The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1885-02-05
GEN. BEATTY,

of Mccoy Post G. A. R., atColumbus
addressed the comrades, and ON the
subject Of the late discussion OF the
Sherman letter said:
COMRADES are here tonight
In a modest way over the
fact that you fought in the national
army, and that your fig htlng resulted
in the preservation OF the Union, the
of the slave and the re-
cognition of the equality OF all men
under the law. You think that IN
this contest you were on the right
side, and did what was right, and
hence have nothing to repent OF or re-
gret. This is the view you take OF
the whole matter This Is the way
you have looked at it for twenty years.
This is the way your wives and child
rem have looked at it. But are you
quite sure that you are not mistaken
that you have not been mistaken all
the time? Would it not, after all,
have been more to your credit ii you
had Joined the rebel army. if you had
fought to destroy the Union, if you
trampled upon the flag, if you had
fought to perpetuate slavery, ii you
had Redeemed your hands in the blood
of Northern men? Think Of the ques-
ton moment before you make an
swer to it, for it is grave one, and
although not yet fully and finally de-
termined by the American people, it
is as likely-perhaps more likely-to
be decided against you than in your
favor.
1t has been less than twenty years
since the war ended. The memories
of it are still fresh in the minds of all.
The widows of fallen comrades are
still here. The children of the dead
soldiers are around US. Veterans who
have been SCARED and mutilated in
battle meet us at every turn. The
great debt incurred to save the nation
IS still unpaid, and yet with all these
reminders of the terrible struggle be-
fore us we find more Confederate sol
diers than Union soldiers in the Unit
ed States Congress. Treason, instead
of being made odious, has been made
honorable. Treachery has become a
virtue, disloyalty to the flag a pass
port to offices of trust and profit.
On Monday of this week Mr.. Vest,
of Missouri, from his place in the
United States Senate, affirmed sub
stantially that Jefferson Davis was
honored and loved ''by an overwhelm-
ing majority Of the Southern people
because they believed he was as true
and loyal to the cause he espoused as
ever wife to her husband, or re-
ligious devotee to the God he wor-
SHIPPED" And Senator Lamar OF
Mississippi said, mo man shall in my
presence call Jefferson Davis traitor
without nv responding with a stern
and emphatic denial"
When such utterances are made, by
such men. in such places, may we not
with good reason begin to doubt the
iustness of the cause for which we
fought. and may we not look forward
to punishments rather than rewards
for the fighting we did, and does it
not appear as if the final verdict of
the American people was as likely to
be against US as in our favor?
IF the verdict should be against us.
what would be the lesson of it? 1t
would be that in case Of civil war it
was better to be against the flag than
for it; better to rebel than remain
loyal; better to be traitor than a
patriot, or-to say the least Of it, just
as well to be wrong as right. In
short, the verdict if it taught any
thing, would teach that the conspira-
tor, rebel and traitor was more likely
to be honored and promoted than the
man who had been loyal and steadfast
to the government
Now I don't believe in teaching
mankind any such false doctrine.
Satan may be loyal to hell, and con-
sistent in sin, and devoted to it, but
[ would not therefore hold him up as
model for the imitation of the young
and if spoke of him at all it should
be in condemnation an not in praise.
Jefferson Davis and his fellow-con-
spirators began the war! They struck
the first blow. There was no occa-
sion for it; no justification of it.
They had not been threatened either
in person or property. They had no
reason to apprehend unfair treatment
from the federal government. They
had been denied no single right or
to which at that time they
pretended to lay claim. Their origi-
nal motives were bad, the means by
which they sought to reach this end
were bad. Their conduct, therefore,
in part and in whole was unnecessary,
cruel, murderous and
levilish, and for it they should have
been hanged, and thus memorable
example set to mankind of the true
method Of dealing with traitors.
1t is far better that few men
should be justly punished for their
crimes than that present and future
generations should conclude that the
,ewards Of treason are as good, If not
better, than those of loyalty; and
While | have no unkind words to say
# the deluded or coerced followers of
Davis, Lamar, Vest and others of that
Tx, I am quite sure that the leaders of
he rebellion could have rendered
more valuable service to the country
" dangling at the end OF a good stout |
ope, than by anything they may say
r do in the Senate of the United
'tates.
Wirz, the tool-the prison-keeper,
he hired butcher. was sent to the
caffold. The men who used the tool,
nd for whom he kept the prison and
id the butchering, are sent to Con-
ress, and made governors of states,
nd covered with eulogy. The law
,as either too severe in its treatment
{ Wirz, or the people have been too
,nient in the treatment Of his en-
loyers. The subordinate may be
lore ignorant than his principal, but
e cannot be more guilty. If Jeffer-
IN Davis and his eulogists in the
-nited States Senate are good and
ue men, Wirz was martyr, and