The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1888-03-15
LIBBY AS A MUSEUM.
EX.PRISONERs OF WAR oBJECT TO
THE CHANGE.

EX-PRIsoNERs OF WAR OBJECT TO
THE CHANGE.
Southern Sentiment Against Removal
Objections from Captain Stewart--Tbe
Old Pile to be Used as Museum.
(From the Chicago Nows.)
When the ever-vigilnnt American spec
ulator first turned to commercial account
the thrilling epochs of the war by ropro-
ducing them in panoramas loud protests
were not wanting. "Reviving dead
issues" "Prolonging sectional hatreds,"
'"Iho degradation of hallowed memo
ries, wero some of tho pet phrases of
those who found fault with the scheme.
1t is needless to suggest which Wow of
tho case triumphcd. The sentimental
of Americans has lived the war scenes
over again on canvas, while those who
invested in tho canvas have been nearly
buried in an aYalencho of dollars.
Tho objections against perpetuating
the memories of tho war have again come
to the front, only in q moro intensified
form, since it was proposed to transfer
Libby prison to Chicago as business
enterprise. The arrangements for this
transfer havo boon pra 3tically completed.
A recent dispatch from Richmond says
that an architect, after careful examina-
ton, says the building can be taken
down and removed to Chicago at much
smaller cost than the first estimate. Mr..
w. III. Gray, of Chicago, was with the
architect when tho latter examined the
building last week, and when the Rich
mond people found out that Mr.. Gray
had the money in hispocket to make the
first payment on the property their pro-
tests began to accumulate in earnest.
The Richmond State was one Of the first
to voice Southern opinion. Among
other things, the State said cditorially in
q late issue:
| OPINION OF A SOUTHERN PAPER.
"To set up Libby prison in North
ern city and to have thousands Of people
inspect it under the guidance of merce-
narios whose daily task will be exaggera-
ton, is to contrivo new means Tor in
tensifying whatever remains of hostility
to tho South. The Southern people
have heard many a recital of tho suffer
ings of Point Lookout and Johkston' s
Island, but they want non& of fho re-
minders of those prison pens set pup in
their midst. They have no ddsire to
porpetuate luminosity and unfor8iveness
towar4. the people of the North.
eff 1t be not too late-and woI trust
that it is not-let steps be taken at( once
to prevent the removal from this q.5y OF
an object that should havo been ra2yd to
the ground long ago--a removal that can
l,,,E
is fraught with evil to the coming gen
ations of our common country. No
project that could be conceived by the
worst enemy OF the American people
could be moro dangerous than The re-
building Of this old and crlmbling prison
as temple OF South hate"
In another issue the same paper said
"Iho objection tO the removal of
Libby prison may be said to come from
Il sentimental idea. 10 set the building
up in Chicago, to put waX-fgure senti-
nels in gray uniform about its doors, to
placard here and there a cell to tell q
story of brutality, will be still further in
keeping with the scheme, for there is no
sentiment about this. 1t is confessed
that it is for cool cash. There wore
daring raiders on the Northern side
whose felVid imagination schemed the
capture Of Libby prison, the release of
the prisoners, and the demolition Of the
structure, But they could not take it
down. 1T still stands. Yet now we are
to have demonstration Of the power of
q few thousand dollars, greater than the
valor that through sentimental prompt
ings resisted this removal, and VIC, of
Richmond, of the South, are asked to
bow down, grin acquiescencc, and dis
cnrding sentiment, hail the enterprise
that will make a part Of the furniture Of
the Lost Cause drawing card for o
show, while rabblcs, for only ten cents,
can SEQ the the exhibition and go away
with full appreciation of how lost in
deed is that cause when its very public
buildings are cartcd of Il thousand miles
and set up for sport or jecrs.
UNION MEN AGAINST THE Project
The protests are not all, however,
from sympathiZcrs with the Lost Cause.
Here and there Union officer, whose
memories of Libby are principally those
of personal suffering, has joined in the
protest. The ground taken is that Libby
prison is one Of the saddCst memories of
the entire war. 70 turn into a museum
, for tho delectation Of the vulgar crowd u
, building sacred by reason Of suffering
: and martyrdOm for the holcSt of causes
would be wrong, is the plea of the
Northern officer who doesn't want to sec
! Libby prison moved. Here is what
y Captain J"mos Stewart, of Pittsbrg, the
: last Union officer to evacuate Libby
y says in q recent interview
. "Ho take it now and turn it into {
y mOnoy-making show would be an insul
to the South and a degradation to tht
North. ] saved the old building once
from being destroyed by fire, but if i
was only for museum that ] saved it
! am novor going to claim any honor o.
- credit again for the act.
There was o lot of suffering in that ole
building. Thousands Of soldiers in thu
broad country were made old men be
fore their time, and almost as many
u u moro gavo up life within those fou,
l walls. The memories Of that time ant
Of those horrors arc dead, even though
, they never can pass from our minds, anC
l to take that prison up to Chicago anC
}. turn it into war museum would surely
L crpnta b01 fpplinO On1 Oman I'M OlC