Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-12-03
Shall Treason Be Rewarded?

I'D the puOll5D6Q proceedings VI |
Grand Army campfire held in Junction
City last week, Capt. J. r. Mcclure is
to have made the following |
statement: 1.-The war has been over
for twenty-five years, and it is our duty
to take the ex- Confederate by the hand;
and /, for one, think the government
should furnish artificial limbs to the
Confederate, the same as to the Union
soldier who lost his limb"
We hope that the paper has misreP-
resented Capt. MeClure's remark. We
are unwilling to believe that be would
make a statement so unworthy of any
loyal citizen and much less worthy of
one who fought TO preserve the country
which these ex-Confederates in
attempting to destroy lost their limbs.
Just what obligation this government
owes to these ex-Confederates that it
should be as solicitous of their welfare
as of that of the Union soldier is be-
yond comprehension. If Captain
Mcclure intends to convey the idea
that the government should furnish
every one of its citizens who has been
so unfortunate as to lose a limb,
irrespective of low he lost it., with an
artificial limb, then as a question of
political economy we shall not discuss
the matter. But when he says that the
government should furnish artificial
limbs to the crippled Confederate the
same as to a Union soldier, we beg
leave to enter our earnest and emphatic
protest. The hour will arrive for
America to hang her head in shame
and beg the caves of earth to hide her
dlshOnor when the wounds, the empty
sleeves and the crutches of the soldiers
of the Union who lost their limbs in
defense of the nation shall be counted
only upon a par With these who struck
them down as they stood by their
cOlors.
What principle of gratitude demands
the placing of the defenders of our
country on the same level with those
who sought Its destruction?
Why place a premium upon re-
bellion2 Why offer a reward for
treason? What claim has a crippled
Confederate upon the charity of this
government that might not with equal
propriety be made in behalf OF any
other unfortunate cripple? Why men
ton his claim upon the charity of the
government in the same breath with
that of the Union soldier? Are there
not hundreds>of men who lost their
limbs ia the pursuit of honest calliDgs,
or while engaged in providing food and
clothing for the Union soldier who
lost limb, ''much more worthy objects
of charity than the ex-Confederate
VITO lost bis limb in trying to destroy
the country? Nay, could the loss of a
limO in any calling, however humble,
appeal with less force TO the charity of
the nation than. the loss of a limb il the
Confederate service? We should be
false to the memory of the loyal dead
whose hUnored graves we annually
strew with flowers, false to the Union
soldiers who carry around with them
patents of nobility in empty sleeves
and honorable scars, won while defend
ing the honor and integrity of their
country, should we say to them, ''yolr
wounds are 10 longer to be counted
more than the wounds of those who
made them"
Tell the hundreds and thousands
of gray haired fathers and moth
ers who are tOttering upon canes,
deprived of the light and life of home
and with firesides forever desolate, that
the nation has already forgotten the
difference between the principles that
triumphed and the principles that
failed, and has turned aside to honor
equally with their sons those who
struck them down and which of them
would die blessing a grateful country?
What old soldier would under such
circumstances gather his boys about
him to fight the battles over again and
teach them the lofty duties which
inspired the millions who answered
their country's call and marched to
victory or death in the war of the re-
bellioD?
Let us not be misunderstood. We
give usterance to no bitter anathemas
with reference to the crippled Con-
federate." Tens of thousands of them
we're honest in their intentions. We
would heal the old wounds growing
out of the rebellion as rapidly as pos
sible, and We have charity for the IN
fortunate whether his misfortune be
the result of crime, treason or accident;
but from whatever source it may come,
We repel injustice to the nations
defenders and while we do not impugn
the motive of anyone, we stand at all
times ready to resent any insult to the
Union soldier who lost limb by plac-
ing him on the same level with the
crippled Confederate.