The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1910-08-26

Mrs. Miller had secured some wool
from the pelts of sheep left where
the guerillas had slaughtered them.
With this she had mixed in carding,
some with mountain hemp, and WOW
en- what was to her, "a fine lot of
jeans CLOTH ts
A suit for the boy was just about
completed when the children who had
been watching, gave the alarm that
guerillas were coming. The mother
hurriedly hid the suit under the fea-
therbed, but it was too late. She
was detected by a swift-footed outlaw
who saw the child run to give the
alarm The suit was taken and in
anger the featherbed was burned.
Thus leaving the poor mother to be-
gin all over again, which she did by
secreting herself in an old half-burn-
ed pile of logs and brush to do her
work. When men would come and
demand of the children their mother,
she would come to the cabin laden
with charred wood for the fire.
Thus you see much of the intense,
almost unbearable wrong-doing was
no fault of either army, but general
outcome of war. Nor did this pillage
cease at the close of the war; it con-
tinued until law and order could be
restored, and that this was so long
delayed, was due principally to two
causes. Of course the South had to
be placed under military or civil con-
troll, and in either case as natural
outcome of the surrender, men of the
union had to be chosen for this work.
There was no power to force soldiers
to remain away from their homes
now that peace was declared, and
| type of men who were suitable for
these places in the south, longed for
the peace, quiet and happiness of
their old homes, too fondly to remain
away longer, or to do duty for a re-
bellious people for whom they had
perhaps compassion, but no brotherly
love.
i Thus it will be seen that the only
class of men from whom selections
could be made, were just the opposite
in nature and disposition to what
was needed.
Il To this class of men we are indebt-
ed for such publications as The
Leopard's Spots" which shouldynever
have been written; for while truly
believe it to have been founded upon
facts, it was far overdrawn, and to
say the least, was not conducive to
restfulness to a certain class.
}, Red Rock" by Thomas Nelson
Page was perhaps the best-balanced
work of romance portraying recon
struction days, being written by a
Southerner, and fair in its character
, sketches of both sides. 1t is an &C
ceptable production to all.
The second prime cause for disor-
der in reconstruction, was at Wash
ington. President Johnson from the
first took an extreme opposite view
from Lincoln. Severity with civil
and military leaders of the Confeder-
Gcy, marked his congressional mes
sage. Lincoln's desire was to pardon
all those who had participated in the
defense of the Confederacy, with the
exception of certain classes, provided
they would take the oath of allegi-
ance, and those excepted might be
pardoned by the president. The fin
ancial condition of the nation was
strained, Serious disagreements
were arising between the two houses
and the president. The hottest con-
test was over recognizing the South
The South was suffering, while they
We're quarreling over theories. Both
the president and congress we're too
stubborn and dogmatic, too angry
and self-willed to settle on some
practical issue and put it in action
The president held that the fact that
the Southern States wanted to be
out of the union, did not put them
! out. That an unruly child may want
!, to leave home and do so, but the
home is his so long as it's parents
say it shall be so. And when he has
finished his hayward course, his
home is there for him, and he is q
member of the family.
Congress said the seeded states
had been detached from the union
and special legislation was necessary
. to restore them. This was the actual
foundation for the continuous quarrel
at Washington, while the poor, dis
couraged South endured indignities
, both real and imaginary.
, If Johnson had possessed Lincoln's