The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-15
THE RENAISSANCE OF TRAITORS.

claiming their treason and treachery in the
halls of Congress is defiant enough and aggres-
siye enough to set patriotic citizens thinking,
more seriously, perhaps, than in years. The
spectacle of these ingrates exhibiting greater
anxiety to establish their loyalty to treason
than to the Union, is probably without paral-
lei The time to speak plainly about this
thing has returned, if, indeed, it ever passed.
Treason and treachery are treason and treach-
cry the world over, and the same in 1861 and
now, as when Benedict Arnold and Aaron Burr
won everlasting infamy Historical truth
will place the name Of Jefferson Davis in the
same category, as an individual whose love of
slavery and self caused him to dishonor his
oath and betray the country that had
done so much for him. If there
be others like Davis-high or low-their
place in history is with the first man who
dreamed of Northwest confederacy, man
whose treachery was equaled only by his
ibertinism. Jefferson Davis was the pam
pered son of the Nation, its beneficiary for
years, and an official high in Office at the time
he was plotting to dismember it. He sat in
the highest Legislative body in the land, and
laid plans for the assassination of those who
dared remain loyal to the old flag and the
government founded by Washington. So
we'll did he and his co-consrirators succeed in
their schemes to dismember the Union, that
while they still sat in Office, and under oath to
support, maintain and defend the Constitu-
ton OF their common country, they set in
motion civil war, and Floyd, as Secretary of
War, stripped the government to arm it's enc
mics Floyd and Davis had each been guilty
of treason before they left their seats in
Washing on-enough to have sent them to the
scaffold in any other country in the world.
Let us stick to the text in this
business. Loyalty to treason may
be very great virtue in sections
and among people whose love of country was
buried under love of idleness and slavery.
Loyalty to treason is but the boasted
''honor among thieves-a virtue that no hon
est man cares to possess. To stand together
and make common cause in the poverty of 10y
atty does not and cannot change the awful
eracy was but for one burglar to stand by an
other engaged in the same crime. Their
standing together does not mitigate the crime
they were engaged in, nor save them from the
dishonor of their deeds. The men now in
Congress so loudly proclaiming their fealty to
rebellion, are simply perfecting their title to
infamy. That is all there is Of it. The day
will come when their descendants will hide
their faces in shame and be glad to forget that
their fathers were false to their country
The mere matter Of these self-important
men Boosting of their part in the attempt to
destroy the Union, while aggravating to those
who did service in protection of their eoun-
try and to those who lost fathers, brothers or
sons in the war precipitated by these conspir-
ators could be and generally is 'made allow
ance for" in the interest of friendly relations
between the people Of all parts of the restored
Union. This is made possible too by the re-
Election that many years cannot elapse until
death shall kindly close their mouths against
the possibility of adding to their infamy
But what must be thought Of the ante-election
loyalty of these men, who now struggle with
each other to prove greatest 'loyalty" to
treasonF And what of the future of the
country with this shameless exhibition of in
gratitude and treachery set before it as an ex-
ample for imitation? General Sherman,
man who did very much to save his country
from the clutches Of the assassins that beset
it, speaking Of them in their present attitude,
says: mo nation can afford to put fidelity
and treachery on a par and hope TO
survive" Are the words worth heed
ings Are they not the fundamental
principle of national stability The Nation
has done much for these men; has
restored to them every civil and political right;
has condoned the slaughter of hundreds of
thousands of men who were loyal to loyalty,
and, in the interest of common fellowship.
havo invited them to seats in the national
Legislature. More could not be done than
has been done. In return for these voluntary
concessions, the men SO favored are proud to
boast. Of their disloyalty, and pirate of the