The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-05-09
The Governor and the Mi.
litia.

!! Sumter Light Infantry, published yes.
terday. Governor TillmaD, announces
that as his men "came to their senses
and returned to duty the next day, be
will overlook their INSTRUMENTATION on
the Both, when they refused to 60 to
Darlington. and allow the company to
remain as a part Of the State militia,
and adds: I am thus lenient because
the wisess and coolest Of us commit
blunders under high excitement. Let
it be a warning to the company in the
future, and let them never forget that
while the commandment chief may make
blunders and give unvise orders, he
is responsible to the people, and no
citizen soldier can ever question his
commands till they are Of such an
outrageous kind as to override Law,
decency and justice"
While the commander-in-chief may
make blunders aud give unwise
ORDERS" is good. The official reports
of the April Fool 1nsurrection" show
that it was an April Fool affair from
beginning to end. Nothing approach
ing it 10 character has ever been seen
on this continent unless it was the
Battle Of the Tubs Of ancient
memory. The commander:in-chief
made a good many blunders, and gave
a good many unsise orders. The
only redeemins feature in his 6rst
military campaign, indeed, vas his
final .'order' sending the involuntary
excursiouists back to their homes to
consider for the remainder of their
lives the interesting c%onundrum. why
they were ever summoned from them.
Governor Tillmau is right in his i'm
piled plea. If even the wisest and
coolest of us commit blunders under
high excitement, allowance must be
made, surely for one who is neither
wise nor cool, when uuder the pressure
of thigh excitement he commits
blunders which even a child would have
avoided.
And he is right again when 10 his
cooler moments be comedies the princi-
pie that the intelligent citizen soldier
..cau question:" aud should question.
the commands of an excited aud
bluodering commander-iu-cbief when
..they are Of such an outrageous kind
as to override law, decency and order"
That is the position taken by q number
of the citizen soldiers in the State
when they were commanded by him to
90 on a .:feors errand" on All FOOLS
Day this year, and his present deSiara-
ton of their privilege and duty on
such occasions fully jusa6es them in
that position. He 'overlooks" the
characterization of the Sumter com
pany. and they a afford to overlook
his bluuders, and resume former rela-
tons, if they so desire, It is a matter
of taste which they must decide for
themselves. Their case is a somewhat
peculiar one, and We do not think they
compromise their self-respect by re-
naming a part of the militia by bis
permission.
1t is best to speak frankly. We do
not think that other delinquent compa-
MES should humble themselves to Gov
eruor Tillmsn in any degree. They
asserted their views Of duty, and their
rights in accordance with such views,
when they declined to obey his 'out-
r%ageous" commands, and they should
stand their ground like soldiers, and
like men. When they declared in
terms, or by their conduct, that they
did not trust their COMMANDMENTS
Chief" they meant just what they said.
They had no confidence 10 hin then,
and have none to-day. They did not
respect him then. They do not respect
him now. Events following their ex-
bibition of INSTRUMENTATION proved that
they we're wholly in the right. and he
was wholly in the wrong. They can
Dot afford to put themselves in a false
position by. a confession, however ipdl-
rect, that his orders should have been
obeyed; or by a promise, however
family implied, that they would obey
similar orders under similar conditions
hereafter. 1t means a good deal to
some Of the companies of course when
they are advised to abandon their long
established and honorable organizations.
1t means more to them, however, when
they are asked to sacrifice their self-res.
pecs and confess they were wrong when
they know they were right. The dis
bapdmept of the companies may be and
will be temporary. The acceptance Of
a reproach Oh their soldierly honor will
be permanent; can never be eHaced.
lis better, in our opinion, looking at
the question from the standpoint of the
delinquent" companies, to leave mat
tiers as they are, than to try to right
:hem by means that will constitute a
subject for everlasting regret. We
L.. III 49,. 49,. -l;tnrv oo~nonio