Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-05-18
Unpleasant Memories Revived.

The decision to dedicate on Memorial
Chicago is as unfortunate as it is in bad
taste. The soldiers who fought on the
field were those to most quickly recog-
nizs the bravery of their foes. Ever since
the war they have been among the first to
accept the conclusions Of the war and to
accord to each other the merit which was
due. We believe that every northern
soldier respects the feeling that prompts
the erection of monument, in common
grafton of the courage of their defeated
foe They recognize that it was not the
Confederate soldier, who fought the battles
of treason, that was so reasonable at
heart as those high in authority. In this
spirit the great majority of them would
not have opened their lips In protest to
the erection of a monument to the Con
federatcs who died in prison at Camp
Douglass. They must, however, have
thought 1t peculiar, that on northern soil
on a day set apart not only for paying
tribute to the dead of our northern armies
hut to commemorate the fact that they
son, monument was to be dedicated to
the dead Confcderates To them as to
many others it must have seemed that the
choice of this day above all others on
which to make such n demonstration up
on Northern soil evinced design on the
part of somebody to obliterate the line of
dcmarcation between treason and loyalty.
Granted the Confederate soldier was
brave, loyal to his convictions, he was not
warp history as to make it appear that he
was, or that the cause he espoused even
at the sacrifice of his life was right over
come by might, should not be counte-
nanced for a moment There are those
who scout the idea that any such pur-
pose was in anyway connected with tho
plan to dedicate this monument on Me-
mortal day. Possibly this is true but
there is ground for suspicion. One can
not help feeling that the South as whole
has acquiesced in the results of the war,
though if the present governor of South
Carolina be type it would seem that
the spirit of secession is still rife there
We cannot doubt that there are men
prominent in the South as reasonable at
heart as in 81. Moreover it is very natur-
al for the Southcrner, who participated in
the rebellion, to desire to have the history
of that conflict reflect all possible credit
upon the lost cause, Neither is there
doubt that some would not hesitate to per-
vert history to gain this end. And the
ra gged figure that surmounts the monu-
ment, its attitude and appearance all
seem designed to convey the false i'm
preston to future generations that the
Confederate prisoner in Camp Douglass
was Ill treated This is one of the most
unfortunate features of the whole affair
1t touches very sensitive spot in the
memories OF the Norbncrn SOlulcr. Ina6
Confederate prisoners were well treated
and that Union prisoners were starved
like dogs and suffered barbarities with
out parallel among civilized nations is
stamped upon his mind as if in letters of
fire. History has been very lcnient with
this awful blot upon the Southern Con
federacy. Any attempt to impress upon
the generations that follow that the Con-
federate prisoner was treated otherwise
than humanely Is we'll calculated to make
the blood of patriotic citizen boil with
Indignation. 1t would be an outrage de-
serving the condemnation Of every man
who has spark of loyalty to our govern
ment.