Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-03-17
From tho Tolelo ll,je.)
THE CONFEDERATE AS INYESTI-
GATORS

the Union from their teet, they departed TO
sci mp the Southern Confederacy asa sep
arate and antagonistic Nation, boastiully
and dedantly announcing that they would
have no more TO do with the United States
This purpose they entered upon establish
ing their Confederory, with its complete
civil government, its armies and M.
| vies and for four years rcsolutcl y persisted
in their determination, for such purpose
employing all resources, physical, moral
! aud intellectual, at their command. What
] these were and the results, history has glv-
en-. Suffice IL here to say, that moth
! ing that they could DO, to make
certain and complete the destruction of the
! Government of the Union, was omitted
! The four yetrs Of bitter, unrelenting, muir
derous wdr-involvifg the valuable lives
! OF hundreds Of thousands and Of millions OF
muney-best tells the object and spirit of
that great treason, as it does also the result.
Thus oyerwhelm ID in their purpose Of
Nruin and National annihilaton, and com
! pctlcd TO submit to the authority of the
| Guvernmcnt which they sought in such
! persist nj Efforts to destroy, these Confcd
crate traitors, by the gra:e Of the loyal cit
izens whO'e strong arms anl reSolute Wills
| appear in the Congress OF the United States,
~ peers OF the beat and most patriotic of
| the land. BY degree of charity and for
| beIrance unknown in the history of human
| governments they are not even questioned
rs to their perlidiuus and reasonable rec
| Orl but admitted to the fullest rights and
privileges, as though they had never Of
| ftnded the laws or the p triotc sentiment
| of the Nation. They walk the streets Of
| the Capitol undiStured and unquestiuned
enter into social relations with freedom
AS ,ume official authority without dispute
or hindrance-as though they had never
done aught to disturb, peace and happi-
ness of their country
What is the work which most attracts
the attention and cnlists the zeal OF these
subjects OF grace on their re appearance in
the councils OF the Nation? Is it to confer
with the representatives. Of the loyal citi-
zens by whose patriotism AMI sacrifices the
Union and its Government have been pre-
served as to the best means for restoring
harmony in feeling aud making good the
losses and damages incident to useless and
wicked war? Do they appreciate the grace
that spared their lives and restored tn them
full civil and pDliIical privileges? Not at
all o. the contrary, their first and chief
business is to set about the work of i5,gcsti-
gdtion to see how the Government of the
United States was administered while they
were absent on the business Of the South
ern Contedcracy They seem to regard it
as specially their concern, to ascertain
whether during their absence public affairs
have been properly conducted To this
end, the most free and thorough scrutiny
is to be instituted into every Department Of
the Government, and all that accusation
and suspicion can effect, is being done to
shake confidence in the integrity and ca
! pacity of the party to whose loyalty, WIS.
, dom and heroism the country is to-day in
: debted for Government.
Az 10 investigation, no matter how thor
ough and searcing it may be, no complaint
= can lie made, SO long as il shall be conduct
e1 with reference to developing the truth
and exposing and punishing the guilty
/ " Let no guilty man escape" is the motto
= Of the Republican party, no less than OF
him who made it the rule OF officials in all
' Departments. There is no danger that the
; arch for wrong will be too persistent fol
:, the great plrty which stands forth as the
!. only one in the country which even pos
. seSscd the virtue and frnness necessary tC
y, frret out and punish wrong doing within
u = own membership. Lee the probe bt
0 sunk never 50 deep, and the knife be pliet
q never so unsparingly, aud none will accep
r the results more readily than will the Re
If u Iblical g. They ask no o Ids or forb sar
" ance n, the hands OF their enemies, but in
n vite the fullest investigation and the mos
" severe punishment OF delin1uents. Th'
Is + cord furnishes MT n sinSlI instance il
s, which an attempt to search for or expos
d fraud has been defeated or cmbarrnsse,
through inlcrpostion by Republicans in o
oat OF office. On the contrary, the case i
to day presented of Cabinet Minister
r charge with the highest ofiense known t
y, public morality, protected and shielde,
through the design or blunder of thos
who were so swift and exultaut in pro
s claiming his guilt, while his political asso
at ciate%, on every hand, are demanding hi
n punishment, and it he should finally cs
cape the due penalty OF the law, he vii
CT be indebted therefor TO the pretendc
r. champions of virtue who have manage
his case.
Dut, whatever may be the result of inve.
,' tig Ition of Republican administration {
"" "" the Government, it is proper to inquire whI
- this has to do with restoring to power thor
" =, now so Jealous in that work? Suppose
y, should turn out that Republican nInnag,
:! ment has not been what it should be, do,
. it follow that the Confederate Democrac
. can safely be restored to power? Is
= likely that these Investigations, howevt
y" long and searching, will show that the 10,
- al men OF the country made mistake
w standing by the Union, resisting secessio
=, and trusting the Government with the II
~ publicans, instead of the party that inst
'' tuted and carried forward the gigantic ire
son against the Nations life J? 1t is n
vo denied that unworthy men have held off,
'" and such should be discovered and turnC
out, and better men put in their place
az But how is the case to be bettered by r
III storing to power those who sought to Il
il stroy the Government? Is it not essentia
,c ly cool for these Democrats, after an
. sence of years in their vain attempt
Ier destroy the Government, now to come bat
;ly and institute investigation to ascerta
IN whether, during their absence, matte
ose have been managed to their satisfaction
:, 1t is much as if mutiheers Of ship, aft
'"e the failure OF their plot, their temporal
m confinement and restoration to libert
as should set themselves at work TO find o
-, whether the officers and loyal men of h
crew had, in the meantime, properly ma
OF aged the craft; and that this operate
* should be taken with the view, az in Il
'yS present case, of taking the ship out Of Il
iN' hands of those who defended il from piri
ne ical assault and of placing it in those
ay the peridious mutineers.
OF 1t occurs to us that before this investie
au lion business whatever its results, can sal
u" ly be turned to Democratic account,
In will be necessary TO extend 1t to the opeT
ms tions of the Southern Democracy, to asc,
'h' tain the degree of craftsmanship p and into
OIL rity which distinguished the administr
'se, tion of that concern. This specially pt
iey tinent in view of the fnet that the bran
ma of Con ,ress in which investigation ia chit
Sc ly pursued is in the hands Of ex .Coniede
The ates, military and civil. Suppose it tn
ma. out that matters have not, in all respec
cit been wisely or properly managed in t
ave Unite States Government, does it follC
'ed that the men of the Confederacy should
esI @ placed in pOwerT Is it clear that tn