The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1886-12-30
DABNEY! ?!
A CoUNTRY's ANXIETY To KNOW
WHETHER He WAS Or WASN'T!

Had Mr.. Dabney known, at the lime of his
appointment as Pension Examiner, by Secre-
tary Lamar, that his name would be made noto-
rious in connection with the record of the afro
cities of Andersonville, it is doubtful whether
he would have been in a hurry 10 accept
Whether there is any Justice in so connecting
his name not such feel ing has been arous
ed Regarding the hoGrb'e record of that hell
hole, A Andersonv.lle, as will certainly convince
the administration that tue country will put up
with no act calculated to essen ti,r stigma upon
the muTderoos wretcheS who wele respoIsbie
for hat dreadful crime The interest aroused
has also given an opportunity for discussing the
horrors of Andersonvili- in manner Which,
will give to the new generation OF voters
clearer idea of that Democratic horror than
could be gained from the mere reading of war
history. Whether this Dabney was, or was not
guard at Andersonville, no sane and intelli
gent Democrat viii attempt to deny that the
atrocities of Andersonville are the blackeSt yet
known TO the history of mankind A more
cruel, cowardly, awful crime than the treat
ment of prisoners in that fatal pen could scarce
ly be imagined. 1t is not a subject of wonder
ment, then, that the whole country becomes
aroused when the report goes out that the gen.
tlemsn from Mississippi who acts as Secret,ry
of the Interior has appointed 10 the position
of Pension Examiner one OF the bloodthirsty
guards of that internal den. We have hereto
fore expressed The hnpe that the connection of
this Dabney with the Andersonville horrors
would prove to be a mistake. The position of
guard at AndersCnville is one too horrible for
any man to desire 10 connect the name of an
innocent man with it. We have attem pied,
therefore, TO get at the truth of the matter, and
among other methods of inve stigaiion, wrote 20
our member of Congress for such Information
as he might have upon the subject. Judge
Thompson writes that near can be as er-
taineu, this Dabney was but fourtet or fifteen
years old at the close of the war, and that he
was not in the Confederate States Army" 1t
is further developed that the story of his n
nection with Andelsonville originated in his
own boasting that he had been guard at a
Rebel prison, and had rendered the Confedera-
cy good service II he served as guard, he was
perhaps in the service of the State of Georgia,
as militiaman, and served at some other plis-
on, and the latest evidence obtainable in Wash
ington is that by his own admission he was
such State guard. The age of the boy has 40
weight in the matter, we have seen boys as
young as fourteen bearing arms for the Confed-
eracy. He was recommended for his present
| position by Grand Army Post in New OI1eans,
fact which whis no significance whatever.
Altogether, it seems quite probable that Mr..
| Dabney did what he could TO make the Confed-
eracy success, though it is net clear that he
| was one of the murderers. We cannot draw
che line on him because he was in the Rebel
service, for that would make him a greet deal
more of a Democrat, and less of a Copperhead,
| than thousands of Democrats in Ohio.
The duties of this man Dabney, in his new
position, consist of examining testimony in
pension cases, and reporting as to whether the
applicant is entitled to the pension,