Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1909-05-06
rHE ST. ALsANs RAIDER.

the leading guest and chief orator on the
occasion OF st. Albans Day during Ter
centenary week, has not ovsrdone the
part Of human forgiveness il 3 question
that is receiving good deal Of attention
Just now throughout the slate Young
was the leader OF the celebrated st. Al
bans raid in October, 1864, when twenty
two alleged Confederates stole into that
peaceful and transporting town and after
laying careful plans, proceeded 10 enter
and rob the three banks, from which they
secured about s20s, 900; then to destroy the
TOW n BY fire, which failed; then to head
Oh at pistol point such citizens as were
on the street, lest they give the ALARM
then to rob the Iiveries of horses with
which to escape; then to begin reckless
and Indiscriminats firing. in which one
man was killed and two or three wound
ed; then to hurry out OF town on the
backs Of their stolen horses and over the
line into Canada, from which they had
come, before they could be overtaken-
EIinus J. Morrison, who died Of his
wound, was shot BY Young himself.
At the time, the act OF these St. Adams
raiders was denounced as one OF rapine
and piIlage, and il they had been caught
it is sale to say they would have been
served as gueriiIas and not as prisoners Of
war. Time softens aspeFities, il Is true,
but there must be great change indeed
when Young is invited and welcomed
back to the scene Of his exploit solely on
the strength Of it-lor Of course be would
not be sought otherwise Iionized as
the central figure Of such an occasion al
ways is.
1t all depends on how Vermont and st.
Albans, after these years, regard the St.
Adams raid. We can receive and honor
former foe with honor to ourselves.
providing be was an honorable foe and
fought in an honorable way. Especially
is this true Of Aour friends, the enemy
in ssthe late unpleassntness.n But while
. we might welcome such Southern fighter.
as Lee, Jackson and Longstreet, wer'
, they living, and might even receive such
former antagonists as Morgan and
Mosby with a spirit Of tolerance, v,
would not extend q forgiving hand to thu
perpetrator OF the Fort PILLOW massacre
or to wirz, commander at Anderson
vile. or to others whom Northern feel
ing can never view as on the same plan'
OF manhood. That would be too mucl
TO ask OF men and women with a sparl
OF loyalty to the dead.
Now in which class does this Bennett
H. Young beIong7 Admittedly. he is
!. man Of culture and refinement. well re
: ceived in his section, where his famou
raid met with considerable eclat. II i
established, too, that Young secures
from the Confederate government-whel
!. hard pressed and ready to adopt aImos
any desperate method to harm its adver
sary authority for his course. Conced
ed, also, that efforts to extradite Younl
from Canada afterwards failed, il heinl
:, held BY the courts there that his act wa
an act OF warfare.
moment conceded the raid to be othe
than vicious. venaI and vindictive al
tack upon her territory, carried out, NO
in the open field, under colors, or uni
: form, or such notification as the rule
and methods of modern war requir
should be given an adversary, but b
stealth. in the guise OF peaceabie cit
:. zens, who, at the opportune moment
!, whipped huge revolvers from their pocl
i cts, held mp unarmed citizens about thei
ordinary tasks, robbed banks, attempte
arson and shot to kill when the alarr
\, was given. The money that they too
s was their private plumber and never wer
into the Golfers of the Confederacy. Eve
- II 1t had, the act would not haze bee
Iegaiized as AN act of open, honorabl
warfare. II was merely raid for specu
:. Iative purposes undertaken from the tel
:. ritory Of neighbor with which we wei
a at peace, by escaped prisoners and ref,
gees.
= The St. Adams raid cannot be con
!. pared to any act authorizsd--and prob
!, bly, not to any act perpetrated--t
!. Northern troops in any section Of Il
- South during the war. It was mere q
- Of private spoiIation, impossible c. effe
ha on the general result. and therefore on
i. side the realm of legitimateIy warfar
i. At least this has been vermont's opinio
!, When We officially welcome Bennett
~ Young, its leader, on such an occasion
~ proposed, we not only wipe the sla
!, clear, but We rewrite history to his eys
=. lasting credit. Are we ready to do thi
nt Since the above was placed in the forl
an telegram has come from General You
to the chairman of the st. Adams COZ
III mittee declining the invitation extend
so him. The message fallows:-
On "E. J. Alexander. st. Albans W