Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-05
The Beers and the Confederntes.
Now ORLEANS picav7,ne.)

(Nc" OIlcdIS < ICY uliC') II
Within the past day or two the Boer
generals who have been visiting Eng.
land have been engaged in conferences
with the government Colonial Secretary
concerning the treatment to be accorded
the conquered people Of the Boer repub-
lies, and they seem to think that they
are entitled to many substantial faVors
from the government to which they nave
surrendered.
Secretary Chamberlain. in his reply to
the demands of the Beers, reminded them
that there is great instruction for the
surrendered South Africans in the treat
ment that was accorded by the conquer
ors to the Confederates after their sur
render in the great civil war in America.
Said, in substance, the Secretary, the
conuuerors in the American war nave
been praised for their magnanlrnlty, out
they only gave the Confederates their
lives and their liberty. They corferred
no grants of money, no allowance, no
pension. no respite from taxatiopr but,
on the contrary, the Southern people
were disfranchised and held under mill
tary control and only at the end OF ten
years after the close of hostlities were
they allowed to vote in elections.
But the British government has granted
to the Beers not only life, liberty, an4 a
restoration to citizenship, but also the
large sum Of s15,0o0,0OO in money with
which to restock their farms with seeds,
agricultural implements, and farm ami
mails This is surely very long step
beyond the boasted magnanirnity OF the
Federal government towards the sur
rendered Confederates.
The simple fact is, that the only anu
the real magnanimity extended to the sur
rendering Confederates was given by
General Grant. Without consulting the
authorities at Washington, he accepted
the surrender Of Lees army, giving to
the officers and to the cavalry their
horses. which he declared they would
need for their farm work. The most ur-
gent and immediate need of the South
ern men who were set free from the
demands of war and were sent back to
the duties Of peace were to make crop
with which to feed themselves and those
dependent on them. The horses OF the
Confederate mounted officers and Of the
cavalry were their private property, but
thew were forfeited under the usages OF
war.
General Grant, who was endowed with
an extraordinary gift OF common sense,
realized this great need, and without
hestating a moment, gave the men their
horses. the most signal benefit he could
have conferred upon them. General
Grant. in that hour of victory, occupied
the highest place held by any man in
the United States. He had risen In a
day to be the idol OF the Northern peo-
pie, and whatever he did or ordered had
the force OF supreme command. No
body at Washington dared dispute his
viii. and his act stood. When General
Sherman few days afterwards received
the surrender Of General Johnston's army,
a precedent had already been made Tor
| him. and he followed It.
Hhara is little reason to doubt that
If any other man in Federal command
| had been in General Grants place at APP
| porattox results would have been very
| different, and the Southern people weulc
| have been vastly worse off at the very
beginning. It was seriously discussed a
| Washington whether or n General Lee
should be arrested and led for trea
son. and without doubt it would hav.
been done but for the powerful influence
| Of General Grant. Law would, have beer
| Dund to try Lee, who had resigned hi:
commission in the United States army
to take Up arms against II, and the ar
rest and trial Of General Lee would hav'
/ opened the way for a persecution ant
i partisan crusade against all the South
erns leaders. Fortunately, however, thu
great influence Of General Grant pre-
vented it, He was the Northern Colos
sus, while the South haters were pig
mics, and. a a call from their grea
general, his old soldiers and the poopl
/ 81 the North would have rallied ant
Iawept from power tho mon who miGh