The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1885-04-22
THE MEANING OF IT.
Why the Administration Honorcd the
Memory Of Jake Thompson.

Our eAhlupioi VI buo iucuhiSoV hihu VI
traitor that ever went unhung. He
used his Office as Cabinet Minister,
while the civil war was impending and
breaking, to give aid and comfort, both
sympathetic and material, to the reb-
els. Afterward he sneaked about in
neutral ports with the ayowed object OF
introducing smallpox and yellow fever
into the North. and he organized a con-
genial band of cut-throats to create
"fre in the rear, of the Northern
troops by starting conaagrations in the
leading Northern cities. For these acts
he has received the universal execration
of every Union man; and even the Con-
federate soldiers who risked their lives
in honorable warfare have blushed that
such cowardly miscreant should have
been allowed place by their leaders.
The action Of Secretary Lamar in
closing the Interior Department in re-
spect for the memory of this man is an
indication that, in the eyes of the pres
ent Administration, there is no act COM
mitted during or before the rebellion
provided it was done for the rebel cause
that is sufficiently disgraceful to de-
bar its perpetrator from official honor
by the eX-Confederate rulers in Wash
ington.
Following this precedent there is no
reason whatever why, at the death of
JEFF Davis, the War Department shall
not be closed in respect for his memory.
He was Secretary of War, as Thompson
was Secretary OF the Interor. On the
day OF JEFF Davis funeral at every army
post throughout the country, by order
Of the War Department, the National
flag will be hoisted at half-mast; the
officers will appear with Grape on sleeve
and sword-hilt; the colors will be draped
in mourning and the drum-beat will be
mutlled in fitting sorrow for this great
mans death the foreigner who visits
Fort Wayne on that day will ask:
"Why these mourning emblemsp What
American hero has passed away and
brought sorrow to the length and
breadth Of the landP" And the Detroit
Free Press will doubtless answer him:
"The greatest leader of our party is
gone. He started the fire in the front
and therefore deserves more credit than
Hendricks and ourselves who started
only the fire in the rear Circum-
stances prevented him from receiving
the Democratic nomination for the Presi-
dency; but every true Confederate
whether he marched under the stars
and bars in the South or schemed under
the skull and cross banner of the
Knights of the Golden Circle in Indiana
and Detroit = will honor. President
Cleveland for having honored the men,
ory Of Jefferson Davis" ... l.r.rt.l
To this complexion we have come at
last. II Jacob Thompson and Jeffer-
son Davis are to be honored in death by
the whole Nation through the official
acts Of the Democratic President il must
be because the Democratic administra-
ton believes that their deeds in life de-
served the respect and approval of the
whole American people. II this much
he concad d, why Is Jefferson Davis moi
fit for citizenship and National recogni.
ton while livingP Why should not hi:
disabilities be removed at once TO ena
BILE the Democratic Legislature of Mis-.
sissippi to send him to the United States
Senate, or President Cleveland to ap.
point him Comm ssioner OF Pensions.
Where was the harm in rebellion, any.
howP
II JEFF Davis is to be honored, why
are not the Confederate soldiers more
worthy Of honorP They at least risked
their lives In open battle, and they are
entitled TO more consideration than such
snakes-in-the-grass as Thompson and
na,r;a thnan raaat,.. H.
honOrs that are accorded 10 all great
statesmen their cause can not have beer
dishonorable. II the Confederate cause
was Just why should not the Nation
pension the soldiers who fought for III
Why not pay for Confederate slaves
and other rebel lossesp This is what i.
coming il Democratic rule continues.
Let no man deceive himself by assum.
ing that this Is impossible. Let every
Union man 90 back in memory TO the
month OF March, 1865. Let him take
the files OF the newspapers Of that time
and read the list Of losses on the battle.
field, and put himself in the frame Of
mind that he was in when Jacob Thomp
son and JEFF Davis were striking at the
life and heart Of the Nation. Let hin
ask himself what, at that time, he would
have thought of the proposition ID
'honor the memory" OF Jacob Thomp
son and JEFF Davis. Let him trace the
gradual effect Of time upon his memory
until he can recall the period If he has
ever reached it-when he first could
have heard such a p ece Of news with
out flush of anger. Then let him com
pare the dates and see whether he wa
not misled to vote the Democratic ticke
about that tine. Or, IL he has nevel
been so msled, bat has neglected Il
vote at all, or has thrown away his vote
30 as pract cally TO help the Democratic
, party. let him ask himself what there L
Y but the defeat Of that party to prevent
= the pensioning Of ex-Confederates and
: the payment Of rebel war-claims.
1t won't do to laugh or sneer at IL al
impossible. Twen y years ago the Sec
retary Of the Interior who should have
ordered the hanging Of the National
flag at half-mast for Jacob Thompson
would have needed brigade to protect
him from hanging at ful,-mast himself.
To-day the Democratic party ''hoLors''
Jacob Thompson and JEFF Davis, and
our fercer passions do not respond Ia
condemn Il with that physical violence
q - y n a