Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1879-03-13
Something for the Country 10
Consider.


The Democratic party, by the votes
and speeches of its Representatives in
the United States Senate, places itself
squarely on the record in favor of pay
ing a pension to jefferson Davs. More
than that; it declares that to call trea-
son by its right name, to denounce
conspiracies for the destruction of the
Union as crimes, to discriminate in
any way between the men who broke
their oath and the men who kept it,
the men who fought to destroy the
Nation and the men who gave their
lives to defend it, is wa3ton insult to
the best part of the Democracy, and is
to be resented with all the indignation
that the English language is capable of
expressing. The defence of the leader
of the rebellion was not left to the
"Confedrate Brigadiers" clone. Mr..
Thurman took a lively part in it, and
when a reference was made to ''trea-
son." he volunteered the remark that
the treason of Massachusetts had been
longer and more violent than that of
any other State in the Union!
1t was a good and useful debate.
Foolish sentiment and random rhetoric
have been allowed to cover up impor-
tant political truths, and it is high
time for US to find out where the par
ties stand, what they believe, and
what they propose to do. We, and
those who think with us, have always
held that the rebellion was wicked;
that it was infamous in its origin and
infamous in its objects; that it was
hideous conspiracy, organized against
the best and most equitable Govern
ment in the world, for a purpose no
less base than the perpetuation OF hu>
man slavery; that Jefferson Davis per-
jured himself when he took up arms
against the Government to which he
had sworn allegisnce; that the leaders
of the secession movement committed
a disgraceful act when they secretly
and treacherously made use of their
official position to disarm the National
forces before they renOunced their citi-
zenship and surrounded their places OF
trust and power at Washington. That
was the belief of the heroic host who
sprang to arms in defence of the Union,
and who died for their belief on the
banks of the Cumberland, before the
bluffs of Vicksburg, in the swamps OF
the Chickahominy, on the ridge OF
Gettysburg, in the awful thicket of the
Wilderness. If the rebellion was not d
crime, our dead have died in vain. If
Davis is a patriot then Lincoln was
none. and Wilkes Booth was hero.
If the chief of the Confederacy will 60
down to posterity ss the peer of Wash
ington, then ours was the crime in
fightiBg against the cause which he
represented, and justice will never be
done until the consequences of the
contest have been reversed. 1t i5 high
time for these questions to be cleared
up. Davis has already returned to po-
Iitical activity, and made a rather
striking speech last Summer, denOun-
cling the Government which gave him
his life, and reminding the pardoned
Confederates that in returning to the
Union they made no promise of fideli-
ty except TO the old Constitution, as
they understood its provisions before
the Radicals had strained and distOrt.
ed it. The present Government, he
assured them, was not constitutional,
and they owed it no loyalty. But his
Northern and Southern apologists in
the Senate consider it to be greatly to
his credit, first that he does not counsel
new insurrection at present, especial
ly since the South seems TO be in fail
way of getting all its wants without so
much trouble, and secondly that he
will not stoOp to ask any favOrs of tie
United States.
Let nobody say that Mr.. Davis is no
longer person of public consequence;
it is not with him that we are concern
ed, but with his eulogists, and the
manifestations of their spirit and iu-
tentions; and these men are of public
consequence, for they control, from this
time, both branches of the National
Congress. 1t is the soul of the Rebel
lion which now animates the Demo.
cratic party. The highest aim of that
party is to tear down whatever the
war built up-to restore whatever the
war destroyed. A pension to Jefferson
Davis is the next thing to saddling the
North with the payment of the Com
federate debts, the satisfaction of the
Southern war claimants, and the vir-
tual repudiation of the debts contracted
in the National defence. Let the coun-
try look upon the spectacle of the clo-
sing night of Congress, and pronounce
its judgment.-N. Y Tribune.