The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-01-22
Unrepentant Rebels.

The resolution introduced into the senate
by Gen. Hawley, calling on the secretary of
war for papers bearing on the controversy
between Gen. Sherman and the old unrecon-
structed rebel and traitor, JEFF. Davis-a
man who, if he had received his just deserts,
would have been hung higher than Haman,
instead of being allowed TO live out his worth
less life, in peace and quietude in the coun-
try he attempted to destroy-was, by the
rebel leaders who sit in the highest branch
of the United States congress, made the oc-
casion of an acrimonious political debate,
during which they had ample opportunity
to display their love for the "Lost Cause"
and their veneration for a man before whose
treason that of Benedict Arnold pales into
utter insigni6cance.
The following extracts will serve TO convey
an idea of the sentiments entertained by the
leaders of the party into whose control this
government is soon to pass: Mr.. Vest
boosted that he had been a member of the
Confederate senate, and said that he be-
lieved, as an overwhelming majority of the
southern people believed that "Davis was as
true and loyal to the cause he espoused as
ever was wife to husband or the religious
devotee to the God he worshipped.'
Mr.. George was willing that the contro-
versy should be settled by history, and had
no fear that the result would be adverse to
the honor and patriotism Of Jefferson Darts.
Mr.. Morgan said, which was doubtless true,
that Davis had been 10 more an enemy to
the United States than many seniors now
on the floor of the senate, but it was none
the less true that he Davis was beloved by
millions of people yet in the United States.
Replying to MIR. Vest, Mr.. ingalls, said the
name of jefferson Davis had never been
mentioned in the Senate without Morgan.
Vest and their associates declaring that he
was man of honor and a patriot. The
plain English of the matter was that Davis
had called Gen. Sherman a liar, and in the
controversy he was for Sherman, as all the
loyal people of the country would be.
Senator Sherman voiced the opinion of all
loyal men by saying "whenever the motives
and causes of the war are called in question,
/ must assert it was a causeless rebellion,
entered upon with bad motives, and ali the
men who led in that movement were traitors
to this country of ours"
Senator Lamar replied that no man should,
in his presence call Jefferson Davis traitor
without his (Lrmar) responding with a stern
and emphatic denial.
Senator Brown disclaimed having been a
Union man, and boosted, as through it were
a matter for pride and self-gorifoation that
he had been an original secessionist.
We hear much, during every political cam
paign, from tho democratic press and dem
ocratic speakers, about sectionalsm, but
SO long as unrepentant rebel leaders improve
every opportunity to glorify the rebellion
and to laud and euIogze its leaders, section
alism will exist and southern democrats
alone will be responsible for it.
The North is only too willing to forgive
and forget, but it is not willing to listen con-
tinually to the statement that the rebellion
was right and its leaders were patriots. One
side or the other was wrong in the great con-
test, and loyal men who love their country
and its free institutions, and who revere its flag
will never admit that the wrong was on the
side of those who crushed the rebellion.
Literary Notes.