The National tribune., 1897-05-06
JHCKS0N'S INCONSISTENCY.
Something about His Position ON the Slavery
Question.

Question.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Geo. w.
Cable, the Southern novelist, published q
short time back an article on "The Center
Side of Two Great Southerners." Among
his narratives regarding Stonewall Jackson
is one from Mr.. Moffett, who was from
Lexington, Va, and served in the Confed-
crate cavalry under Jackson.
"Stonewall Jackson" he says, openly
deplored. as did SO many other strict leaders
of the South, the institution of slavery.
Yet he was firmly convinced that its exist
ence was not only guaranteed by the Ma
tional Constitution, but sanctioned by q di-
vinely-inspired scripture. / heard him say
as much in the only political speech he ever
made"
In THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE of March
81, 1890, will be found sketch of Thomas
j. Jackson's career before he went to West
Point. This shows that he was poor or
phan boy, raised by an uncle, Cummins
Jackson, who had little grist and ssw-mill
on the west fork Of the Tygart River, four
miles below Weston, w. Va. There were
hardly any slaves In that portion of Vir-
ginia at that time, and the boy Thomas was
brought up to hard work until he was sent
to West Point.
After lie left the u. S. Army and settled as
professor in the Military Institute at Lex
ington, Va, he no doubt felt keenly his lack
of an ancestral tree, for every Virginian in
ante-bellum days was proud of trotting out
his pedigree. Jackson, who had seen the
world and profited by his experience in the
Regular Army, had too much common sense
and judgment to believe that slavery had
the sanction of the scriptures, and he took
up that old threadbare argument used by
the Shareholders to justify themselves, in
order to curry favor with the leaders of the
rebellion which he could see was about to
break out.
He had no interest in slaves whatever,
none of his family owned any, and he was
brought up in section where they were
very scarce. Jackson was ambitious, and,
while no doubt he "deploIeG the institution
of slavery" partially because he was de-
barred from the aristocratic prestige which
rested upon Shareholders, at the same time
be swallowed the lame apologies for its ex-
istence and extension, and endeayored 10
make reputation for himself such as would
overshadow the obscurity of his birth and
pedigree
How could Jackson SO tenaciously hold
on to that part of the Constitution which
recognizes slavery, and religiously overlook
the section which forbids any State to
"enter into any Confederation Give
Jackson his due as being an able leader OF
the forces in rebellion against the Govern
ment, but don't glamour it over with any
| religious bosh. Self-interest was the main
spring of ali his actions, as it was of all the
other Confederate leaders, and right and re-
| ligion were not taken into consideration.
Jackson's soldiers liked him. He could
be very socisble with them and at the same
time maintain his dignity and distance. In
his earlier campaigns he mingled much with
his troops. He could swing an ak with the
best of them, and often, in cutting road OF
making a slashing, he would say to one OF
the soldiers detailed for the purpose: "Lend
me your Ak, my man; want to exercise q
lttle"; and when the soldier smilingly
| handed him the ak the General would
handle it with such skill and dexterity a.
| TO elicit the admiration of his men, who
never tired talking about him.-WM. Z
DOYLE Stevensburg, Va.