The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-06-02

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causs u eiviIissslon and frssdom. o. that
the Cavaliers q Charles vieIdsd thsir
swords IN Tie eauss of feudaI bondage and
superstition. ThszU never wns assemh1ed
au army imbusd with higher moral ssn-
emsnt, Or msss inteIiissntor more earnest.
than that which followed Cromwell 70
Naseby Or Narston Moor. Il vss re-
glasses Of England It's soldiers were the
irsdssmen and intelligent artisans Of the
cities and the small farmers. Is repre-
scented The sriive and aggressive forces Of
Angio-Saxon c1v1iixation. Every soldier
in its ranks reassxsd fhat be was fighting
the battle Of civil liberty.
The army OF King Charles wAs ofIicsrsd
BY the MOBILES Of his court They we're &C
compI;shed and intelligent men. bus the
battle which they fought was . battle OF
pure sesfshn>ss- They fought for their
fefs snd their laads. they fought for the
spsendor Of royal court. they fought for
the baubis Of kings favor. They prossi-
futed their learning and their accomplish
nsents and drew their swords in the cause
Of ignorance and rsirogression- The fol-
lowers Of these C4vsiiers--the rank and file
Of the army Of King Charies-vere the
hsngers-on around the iordly castles, the
iab0rers who were too ignorant or too
brusish 20 think for themselves, the sdven-
tu.ers who had locked from all parts of
Europe to share in tie plumber Of the Eng
Iish towns. II was such . force that
charged with the knightiy Rupert and
shouted the historic battle-cry For the
church; for the king: for the law"
As has been said. there IL no intelligent
man who does not realize that the soldiers
OF the parliament fought the battle OF truth
and progress and that the soldiers of the
king fought the battle OF error. There is
no student Of history who does not see that
the defeat Of Fairfax and Cromwell and
the triumph Of Charles and Rapert would
have been disastrous blow TO the cause of
civilization and human progress. Yet the
light Of romance shines about the Cavalier.
We rejoice with him In his triumphs and
sorrow with him in his defeats Poet and
novelist unite in singing his praise. He Is
the hero OF the war. For the Roundhead
soldiers OF civilization we have nothing but
gihcs and sneers. We ridicule their high
moral standard and even make sport Of the
stubborn courage with which they upheld
their opinions. All that We admire In other
men We turn TO ridicule when found in
them Nobody makes Cromwell the hero
OF novel, or sings song in honor of the
stern soldiers who beat back Rupert's
charge At Nassby and fell upon their knees
to ask the aid of God before they marched
TO victory ~ Mars,on Moor.
The armies OF the Roundheads and the
Cavaiisrs afford . curious parallel with the
armies OF the North and the South. The
soldiers who saved the Union were true
descendants Of the followers of Fairfax and
Cromwell. Drawn from the mercantile.
lAbosing and farming classes. they were
In the truest sense soldiers who fought for
their own convictions. The army Of the
Union, like that Of Cromwell, was CON-
posed Of intelligent. thinking men who
knew that they were fighting in great
cause. In the very songs which they
shouted about their camp-fres, they pro-
claimed that they were the soldiers of free
dom and humanity. They fought and
won fight which could not have been
lost without grievous check 70 human
progress.
But the soldiers OF the North were not
more similar 10 those Of Cromwell than
we're their opponents to the soldiers Of
Prince Rupert and King Charles. The
Southern army was officercd by men Of
education. intelligence and refinement
who did not hesitate to draw their swords
In cause aohorrent to the spirit OF the
age In which they lived. Themselves en-
ioying the blessings OF civil aud religious
freedom. they fought TO clasp the shackles
OF slavery upon their feliow-men. They
strove 10 stay the advance of civilization
and TO perpetuate AN institution which
humanity by . common impulse has
rclegatsd to the past. The followers of
these Southern cavaliers were in great part
ignorant and unprogressive men whose
preludiees had been. worked upon until
they believed ,hat/their happiness de-
pended upon the perpesuation OF slavery.
The middle class was not largely repre-
sentsd IN the Southern army. From the
educated cavalier whose mistake was
nothing less than criminal, the descent
was abrant TO the ignorant cracker who
followed because he was led
As in the other ease. we realize that right
AMI Justice were on one side and give our
sympathy and admiration TO the other.
We SPEAK lightly OF the sturdy bravery OF
the thinking soldier of the North and praise
the inpstuous dash Of the thonghtless SOL
der OF the South. We magnify the abilities
CT Lee and Jackson NJ the expense of Gran,
and sherman. who were 50 vastly their
superiors In all the qualifications OF gen.
crslshir that comparison between then, il
impossible. We lose sight OF the fact tina,
the Northern soldier fought the battle o,
truth and the Southern soldier the battle
OF error.
II is well for the American people ia
honor the nohls and manly traits OF Lee:
character, but they should not forget that
he fought the fight for human slavery OF
that hs was the leader In the most cause.
less. unjust aud ,mdetensihle war OF mod.