New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-02-01
AN ENTERING WEDGE

The clam OF the WIDOW OF captain nuHu ~
Page, of Virginia, for balance of $136 IS due
that officer at the time he resigned his commits
sion and went into rebellion, is only one OF q
class of Southern claims that, with just sem
bance of justice, contain possibilities OF INFINITE
mischief. 1t has been reported upon favOIably,
and in the debate upon 1t in the House last
| Friday the Democratic members, with the hon
| orable exception of General Bragg, OF Wscon-
| SIM manifested a disposition to push 1t through
| under party whip and spur. There was much
| loose talk abou the insignificant amount OF the
claim, the circumstances of the widowed
claimant, the fact that it was for ser vices actu-
ally rendered the Government before the Cap
tain threw up bis commission, and the mag
nanimity that great Government ought to
show in such cases. All of which went on re-
gardless of the somewhat important fact that
an act of Congress passed in 1867 positively
tOrbids the payment of any claim whatever,
(which accrued or existed prior to the 18Th of
April, 1861, in favor of any person who pro-
"moted, encouraged or in any manner sus-
stained the late rebellion, or in favor OF any
"person who during such rebellion was not
"knnwn to be opposed thereto" 1t Is not de-
MED, of course, that il is entirely competent Tor
Congress to order the payment notwithstand-
ing But then the question naturally arises ::
Why not repeal the law
This Is simply an entering wedge. All the
appeals to individual sympathy i'll this partic-
ular case must pass for nothing since two offers
are known to have been made toy members OF
Congress to pay the amount OF the claim out OF
their own pockets rather than have a dangerous
precedent established. These offers were
rejected in terms because, as the member who
had the bill in charge (Mr. GOode, of Firginia)
distinctly said, there was a principle in
vOlved the claimant did not come begging
aims but to ask for "smple, naked justice"
A good deal of cheap rhetoric was poured out
bv Mr.. GoOde, of Virginia, and Mr. h poker, Of
Mississippi one dwelling upon the meanness of
refusing to the widow of an old naval officer the
pay that was justly due, the other clarifying the
leaders of the rebel armies and talking as
though opposition to this claim waa an attempt
10 "consign them to infamy" MIR. Hooker in
particular waxed eloquent over General Lees
memory, and drew a fine lesson from the exc
cutiOn of Robert Emmett by the English Gov
ernment, in utter fOrgetfulness of the fact that
so far from its furnishing any parallel, it Offers
most remarkable contrast to the merciful and
magDdDlu1OU5 tTtdtHlcHt vi tHC lCauOio VI tuc
rebellion by our Government
There Is no need OF all this zlgZagglng. What
these gentlemen are driving at is plain enough.
They desire not only 10 wipe out all the legis-
lation OF the wal period, but to 0bliterate from
the record as well all distinctions between the
two parties to the war, so that both shall stand
alike, with no blame for either. Hence the
sensitiveness about calling it rebellion, and
the attempt to dignity it, as Mr.. Hill did in the
Senate the other day, with the name of revO-
luton. These gentlemen who were courageous
enough OF fOclhaidy enough to set great re-
bellon on foot, lack the fortitude to accept with
resignation the consequences of their acts. Not
content with general amnesty and restoration
to all the rights and privileges they had for
feited, nor satisfied to have their rebellion
forgiven and forgotten. they insist upon being
classified us patriots on account of their treason,
and having their disastrous failure treated as
success. There is but one way to meet them,
and that is with determined adlel cnce TO the
cold, hard facts that their enterprise was a re-
bellion and they we've rebels, and that their
crimes did work fOrfetures and incur penalties.
There is no disposition anywhere to dwell upon
these things or recall them unnecessarily, but
they must not complain it, when they force it
upon us, WE insist on distinguishing between
loyalty and treason, and calling things 10y their
rioht uamps