The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1888-03-14
LIBBY AS A MUSEUM.

LIBBY AS A MUSEUM.
EX.pRIsoNERs OF WAR OBJECT Tt
THE CHANGE.
Southern Sentiment AgainsS Removal
Objections from Captain Stewart--Th'
Old Pile TO be Used as q Museum.
(From the Chicago Ncws.1
When the ever-vigilant American spec
ulator first turned to CONNER cial account
the thrilling epochs Of the VIZ by ropro
ducing them in panoramas loud protests
were not wanting. "Reviving dea6
issues, !" ssProlonging sectional hatreds,
ssThe degradation OF ballowed memo
ries, D. were some of the pet phrases o:
those who found fault with the scheme
It is needless to suggest which view ot
the case triumphed. The sentimental
lists were routed, and another generation
of Americans has lived the war scenes
over again on canvas, while those who
invested in the canvas have been nearly
buried in an a7aienche of dollars.
The objections against perpetuatlne
the memories of the war have again come
to the front, only in more intensified
form, since it was proposed to transfer
Libby prison TO Chicago as business
enterprise. The arrangements for thl:
transfer have been pra ;tically completed.
A recent dispatch from Richmond says
that al architect, after careful examlna-
ton, saws the building can be taken
down and removed to Chicago at much
smaller cost than the first estimate. Mr..
W. H. Gray, Of Chicago, was with the
architect VIXEN the latter examined the
building last week, and when the Rich.
mond people found out that Mr.. Gray
had the money in his pocket 10 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 editorially In
late issue:
OPINION OF SOUTHERN PAPER.
''To set up Libby prison in a North
ern city and to have thousands of people
inspect it under the guidance Of merce-
naries whose daily task will be exaggera-
ton, is to contrive new means for IN:
tensifying whatever remains of hostility
to the South. The Southern people
have heard many recital of the suffer
ines OF Point Lockout and Johnston's
Island, but they want none OF the re-
minders of those prison pens set up IN
their midst They have no desire to
perpetuate animosity and unforg!1eness
| toward the people OF the North.
eff it be not too late-and we trust
that it is not-let steps be taken at once
to prevent the removal from tnls cliy OF
an object that should have been razed to
the ground long ago-a removal that can
result in no good, but, on the contrary,
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 more dangerous than the re-
building of this old and crumbing prison
as temple of South hate. y
In another issue the same paper said !:
ssThe objection to the removal Of
Libby prison may be said to come from
sentimental idea. To set the building
up in Chicago, to PIT wax-fgure sentl-
nels in gray uniform about its doors, to
placard here and there a cell to tell a
story of brutality, will be still further IN
keeping with the schenle, for there is no
sentiment about this. It is confessed
that it is for cool cash. There were
daring raiders on the Northern side
whose fervid 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
few thousand dollars, greater than the
7alor that through sentimental prompt
incs resisted this removal, and we, OF
Richmond, of the South, are asked to
bow down, grin acquiescence, and DIS
carding sentiment, hail the enterprise
that Will make q part of the furniture OF
the Lost Cause drawing card for a
show, while rabbles, for only ten cents,
can see the the exhibition and go away
with full appreciation OF how lost IN
deed is that cause when its very public
buildings are carted off thousand miles
and set up for sport or jeers.
UNION MEN AGAINST TIE PROJECT.
The protests are not all, however,
from sympathizers 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 saddest memories of
the entire war. 10 turn into museum
for the dclectation OF the vulgar crowd a
building sacred by reason OF suffering
and martvrdom for the holiest Of causes
would be wrong, is the plea OF the
Northern officer who doesn't want to see
Libby prison moved. Here is what
Captain James Stewart, Of Pittsburg, the
last Union officer to eracuate Libby,
saws in recent interview:
tsTo take it now and turn it into a
nlonev-making show would be an insult
to the South and a degradation to the
North. I saved the old building once
from being destroyed by fire, but if il
was only for museum that L saved 1t
am never going 20 claim any honor OF
credit again for the act.
There was lot of suffering in that old