The Washington critic., 1886-10-01
AN OLD STORY OVER AGAIN.

Davis to Colonel ]. Thomas Scharf of
Maryland i'm which the cX Confederate
President replies in elaborate detail to
the charges that have been laid at his
door by General Sherman on various
occasions. and particularly to the ac-
ousation that he once threatened to
coerce with the whole strength OF
Lees army any State that should essay
TO secedc from the Southern Confed-
eracy.
AS this charge. hy reason Of its con.
sideraiion in the Senate and the notice
taken of it by the War Department, as
sumed an official aud conspicuous im.
portancc. Mr.. Davis feels called upon
TO demand, with reiterated emphasis,
the production by General sherman of
any verifying letters or documents sus.
tanning it, and reseuts the course of the
Senate in having stabbed him in the
dark, as 1t were, for the sole purpose
of making political capital. and per-
petuating those sectional feelings that
should have perished with the oblitera-
ton of sectional lines.
Mr.. Davis also protests with vehc.
meECe against The imputations, which
are now accepted as historical facts,
that he and his associates ever entered
into conspiracy" to bring about a
dissolution of the Union but claims,
on the contrary, TO have exhausted
every expedient for the preservation of
peace and the maintenance of the
States undivided, until forbearance be.
came no longer possible.
1t Is the old story over and over
again. The history of the War of
Secession, Of the events which pre-
ceded and followed it, of the public
policy" both of President Davis and
President Lincoln, are fairly we'll un-
derstood by the people North and
South already. They will be still
better understood as the imperfections
growing out of passion, resentment
and "obliquity of vision" on either side
are gradually eliminated from the
record. But the wholly fair and i'm
partial chronicle of the great episode
which sundered the Union for the ap.
parent purpose of crushing slavery
with the force of its rebound, aud, at
the same time welding the people Of
the two sections iu closer brotherhood,
is yet to be written.
I'te "Traditons of the Civil War"
which General SHERMAN may con-
tribute to our stock of knowledge on
this subject, will be Of value, but not
nece 'sarily auihorita,ivein all respects,
Neitler are the passionate outburstS
Of Mr.. Davis indignation at what he
eonctivcs to be grossly unjust and in
sOltnt reflections upon his course, to
be taken as absolute and hnal author.
ily. What either of these prominent
participants in the Civil War have to
say about It, has only II relative i'm.
por,uuce. the exact measurement of
which is only to be Gsccrtaued by a
careful and unprejud!ced sitting, OF
which such contemporaueous hi'tori.
ans rs Sherman and Davis are scarcely
capable.
THE Upper HAND OF EUROPE.
The differences between Russia and
Bulgaria seem to be no nearer settle.
ment than they were before Russia
forced Prince Alexander of the Bul
garian throne, but are practically as
they were when the dethronemcnt took
place, which means that as Russia had
her way in the first place, she will con
tinue to do as SHE pleases. If the Rus
sian Government were not satisfied o.
this fact 1t would not deal with Bul
garia in such a peremptory fashion.
The Bulgarian people, notwithstand
ing their helplessness in the matter
make vigorous protest, but it Is evi
dent that they see the uselessness of it
Russia having shown Bulgaria how
completely she is at her mercy, offer!
10 be that country's protector, ant
Bulgaria knows that she must acccp
such "protection" If she would retair
any semblance of national autonomy.
Russia has, through her representa-
tive at Sofia, demanded, among othel
things, that there be postponemen
Of an election of q new sovereign TO
two months, which means until Russi
CdU IulhG nCI Ohu stICStlOn lOI III
throne; that the state Of siege be raised
and that those who were arrested fo
the abduction Of Prince Alexander b
released. Bulgaria has asked at least
modification of these demands, and III
Russian representative has replied sig
niflcantly that the Gar, having Blu
garia's prosperity at heart, she mus
conflde in him and carry out his wishes
To that complexion it must come Q
last. In fact Russia is thoroughly e'
tablshed in the Balkans, and Is ther
TO stay, as Is usual with her. And tn
public declaration of Auslro. Hungary
Prime Minister yesterday, that tina
country would not permit any foreig
power to establish protectorate owe
Bulgaria, will not affect Russia or he
intentions in the least. The Gar wi
go along in the work that was mappe
out long ago, and is being gradual
but surely accomplished, The uppC
hand in Europe is 'eminently tn
hand of Russia.
Ir MAKES a Prohibition advocal
rage to talk Of licensing the traffic i
intoxicants, yet in Missouri high licen'
has cut the saloons down in numbc
from 5000 to $500 and raised Ii
revenues from $547O00 to $l,5OO,OO
This is practical good; prohibition