The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-01-14

portun;ty. But the South was absolutely
united after the first lines Of 6emarcation
were drawn after Sumter. In the darkest
hour OF Confederate disaster, in sunshine
or in storm, the South was an absolute
uni. for Its cause, unbroken by any
whisper OF revolt or insubordination.
Davis was not trusted as an able execu-
tive, bu, he was supported TO the last hour
OF his official life with the last man and
the last dollar up TO the last ditch. The
p-etense OF Butler that the Confederate
soldiers were not responsible actors, but
irresponsible or unwilling victims, lambs
driven by the bayonets Of a military des-
potism to fight for the Confederacy, was
an insult to brave and intelligent people,
who were with the Confederacy, heart and
soul. In justice 10 such people it may
be safely said that they would scorn to &C.
cept Buffers excuses or take pension
from the government under the baby act
for rebellion.
The South now taxes itself considerably
in aid of its onfederate veterans, and as
it grows richer it will probably increase
its bounty. It does this for its living
soldiers just as it erects monuments to its
dead, but the Federal government is
likely to continue to let those who tried to
upset the Union tax themselves for the
support Of those who bravely upheld it;
for under any other view the government
would be placing the same premium upon
the patriotism that was faithful to the
flag and the patriotism that was SO can.
kered by sectionalism and limited by state
lines that it was unfaithfui to the flag.
Very few of the traditional historical PEN
alties of rebellion were exacted from the
South, wise and humane decision; but
the state Of Georgia would think dele.
gate from bedlam were abroad if her gov
ernor should propose pension for all of
Sherman's veterans now resident in Geor-
gia; that is. that the veteran who fought
for Atlanta under Hood should be on the
same state pension roll as the veteran who
helped beat in its gates and burn up its
public buildings under Sherman.
The government not only hung nobody
for treason, but did not even try anybody
for treason; it exiled nobody, it sentenced
nobody to any term of imprisonment; it
permanently deprived nobody of suffrage
or civil rights; it confiscated no estates
after the war, but, granting that the gov
eminent was entirely wise in this liber-
atty, the nation might as we'll have added
croquet grounds and skating Kinks to it's
peniten1 Dries as to have enacted Ben But
ler's ideS bf Federal pensions and Federal
soldiers homes for ex-Confederates. 1t
certainly would smooth the wrinkled front
Of the next civil war wonderfully if the
rebels understood that in case of failure
there would still be light in the
window and warm supper waiting
at Uncle Sans headquarters for the
poor. dear Confederate the moment
he surrendered. No one hereafter could
say that the rebellion was not
very civil war if Ben Butler had lived to
lead disabled Confederate into a Federal
Soldiers Home and seat him beside a
Union veteran, saying: My dear heroes,
know each other; hereafter have but one
purse and home between you. Bless you,
my boys, bless you; the United States is
proud of you both; of her Union soldier.
as an undoubted success; of her Confeder-
ate child. as magnificent, heroic failure;
you are both good boys, and Uncle Sam
feels bound to take care of you both; one
OF you showed remarkable ability and de-
termination in firing the fabric of the
Union in several places, while the other,
with at least equal heroism, exerted him.
self successfully to extinguish the lames."
This ia tho late Cen Rutier,s propositiop
to pension rebellion reduced to its lowest
ineligible terms. And Butler proposed
this not because he believed in it, but Just
to make people stop and stare at Butler.
just as faded belle might faint to make
men rush to her assistance.