Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1885-03-11
Old jeff utbc Greatest Patriots

! Tns erection of JEFF Davis into god,
now going on SO rapidly in the South, is
| enough to make even Copperhead dizzy,
! Faging nothing of those who are not yet
done laughing at the fleeing President Of
the Confedencg being captured in wom-
ans dress and hoop-skirts at the close of
the war. The Southern press and the
Democratic leaders in the United States
! selate got the old traitor up to an altitude
OF loyalty but two weeks ago, which they
claimed made him as great patriot as any
| in the country. Then the Liberty Bell was
sent South, and old jeff as the South's
| greatest man and first citizen, called out to
welcome it and escort il to the New Orleans
Exposition. Ever since the Southern press
has been layishly at work to show that not
, only is he as great man. and as loyal cit
lien, as the nation affords, but that he Is the
greatest patriot Of all, and a!so--may all
~ saak e6 n1oonn 1he Gks1t01t
American statesman Wn6 is f6aily ltSfeS0
| the Union.
It is not merely the tr-heeled press or
cheap papers Of the South tina. are thus max
ing Davis into hero. The leading and
more conservative papers Of the South ore
doing it. too. The st. Louis Times Demo-
crat. the most moderate and tolerant of
Southern papers, in its issue of last Sunday,
comes up to make the astounding claim that
Davis is not only patriot but the best and
chiefest Of good Union meu Quoting and
growing very indignant over a paragraph in
/ which the st. Louis Globe Democrat criti-
cised the acton of the Southern Democrats
in the United States Senate, in defending
jeff Davis as being loyal man one day,
and eulogizing a silk American flag the
next. the Times Democrat says.
| We are not quite sure in what the little
difficulty Of our contemporary consists
whether 1t is found in recouciling the
honor and patriotism" Of jefferson Davis
with the culture of silk or with the Ameri-
can flag, or with wolnans work. or with the
making of n present to Congress. The
honor and patriotism Of Mr. Davis are not
In antagonism with any of these things,
that we dre aware of. Certainly not with
the American flag. if the luster shed upon
its folds and the blood shed in its defense
at Monterey and Buena Vista count for
aught, or if a long advocacy of the
principles which it is supposed to SYMBOL
ize means anything. In the sense of de-
termined and unwavering opposition to sec
| tionalism, Mr.. Davis probably carries
more genuine American feeing--more
| true unionism-in his wounded heel, than
his defamers carry in their heads and
hearts. No nobler protest against the
sectional spirit has never been made than
that to which he gave utternnce in Congress
almost forty years ago. His career
has been so grossly and persistently mis-
represented that there are, no doubt, many
who will scarcely believe that We have
really been citing the record of jefferson
! Davis, or that he was in heart, in speech,
and in conduct to the very last, consistent
and genuine devotee of the American flag
and American Union. in the only sense in
which State Rights Democrat could be
such--and that far higher and truer
sense than his calumnators can conf
prehend. That is what puzzles the Globe
Democrat Happily, the time has come
when it has ceased, or will soon cease, to
puzzle right thinking and patriotic people
of any section or party
| In other words, the Times Democrat
thinks the time has already come when
every body accepts jeff Davis as being the
| greatest opponent of sectionalism," and as
! having more true Unioaism" than any
| other man now living.
What may not be judged as to the feel
ing, expression, and intentions of the
rabble and the rabid elements of the South,
! when such moderate paper rs the Times
4 Democrat thus exalts the arch traitor.
| whose bones should now be rottipg under
! the gallows- tree, as the greatest Of patriots
! and the truest of Union men now hving?--
/ Ues MOi1es Re0isfer