The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1885-09-09
A Peace Token.

We cordially congratulate the Wash
inston National Republican upon the
change in its sentiments towards the
South which is. manifested in it's en-
preston Of opinion in regard to pen
sioning ex-Confcderate soldiers. We
have frequently had occasion to criti-
else the unjust uttcranceS Of the Re
publican concerning the actions and
motives Of the people Of the Southern
States, and it gives III particular pleas
urc, therefore, to quote its words when
they show So honorable and admirable
a spirit as is manifested in this instance.
The Republican says:
There is one resolution adopted by
the Mississippi Democrats in their re-
cent State Convention to which we are
glad to give IL hearty approval. We
refer to the declaration in favor Of State
pensions for disabled and INDECENT Con-
fedcrate soldiers. There is no obiec-
ton that can possibly be urged against
this proposition. Humanity appeals
strongly for its adoption by all the
States which constituted the cxpunged
Conrederacy We are assured on the
evidence Of carefully co!lated statistics
that the South is almost phenomcnallv
prosperous. h has recently been
gaining in wealth beyond all precedent.
The Southern StatcS-evcn those which
have rcpudiatcd honest dcbts-ought to
have pride enough to care for their Grip
pied .and sick veterans. Many of the
Northern States, nobly experimenting
the good work Of the Federal Govern.
ment, have erected homes for disabled
soldiers. Some States have made pro-
vision for soldiers orphans. It is not
creditable to Mississippi that she has so
long neglected this duty"
The R%cpH6licna crrs upon one
Very strenuous and bitter point
objections arc urged by some Re-
publican newspapers against the
proposition which our contemporary so
kindly advocates, and we dare say it will
hear from them in wrath before it is n
week older. The proposition that hui
manity appeals for the protection Of the
Union soldier cannot be accepted by
men who did not so into the. war until
the Confedcrates surrendered, ard
whose fury has seemed to increase with
the flight of years since that event.
We have done the Repu6tic0n the
grave injustice to believe that it was
identified with the class Of
to which We have referred, and we
heartily rejoice to find that this is not
the case. Happily their number is les
SEEMING and their influence is percepti-
bly, diminishing every day. Mr.. Warn
er's visit TO the South will probably put
the Hartford Courant on higher ground
hereafter, and we cannot believe that
tho Republican will 60 backward again
after taking so long q step upward and
forward. We hope that it will not, at
least, and our earnest advice to it is to
come out from among them and be scpa-
rate from them.
There yet remain in the mire, the
New York Tribune, the Chicago T1iJ-
une, the Cincinnati Commercial Ga
zette and n or two others that need
not be specified Because they give occa-
sional promise OF better thoughts ard
better things. The three which we
have named are probably hopeless, and
it may be are necessary evils in a coun-
try which does not attempt to regulate
the morals of its citizens and which
tolerates Police Ga=ettes, Communis-
tic organs ard dynamite and doubtful
publications of all kinds. Such Jour-
nails meet the requirements Of particu-
lar cults, and are comparatively harm
less when their + character or want
OF character becomes generally known.
They are then sought after and read
only by those unfortunate people who
relish the peculiar fare provided for
them. and other and hcttcr people fire
the feast in disgust. III, indianapolis
'/0H,RW is too gno.la newspaper Ia rt.s
main i'll such company. We have u
faint hope that il too will cross the fine
before it is. much older and range itself
with the friends of peace and Of the
Union.
We beg to assure the Republican
that It has gained greatly in the estima-
ton Of a very large part of tho people
Of the United States by its new depar-
ture, as shown in the manly declaration
Of its opinions in regard to p~onsioning