The bee., 1883-07-14

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and said what he did about the editor
of the State and the Democratic party,
would he have received Il challenge!
No: he would have been publicly cow
hided. or laid to rest with bullet In
his Yankee body" and jury would
have said "justifiable homicide, an
Insult from puritanic pretender to
one of Our chivalry.
But in this case, it was black gum
against thunder. These two men were
p6tial socially and morally, and it was
not as General Johnson says in his in
terview. that Mr.. Elam is not thought
of or respected by the better class OF
people of Virginia. Here is just where
the trouble comes in. General Mahone,
Mr.. Elam. Mr.. Riddlebarger, Mr.. Wise,
and the many other leading and repre-
sentative men that have followed the
fortunes of their new political career,
together with such names as Colonel
Lamb. the hero of Fort Fisher; Gen.
V, ID. Groner, of Norfolk; Col. Nine
tree. of Petersburg; Mr.. Fortlock, OF
Lynchburg; the Stalhams, the klllotts,
the Hubhar,is. and score of the lead
ina literary, social and moral force,
influential families of Virginia. having
an abiding place and domicil IN every
COUNTY, town and hamlet In Virginia;
such persons as these that helped make
the confederacy; who were with it un-
ill the last man surrendered, and who
in the past made Virginia democracy
almost invincihle, are the men that
General Johnston would have the
North believe are not among the bet
ter classes. There are no better faml-
lies in Virginia than those represented
in the coalition Ur liberal party. The
rule in the State IS, that all efforts
must be used to destroy the moral eff
feet that General Mahone's crusade is
making, and will continue to make
against Buurbonism. 1t does not make
any difference how brave man might
have been in the days of the Confed-
eracv. or how true and devoted to the
lost cause" on field III at home, the
moment that man changes from dem
ocrat, public opinion, from the Bourbon
standpoint, demands that he be ostra-
cised. traduced. and his influence, NOR
ally, socially and politically, must die
in that community. The church, the
school, and the commercial exchange,
all combine, under the censorship of
one common god-head, to this end.
In the gallery of art at Petersburg. the
photograph of General Longstreet is
not allowed to grace the frame con-
tanning 1.-The Confederate generals,
WHY? Because, as the artist says to
inonirers. 'Longstreet is traitor
This rule in Richmond, at the gallery
there, applies both to Longstrect and
Mahone-" "they are traitors but in
the davs that tried mems souls, they
were among the greatest Of the Con-
federacy's best fighters, and cIln9 to
her as long us there remained 81 voice
to command and a man to follow.
They may be traitors i'll the eyes OF
the Bourbon democracy, but III the
ewes of sensible people they are more
than patriots, for, indeed, 1t IS true,
that it requires more bravery, more
courage. more sacrifice for man in
the South-native to the soil and to
the manor born-to put himself against
the solid democratic South, than to
face an army with banners. Long
street and Malone fought the last fight
of the Confederacy, in the days that
tried meu's souls. They surrendered
in good faith. They can never be
traitors with the loyal and patriotic
people in this country, who do not wish
to fight the war over again, and who
are willing that the dead past shall
bury its dead, and who are not unmlnd-
full of the heroism, the valor and collr-
are of such men as these, and others
who are their colleagues.