, not for the Cabinet, not for
Congress, not for the business offices
and money markets Of the, peaceful
North, but for New Orleans in riot,
where the well-drilled white Lesguers
with the stolen cannon and rifles OF
the United States in their keeping,
stood in arms. When Belknap, equal
ly decided, telegraphcd back, s'The
whole power Of the United States
Government stsnds behind you, that
too, was intended for the turbulent
city, in whose streets hostile brigades
lay watching each other, '-a = q
II was this, and just this, that eowed
treason and saved the city.
Suppose that instead Of Mis- determ-
ined, soldierly dispatches, making ID.
surgent New Orleans snrs that there
was no hesitation, no indeeision ct
headquarters, Sec'y. Belknap had tele.
graphed down to the scene OF trouble
attorney denorsl Di~yAr ceIcDrntod
opinion, rendered to Mr.. Buchanan At
a similarly critical moment, when the
Administration was first called upon
to confront the first sullen threat of
armed rebellion! Louisiana would to.
day be wrapped in the flames of civil
war aud the whole country rent and
shaken with the tread of gathering
armies. sss'4
Or auppoas he h>A t.Asax>sss.f a~Hsa
= debate OF Congress on the question,
or the resolutions of an indignation
meeting, or IN editorial from the New
York Times or Tribune, or one of
their Philadelphia tsil.pieces-where
wonld we b ,now? How many mil
lions of dolla ,,would it have cost Us
even by this time? How many North
ern widows and orphans, and South
ern ones, too, would today bein tears.
What would be the price of gold at .
first call this morning.? How many
fortunes would be wrecked-how
many homes broken up, and how many
editors wildly abusing the Govern
ment for vaccillstion and cowardice,
and want of nerve aud the knowledge
how to deal with rioters and defiant
ineurrrction? a.s Fjlse
Briefly, Sheridan was quelling a riot
and dispensing a mob, and he did il
on Napoleon's familiar principle OF
losding your'cannon with grapeshot,
and letting the rioters see tho grape
put into the guns. We, for one, are
glad and thankful that Mr.. Sheridan
sent those telegraRs to the mob, in
stead OF his visiting card.
vERY SAB AFFAIR.
Father AeclAeatly 6heeis TIVE 81
& His OhilAren. els sl
From the Lawrence tKsn.> Standard. -a5
A very sad occurrence took place at
Clinton yesterday Tuesday, morning, the
particulars Of which we learn from DR.. f.
G. Macy, who happened to be near at the