Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-03-10
Fa,saboods Refuted.

A few DAYS ago we called attention 10 a
Washington special to the Chicago Iri-
Bune. which stated that the Republican
members Of the Senate committee which
went to New Orleans TO investigate the
Copiah county troubles declared that at
one of the balls given in New Orleans at
the Mardi Gras jefferson Davis, with his
daughter, the daughter Of Gen. Lee, Gen.
Longsreet, and some other noted Con-
federate Generals, sat in box which was
draped with Confederate flags; that a
floral sword. decorated with the Confede-
rate colors and addressed simply ITO the
President . was presented 10 this noted eX-
Confederate party in the box, and was ae-
cepted. According to this dispatch one
of the Senators who furnished the above
| information said, 4 did not think that
| that looked very much like rec0nstruc-
ton. In a good many other countries OF the
civilized world it would be called Urea
SON. The New Orleans Times Democrat,
commenting on this dispatch, says:
We doubt if there lie a single truthful
sentence in this whole telegram. 1t Is
trUe that the daughters of Gen. Lee were
There. but not that the daughter Of Gen.
/ Longstreet was with them. 1t is also true
that tie box was draped, but not true that
il was draped with Confederate flags. 1t
is true that Mr.. jefferson Davis was in
th- box, but it was also true that Admiral
Cooper. of the United States navy. was,
with his wife, in the box with him. 1t Is
true that a floral sword was pre- scented,
bat it is not true that il was presented 10
| Mr.. Davis. It Is true that the sword bore
a legend, but utterly and absurdly
false that the legend read: TO the Presl-
dent" The simple truth Is tnat the pre-
sentati0n was nothing more than tribute
+ Of respect and affection from Gen. Lees
I soldiers to Gen. Lees daughters. 1t bore
/ the inscription The sword Of Lee" aud
possessed no earthly significance beyond
I that which appeared upon the surface.
4 X was designed TO tell the orphaned
I daughters OF a brave aud honorable
/ gentleman that his old comrades held his
memory in love and reverence. The human
/ being who could misunderstood or mis-
/ represent a demonstration so innocent
/ and 50 beautiful must be base indeed. and
we do not envy Senators Cameron, Hoar
/ and FRYE, among whom the Odlum seems
/ to be distributed. We believe all three OF
/ these patriots and gentlemen we're invited
/ To the ball. and. therefore. the one who
/ gave the alleged information had the OPP
+ portuuity, at least, Of knowing that it was
I utterly anu AUHAdAtuEblg Ad4oC JUN Al
substance and intention.
The Chicago Tribune is a journal Of
wide circulation, and thousands Of people
/ read and doubtless believed the falsehoods
in that dispatch. OF all the journals o.
the country the Tribune is the most bitter
towards the South. 1t improves every
/ opportunity to misrepresent the Southern
4 people. Il is a little curious, however
that the statements in the dispatch, in {
little different shape, did not fnC
their way into other Northern pa
| pers. 1t is barely possible thai
neither Of the Senators mentioned
| made the statements contained in the dis
patch. one OF them. or all of them. may
have referred to the incident of the pre-
>sentatiOn Of the floral sword and the pres
ence of Mr.. Davis and the Misses Lee a
the ball. and some malicious person OF
such a slender foundation may have i'm
| posed the false dispatch on the Tribune.
correspondent. Senators Frye and Hoal
enjoyed the hospitality Of the PEG
pie of New Orleans, and during theil
stay there were treated with every con
sideration. If they are not responsible
for the slanderous dispatch they ought
to say 50. Ordinary slanderous attacks
on the South are no longer needed. but
statements BY United States Senators
whether false or true, are apt to ares
/ attention