The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1921-02-10

Grant. can afford to regard the loss of
ten thousand men as matter of in
difference. When we compare the res
pective numbers belonging to free and
deSpotic states, when we count up the
overwhelming numerical superiority Of
despotisns. legitimate and democratic.
over all constitutional countries COM
bined. we can but feel that the fall of
the Confederacy is Il presage of evil
for the cause of liberty and the future
of mankind.
THE part which England has played
in this awful drama adds tenfold
bitterness to the grief with which we
regard its deplorable catastrophe Every
generous heart must be wruns in wit
Messing the death agony of IA gallant
nation: but we. the nearest kinsmen,
whose supineness permitted. whose pol
icy furthered and fastened its destruc-
ton. have to bear not only the pang of
sorrow. but the worse fortunes Of self
reprOach. England-may Heaven for
give her has cast away the noblest
opportunity and has been accessory to
| the greatest crime that modern history
| records. A single dispatch. Il single
stroke of the pen. requiring no more
| than the cOmnlonest foresight and the
most ordinary courage. would have en-
| abled her to preserve the gratitude of
generations yet unborn. More than once
II has been in her power without Il blow
to establish in the New World that
international balance of power without
which neither peace nor liberty is pos
sible She might have given independ-
ence to the South. have stayed the
carnage of the war. have made Canada
safe forever, have secured Il firm. pow
erf,ll. and loyal ally. have secured
against disturbance and interruption
the hopeful and generous experiment
by which France is endeayorins to res
tore order and peace to Mexico and to
save the resources Of that magnificent
country for commerce and for civiliza
ton. All this she might have done with
out overstepUng by hairs breadth
the duty of neutrals and the law OF
nations. and there was not found In
England a statesman who had the cou-
rage to seize the glorious opportunity
Worse than this. the men to whose
feeble and unworthy hands her great
power and vast responsibilities We're
intrusted not only shrank from casting
her moral weight into the scale of JUS
: tice. order and civilization. but they lent
her aid to the champions Of tyranny
, within the Union and Of anarchy abroad
They gave grudsin.ly to the South II
her struggle for her own independence
for the safety of our colonies. and thu
peace OF the American continent. Il lin
tied share Of belligerent rights; bu
they seized her unarned ships in Oul
harbors. they drove her cruisers fortl
from our colonial ports. they harrasset
her with hamperins and vexatious de
mantls, while they allowed her enem.
! to recruit In IRELAND, to blockade on
seaports. and to exceed the utmost lat
ittlde of belligerent rights in order t
: intercept the-trade Of the COnfederates
How different might the fortune
Of war have proved had England bee
honestly neutral Grant even that sll
3 had seized the Alabama and the Flol
& ida. what would this have signitied !
! she had stopped Federal recruiting |
1 Ireland and insisted that the exampl
! should be Loyalty followed Oh the cor
6 tinent? Had she taken stringent meas
: ures to prevent emigration of recruit
g to the North. as she stopped the suppl
+ of navy to the South. the Feders
E armies would have been weakened b
+ more men than Grant and Sherida
s now command, and thus the Mort