The Soldier Boy | Page 7

scandal and a disgrace to
have even a single traitor within its border. The squire took no pains to
conceal his treasonable sentiments, though the whole town was in a
blaze of patriotic excitement. On the contrary, he had gone out of his
way, and taken a great deal of pains, to condemn the government and
the people of the North.
Squire Pemberton was a wealthy man, and he had always been a person
of great influence in the place. He had occupied all the principal official
positions in town and county. He had come to regard himself, as his
townsmen were for the most part willing to regard him, as the social
and political oracle of the place. What he thought in town meeting was
generally the sense of his fellow-citizens, and when he expressed
himself in words, his word was law.
When, on Sunday morning, with Fort Sumter in ruins, with the national
flag trodden under the feet of traitors, with the government insulted and
threatened, Squire Pemberton ventured to speak in tones of
condemnation of the free North, the people of Pinchbrook listened
coldly, at first, to the sayings of their oracle; and when he began to
abuse the loyal spirit of the North, some ventured to dissent from him.
The oracle was not in the habit of having men dissent, and it made him
angry. His treason became more treasonable, his condemnation more
bitter. Plain, honest men, to whatever party they might have belonged,
were disgusted with the great man of Pinchbrook; and some of them
ventured to express their disapprobation of his course in very decided
terms. Some were disposed to be indulgent because the Squire had a
sister in Georgia who had married a planter. But there was not found a
single person, outside of his own family, who was mean enough to
uphold him in his treacherous denunciation of the government.
The squire was too self-sufficient and opinionated to be influenced by
the advice of friends or the warning of those who had suddenly become

his enemies. He had so often carried the town to his own views, that,
perhaps, he expected to manufacture a public sentiment in Pinchbrook
that would place the town on the side of the rebels. All day Sunday, and
all day Monday, he rode about the Harbor preaching treason. He tried
to convince the people that the South had all the right, and the North all
the wrong; but he had never found them so obstinate and incredulous
before.
Towards night one of the ministers ventured to suggest to him that he
was sowing the wind, and would reap the whirlwind. The good man
even hinted that he had roused a storm of indignation in the town which
he might find it difficult to allay.
The squire laughed at the minister, and told him he was not afraid of
any thing. He intended to speak his honest sentiments, as every citizen
had a right to do; and he would like to see any man, or any body of men,
who would dare to meddle with him.
"I am afraid you will see them, Squire Pemberton," added the minister.
"Let them come where they please and when they please."
"What will you do? What is your single arm against scores of strong
men?"
"Nothing, perhaps, but I don't fear them. I am true to my convictions;
why need I fear?"
"I think your convictions, as you call them, are deluding you. Do you
think Benedict Arnold's convictions, if he had any, would have saved
his neck from the halter?"
"Do you mean to compare me to Benedict Arnold, sir?"
"I came to you, as a friend, to warn you of impending danger; and, as
your friend, I am compelled to say that I don't see much difference
between your position and that of Benedict Arnold."
"Do you mean to insult me?"
"Not at all, sir. I was only expressing my honest conviction. Instead of
placing yourself on the side of your government, on the side of law and
order, you are going about Pinchbrook Harbor denouncing the
legitimate government of your country, and pleading the cause of rebels
and traitors."
"Am I not at liberty to say what I please of the government?"
"In ordinary times, you are. Just now, the country is in a state of war,
and he who is not for the flag is against it. You may criticize the

government as its friend, but not as its foe. When armed men conspire
against the peace of the land, he who pleads their cause is a traitor--nay,
sir, don't be angry; these are my convictions."
"Political parsons have been the ruin of the country," sneered the squire.
"That is my conviction."
"Squire Pemberton, I beg you not to