The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1888-03-22
JACKSON. THURSDAY MARCH 22. 1888.
Ohio State Journal
The Southern Bloody Shirt.

Wade Hampton AYERS that he has
nothing to apologize for on account
of the part he took in the war of the
rebellion, and that he will never agree
that he and his associates were traitors
Who is asking Mr.. Hampton to apollo
gize? Who asks him to plead guilty
to the charge of treason when nc
Indictment has been found to that
effect? Except for the amnesty granted
by his conquerors, Wade Hampton
would not to-day be eligible to seat
in the Senate of the United States
By taking up arms against the United
States he forfeited his rights as a
citizen forfeited his life if amnesty
had not saved it. Why does he not
adopt the idea Of General Hooker and
other ex-Confederates, plead guilty to
the charge of treason, and appeal to
history in support Of the proposition
that treason is gentlemanly crime
"a crime that ought to be pardoned
or condoned in case like that Of the
Confederates? Hampton says that he
would do the same thing again under
like circumstances. Hooker said in a
speech in Congress the other day that
the Confederates appealed their case
to the highest Of human tribunals
the arbitrament of force-and the
decision was against them. He for
one proposes to submit to that decision
does not propose to ever again
maintain the justice, the righteous
ness or the expediency of the Confed-
crate; c$ase.ssA ~
As time passes the truths Of history
develop themselves. The same meth
ods now employed in the cotton states
to suppress the popular voice were
employed in 1861 to create the
Southern Confederacy. It is now
known that, in point Of fact, Virginia
did not secede, at least in the manner
and from prescribed by the ordinance
Of secession. Not exceeding one
fourth Of the voters of Virginia voted
for the ordinance of secession. The
returning board, whose duty it was to
tabulate the votes on the question
and declare the result, was composed
of men who had already committed
the overt act Of treason, and were in
arms against the authority and govern
ment Of the United States. They
were so situated that they dare not
declare the result in accordance with
the genuine returns. Returns from
many though the conni-
vance Of the returning board-were
intercepted and suppressed, or were
so doctored, changed, forged, that
heavy Union majorities were made to
appear as majorlties for secession.
The facts were known only to the
members Of the returning board and
their confdants, and they hastened
to sprinkle blood in the faces Of the
people" thereby creating an excite
ment that led to the suppression Of all
inquiry at the time. Forged returns
in that case eliminated in the death
Of tens Of thousands Of brave
Virginians, who at heart we're Union
men, but who, believing that the
majority had voted for secession,
"went with their state" The count
ing of these forged returns was
infinitely worse than treason and
rebellion, and the fate of the men
whu did it should be warning to all
who incline to such practices. With
one exception they are the tenants of
dishonorable graves, and the name Of
the survivor is never mentioned except
with contempt, even among the ex-
Confederates.
North Carolina and Tennessee were
nominally carried out Of the Union
by smallar methods-the voice of the
people being suppressed by terrorism,
fraud and forgery.
The men who suppressed the rebel
lion have freely forgiven everything
pertaining to the war. Are they de-
manding too much when they say to
the ex-Confederates that the time has
come when the Confederate methods
of 1861 must be abandoned? General
Hooker should answer that question.