The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-05-06
PARTIZAN OR PATRIOT.
A PROTEST FROM ONE WHO DID
"SNUFF THE BATTLE
FROM AFFAIR"
AUSTIN, April 80, 1886.
Editor Statesman.


AUSTIN, April 20, 1886.
Editor Statesman.
In your issue of yesterday, commenting |
on the address of Gen. Gordon at Mont |
gomery, Ala, on the 28th inst, at the
laying of foundation of monument to
the confederate dead, you quote him as
saying that the citizen who cannot talk |
impartially about the late war is not |
patriot, but partisan" and then you say:
And SO it Isl those persons who are most
bitter about the events of that strife are
generally those who, like the biblical war
horse, snuffed the battle from afar."
Now, the exact language of Gen. Cor
don according to the telegram,was this II
desire to act impartially in this matter,
because the citizen who, at this day, can
not discuss the facts without prejudice, is
a partisan and not a patriot-or else a
patriot enslaved by his passions"
Quite qualification; for when or where
was there ever a patriot who was not en-
shaved by his passions? Without passion
patriotism never has existed, and never
will exist. But it is to your comment that
object and from which l most emphati-
cllly dissent. 1t is within my knowledge,
and within that of every soldier who actu
ally went to the 'front.'" that the reverse
of your statement is true, and that it is
among those who ''snuffed the battle from
afar" that are found the forgetters and
| forgivers of the "events of that strife
The large majority of those who did the
fighting for the south have neither for
gotten nor forgiven. If you doubt it,
ask the SCARED veterans to be found
on the streets of this city, and
note their answers. How can we forget
that we are the victims of an unconstitu-
tional war, forced upon US by acts of oppres
sion running through generations of par
tial legislation in favor of the conquering
section, waged by us in defense of home
and honor? How can we forget that our
gallant armies were crushed by imported
mercenaries from Europe, who neither
knew nor cared anything about
the cause for which they fought for payy
American citizens slain and their country
overrun by mercenaries! How can the
Virginian forget the desolation of the
Shenandoah valley by Phil Sheridan at
the command of Grant? How can the
Georgian forget Atlanta and Sherman, or
the South Carolinian, Columbia and the
same monster? Bummers, camp follow
| Oio3 uhN OOhiO PiOOib hiuJ lOiRCu anu
forgive these "events," and talk impair
TALLY about them, but the men "who were
there and witnessed the atrocities, can do
neither, nor do they desire to do so. And
the time is not SO far distant, either when
General Gordon himself could not stalk
impartialiy," for when he was in the
United States senate he, goaded by some
taunt of Roscoe Conkling, threatened to
resign his seat and go back to the people
of Georgia, and tell them they could ex-
pect neither justice nor magnanimity
from the people of the north, if Conkling
was their representative, as he
undoubtedly was of nine-tenths
of them. A class of writers
has grown up in the south in the last
eight or ten years, who, by their fippant
comments npon the war and its results,
have alienated and estranged the sympa-
thies of the rising generation-d descend
ants of the men. and women who suffered
ages of torture that the south might be
free. Such men, paraphrasing Gen.
Gordon, would sap the foundations of
our manhood and bring certain decay to
the patriotism of our people," In clos
ing, Gen. Gordon asserted that mo more
exalted purposes ever inspired a people
than those which impelled the south to
enterlupon her perilous struggle for in
dependence, nor ever induced a more
costly sacrifice nor ever secured more
deathless renown." How many people in
the north will endorse that sentiment!
Not many, ween. When "our northern
bretheren" learn the lessons of justice
and magnanimity, it will be time enough
for US of the stricken south to emulate
their example Until then, we simply
make ourselves ridiculous, if not con-
temptible, by protesting feelings few of
us possess. Nor is this sentiment incon-
sistent with loyalty to "a restored union"
The south will never more "rebel"; she
will be loyal henceferth and forever to the
union, for the same reason that has ever
actuated the north, viz: Self interest.
But the old-time love and veneration for
the union and the constitution is gone,
never more to return.
One who did not "snuff the battle from
afar."