The Washington herald., 1910-02-22
By HENRY wATTERsON.

When William Mckinley signed the
commissions of Joseph Wheeler and Fitz-
hugh Lee, Confederate generals and grad
yates of the West Point Military Acad-
envy, to be generals in the army OF the
United States, he gave official announce
ment of complete amnesty to the people
and the soldiers Of the South for acts
committed during the war Of sections.
Long before, Confederate officers had
sat in both Houses Of Congress and in
Republican and Democratic Cabinets and
upon the bench Of the Supreme Court,
and had served as ambassadors and
ENJOYS extraordinary in foreign lands.
The South rallied equally with the North
to the nations drum beat after the Maine
went down in the harbor OF Havana II
fought as bravey and Loyalty at Santiago
and Manila. Finally, by the vote OF the
North, there came into the Chief Mag
istracy one who gloried In the circum-
stance that on the maternal side he came
Of fighting Southern stock; who. amid
universal applause, declared that no
Southerner could be prouder than he OF
Robert z. Lee and Stonewall Jackson,
apotheosising an uncle, his mothers
brother. who had stood at the head Of
the Confederate naval establishment in
Europe and had fitted out the Confederate
cruisers. as the noblest and purest man
he had ever known a composite OF Col
Newcome and Henry Esmond.
The craven effigy Of Jefferson Davis
graces the silver service OF an Amer
lean battle ship. That tells the Missis-
sippBs guests. wherever and whenever
they meet around her hospitable board.
OF national unifCation and peace, and
gives the lie TO sectional maliguancy. IN
the most famous and conspicuous OF the
national cemeteries stands the monument
OF a Confederate general, not only placed
there by consent OF the government, but
dedicated with fitting ceremonies super
vised by the War Department, which sent
as its official representative the son OF
Grant. himself an army officer OF rank
and distinction. The world looked on in
.credulous and amazed, whilst our own
country rose to each successive act in
the drama Of reconciliation with ever
increasing enthusiasm
In view Of these things It would seem
late in the day for mans anger TO rise,
or for any Spectator in the obsolete and
threadbare TO conceive a party advantage
In wanton insult to the memory Of the
heroes and leaders of the South.
II
The man who could couple the names
Of Robert f. Lee and Benedict Arnold
would not hesitate, II his passions were
aroused or If he fancied he saw IN II
some profit TO himself. or his party. TO
liken George Washington 70 Judas
Iscariot.
That chance groups Of needless per-
sons here and there, stirred by the
bombast OF self-exploiung orators eager
for notoriety OF display-loose mobs of
local nondescripts led by pension
sharks so aptly described By the gal
liant Gen. Bragg, Of Wisconsin, as coffee
coolers and mp-followers-should tear
their passion TO tatters with the thought
that Virginia. exercising an indisputable
right and violating no reasonable sensi-
bility, elects to send memorials OF Wash
ington and Lee for enshrinement in the
Hall OF Statues in the Nations Capitol.
comes merely in the accustomed way OF
such irresponsible occasions ard express
sions. II proves only how easily men are
led when taken in droves and stirred 20
frenzy. Such men either bore no part
In the fghting when fighting was the
order OF the time. or else they are too
ignorant, and therefore too unpatriotic,
to comprehend the meaning OF the in
tervening years, the glory they have
brought, and the expanse of national
progress and proves they portend. IN
spite OF their lack OF representative
character, Il is not easy 20 repress I'M
patience at ebullitions OF misguided
zeal so ignOble. and. OF course. it Is not
possible to dissuade or placate them.
The very attempt would be ike point
ing out a star 10 blind horse. or try
ing TO teach a rattlesnake to think.
That any rotten borough, however ig-
norsnt and remote, should send to Con-
gress a Senator or a Representative ca
pable Of echoing sentiments so mean
and groveling would be unbelievable
except that so many OF the mentally
halt. lame, and blind have contrived 20
find their way to Washington from the
beginning and viii probably continue 10
do so to the end of the republic.
The world has been ever fun OF the fan
tastic. There was a King Of France, and
as history measures time not such ages
ago, who delighted TO trick himself IN
female apparel and to paint his cheeks
like a harlot. and thus to dispOrt himself
through the streets of Paris Why should
we wonder that some creature Of the
slums, or some hind Of the backwoods