The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-09-03
BILL ARP's CHAT.
Southern Sorrow for General Grant:
Adan!a Constitution.

man don't know Wnat 10 DelleVe. Ever
sacred history is not sacred from these
advanced thinkers. What with new YER
sions and evolution, and Beecher,, anc
Ingersoll, and the like, the inquirine
minds of the rising generation are all a
sea. Modern history is no better off.
have Just finished reading another history
of Napoleon Bonaparte, written by Nc
Farland. had read Theirs, and Scott's
and Abbott's, and now don't know any,
thing about Napoleon-nothing for Ger
tain. don't know whether he was 9
demi-god or brute. History depends
so much on human prejudice that il
seems impossible to get the truth. | see
that there is quite controversy going on
4 in England as to who wrote Shakespeare
Some folks doubt everything. General
Grant is dead, and the world is full Of
his history, right fresh, but it don't seem
to be the General Grant re used to
know. Some other man, reckon. 1T is
a good sign, though, to praise man when
he is dead, but it is better one to praise
him while he is living if he deserves it.
I had rather have little now than a
good deal after I am gone. It would do
me more good and be more gratifying to
my family and friends. Big funerals and
gushing obituaries are small comfort to
the family, and last about as long as
| public sympathy. Mrs. Lincoln was for
gotten in about two months, and SO was
Mrs. Garfield, and so will be Mrs. Grant.
The reaction is bound to come.
Now it may be impossible for the South
to do full justice to General Grant, but
one thing is certain, the South has exhib.
tied more charity, more manly, consider
ate, sympathy! than the North would
show to any of our heroes. Webave got
heroes, noble men, patriots whom we
love and honor, and yet some of the
| Northern preachers and the Northern
| press are still hawking at them. 1
thought the Northern soldiers were more
forgiving and considerate, but ]. see that
some of them had a reunion the other
day and fellow by the name OF Izrig,
or something, exhibited the Identical
hoop skirt and pettiooat and bonnet that
Jefferson Davis was caught in, and the
lying william swore he arrested him and
took these things off of him. That feller
has lived for. over twenty years with that
same old lie in his throat, and, strange
to- say, the devil. hasent got him yet;
Well, there is Just obliged to be devil.
We cant possibly get along without one.
Bill Fort told me long time ago that a
devil was absolutely necessary to settle
some things that could not be settled in
this world, but ]. dident think SO much
about il them Fort said there had to be.
d little hell, too-a sort Of. "sheaP 1
reckon--a place, said he, where feller
would want water mighter bad and could.
ent, getit. Well, the devil is the father.
of lies and liars, and if he don't get
Fizgig before long he is losing his paren-
tai affection. s
But don't care anything about Fizgig
or his willing dupes. They can keep on
lying and hating if they enjoy itand we
can keep on having contempt. s,s5 9:
The Southern people honor Mr.. Davis.
and that honor increases with age. Here
and there is an old sorehead who never
honored anybody but themselves, but the
soldiers who served in the field honor.
him and will not forgive anybody: who
belittles him. Mr.. Stephens fell out
with Mr.. Davis because he wouldent buy
up all the cotton and he takes many
page to prove that it vas the lack of
cotton that whipped us. Governor
Brown thought it was conscription that
ruined us, and 80 it goes. Ben Butler
delivered an obituary speech on Grant at
Lowell, and he says that Grant told him
there was but one way to whip US and
that was to double and treble on us with
men and refuse to exchange prisoners,
for that would run US short Of soldiers
and provisions, too, and said he, athat is
my policy. They kill more than we do,
but we have got them to be killed and
they haven't" =,
There are numerous reasons why Gem
eral Toombs does not like Mr.. asss:'' rs: :
In the first place, General ToombS could
not like any democrat. Hs--sd long
before the war that he was born hating
them. AL the prime and vigor of his
life was war against democracy. In
the next place General Toombs is con.
scious, supremely conscious, of his own
great talents, and this makes him under.
rate the talents of. others. Heis auto
cratish in his opinions. That he has
wonderful mind nobody questions, but
because he is impulsive, impatient and
impetuous, the Confederate Congress re-
fused to create for him the office of gen.
eralissimo aod thus embiltered him
against most everybody who was promi,
nent. Look at the contrast There is
Mr.. Davis, quiet. reserved, dignifed,
nothing wavering, and nothing fearing, a
philosopher in bis age, patriot in his
age, patriot in his exclusion, never
appearing before the public except to
give good counsel, never giving railing
for railing aud when asked for his opin.
ion of General Grant, wrote kindly Of
him and closed beautiful letter by say
ing, IF could contribute anything to
the repose of his mind or the comfort of
his body I would gladly do so."
This is not the first time nor the second
nor the third that General Toombs has.
thrust his contemptuous opinion of Mr..
Davis before the public, and now he has
thrust it in all the Northern press, and
while that press indorses General Toombs
in none of his patriotic or statesmanliks
utterances, it has indorsed him 10 this.
Ho is good authority when he belittles
Mr.. Davis. ?
Forty years ago Mr.. Davis waa in the
field fighting for his country. He has
been secretary of war, and made name |
and q fame in that high Office. he was
our chief magistrate without seeking the
Office, and he staked all he had,uponi the
cause. When the cause was lost he fell
with it and shared the fortunes Of his
people, not leaving them nor forsaking
them to find refuge in other countries.
If General Toombs can't say anything
good of Mr.. Davis it becomes him to be
silent. He owes it to the friends of Mr..
Davis, and their name is legion. He
owes it to the South and the lost cause,
for surely it can do no good now to lay
blunders at anybody's door. We wish to
honor both. Mr.. Davis and General,
Toombs and am sure Mr.. Davis is will
ing. They arc both nearing the dark
river and will have to cross itsoon. May
they meet over there as friends. The
Southern people have great admiration
for General Toombs, when he says foolish
and unreasonable things they overlook
--r L = IL