The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-27
ONE MISTAKE is ENOUGH
REASONS WHY MASSACHUSETTS
SHOULD BE VERY LOYAL.
Her Disloyalty in the Second British
War Brought a Punishment Sufh-
cient for All Time.

Boston Journal.
1t is not pleasant for one whose duty
involves the daily reading of many news
papers from all parts of the United States
to find a third or a half of them winging
constant editorial paragraphs against the
patriotism of Boston and Massachusetts.
Our representatives in Congress have
been surprised and mortified to discover an
impression prevalent in Washington that
their State is disloyal, or at least lukewarm
toward the national cause in the war with
the Philippine insurgents. OF course we
ourselves know how baseess this impress
sion is-show the attitude which remote
ana mistaken rumor attributes to our Com
monwealth is held only by a minority and
a very small minority of our citizens. But
one important reason, doubtless. why this
unfortunate idea has gained such currency
is a chapter in our Massachusetts history
which is very much better remembered in
other States, especially the Southern and
Western States, than it as here at home.
To us who were reared in the belief that
American patriotism originated on Boston
Common and Bunker Hill 1t has always
seemed incredible that Massachusetts
could stand for anything else than I'M
swerving loyalty to the flag Of the Nation
that had its birth there But it is a hard
fact, which no son of the Bay State ever
contemplates to-day without sorrow, that
in one grave national crisis Massachusetts,
or large part of it, was untrue to the
Nation and untrue to its own traditions
That was in the war Of lS12-14, which has
been we'll call the second war for indepen-
dence.
The Massachusetts opponents of that war
for free seas and sailors rights were sim
cere, respectable Observation-Disclosures
probably ten to one, the opponents of the
present war for civilization and humanity
in the Orient The leaders of that oppo-
sition were some of the weather. and most
cultivated men of their time. In the State,
in the church, in business, their influence
was powerful. They controlled the State
government and dominated the Legislature.
They shaped the policy OF the press. Their
motives were various. Some of them OPP
posed the war out of that extrayagant
colonial subServience to England, "A small
and feeble relic of whic.. still fingers in this
neighborhood. Others hated Thomas JEFF
ferson as the champion of the Democracy
just as some opponents of the present war
hate William Mckinley the champion of
protection-and so were agains. everything
WHICH ne WAS SuppOSeQ 10 FAVOR. OlneTS
had worse adherence for war than they
had for grave wrongs-like many opponents
of our war for the deliverance of Cuba.
Others still detested a war with the mis-
tress of the seas" because it put a stern
embargo on their commerce.
WAR OF 1872
Out of these diverse elements grew an OPP
position in Massachusetts to the war of 1872
that was persistent and aggressive 1t
seems very strange now that this should
have been so, for Massachusetts probably
had more men than any other State among
the vast number of impressed American
sailors, for whose relief the war was under
taken. But these sailors were poor sons of
the plain people, while the leaders of the
Massachusetts, anti-war party were OF the
rich and fortunate. Just as our extreme
''anti-imperialists'' insisted that no army
could be raised to fight in the Philippines,
and did their best 10 discourage enlist
ments, so these opposition chieftains of
long ago INSTRUCTED every effort of the ma
ti0nal government to raise troops and de-
clared that none could be obtained save by
CONSUMPTION. Then as now, however Mas
sachusetts val0r and devotion were not
wanting great many men did volunteer
for the army and did get into active service
In spite of attempts 10 detain them on real
or fictitious charges CT debt. Massachu-
StltS men UP great or the
crews of the Constitution, the Hornet and
their sister frigates and sloops and also
of the smart New England privateers.
When the Massachusetts Legislature re-
fused TO pass conSratulatory resolutions on
their victories, these Yankee tars were con-
tent with the thanks of Congress and the
plaudits of their countrymen.
The charge was freely made that the
anti-war leaders OF Massachusetts were in
secret communication with the public enc
mics. One of the highest officials of the
State actually did declare in official utter
ance that oGr government was the offender
and that Great Britain was wholly right. In
return, the British authorities exempted
the Massachusetts coast from the blockade,
which they enforced with such severity and
even barbarity TO the southwark. There
were, even, instances In which direct aid
and comfort were given to our foes, and
the term Blue Light Federalists.'' given I'm
just, though bitter. derision long outlived
the party TO which IL was applied.
Precisely as the ''anti-imperalist" propa-
ganca, as Lawton and his comrades have
testified. keeps the breath Of life In the