The partisan leader a tale of the future |
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| 18. | CHAPTER XVIII. |
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 | CHAPTER XVIII. The partisan leader |  |
18. CHAPTER XVIII.
The broken tools that tyrants cast away
By myriads.—
Byron.
Behold us then, once more, at the door of Mr.
Bernard Trevor's little study. The uncle and nephew
are together. A servant enters with letters
from the post-office, and we enter with him. The
letters are opened, and Douglas having read that of
the Secretary of War, hands it to his uncle. Let us
read with him.
“Sir: I have it in command from his Excellency
the President to say, that your letter of resignation
has been received with surprise and regret.
“He has seen with surprise that, at a moment of
such critical importance, one who had been, as it
were, the foster-child of the Union, should seize,
with apparent eagerness, a pretext to desert the banner
of his too partial sovereign.
“His regret is not at the loss of service, which,
rendered by one capable even of meditating such a
step, would, at best, be merely nominal; but at the
cherished and so much respected as your father.
“I am farther charged to remind you, that resignation,
when resorted to for the purpose of evading
military prosecution, is always deemed little short of
a confession of guilt. In most cases, this produces
no embarrassment. The loss of the commission is
generally an adequate punishment; and it is, in such
cases, well to leave the conscience and the fears of
the accused to inflict that punishment, ratifying the
sentence by prompt acceptance of the proffered resignation.
“But this does not hold in all cases. The President
bids me say that he is not yet prepared how to
act in one of so serious a character as this. His regard
for your father is the source of this perplexity.
He requires time to reflect how far he can reconcile
to his public duty, that tenderness to the feelings of
a friend which makes him desirous, if possible, to
stay enquiry by accepting your resignation. Under
other circumstances, he would not hesitate to reject
it, and instantly order a court-martial, as the proper
means of bringing to prompt and merited punishment
an offence which, I am charged to say, he
considers as virtually admitted by your attempt to
evade a trial; when, if innocent, you would certainly
wish an investigation, in order to establish your
innocence.
“In conclusion, I am instructed to say, that for the
to facilitate such measures as it may be deemed proper
to take in relation to you, I am required to
keep myself advised of your locality. To save
trouble, therefore, I deem it advisable to command
you to remain at the place from whence your letter
of resignation was dated, and to which this is
directed, until farther orders.
(“By order of the President.”)
This letter Mr. Trevor read with calm and quiet
attention, carefully weighing every phrase and word,
while Douglas, perceiving the handwriting of his
friend Whiting on the back of another, hastily tore
it open, and read as follows:
“I never performed a more painful duty in my
life, my dear Trevor, than in putting the seal and
superscription to the accompanying letter from the
Secretary.
“My situation in the Department should have
given me earlier notice of what was passing, but I
got no hint of it until yesterday. I immediately did
what I believed to be my duty as a friend; though
I am now fearful that what I did may not meet your
entire approbation. I am sensible you would not
have done it for yourself; but there are some things
which delicacy forbids us to do in our own case,
which we are not displeased to have done by others.
far, I should have left it in your own hands. But I
had no reason to believe that any intimation of it
had, as yet, been given to you, and I wished to prevent
any step whatever from being taken.
“With this view I ventured to lay the whole correspondence
before the President. I know that he
received and read it. You will therefore judge my
surprise at being required, to-day, to forward the
unprecedented document which accompanies this.
“I am guilty of no breach of duty when I assure
you that that paper is sent, as it imports on its face,
`by the order of the President.' The Secretary is
not responsible even for one word of it. The very
handwriting is unknown to me, and it was sent to
the department precisely in the shape in which you
receive it.
“Knowing what I did, I should have doubted
whether it had not been surreptitiously placed among
other papers transmitted to us at the same time.
But there is no room for mistake. It came accompanied
by the most authentic evidence that it had
been read and approved by the President himself.
“I find myself placed in a delicate situation.
Here is an avowal of full faith in a charge disproved
by my positive assurance: a charge that no one can
believe, who does not believe me capable of basely
fabricating the documents, copies of which the President
has, authenticated under my hand.
“Your own course leaves no doubt what you
would advise me to do, under such circumstances.
But my lot in life is different from yours. Impatient
as I am of this indignity, I fear I shall be constrained
to bear it. `My poverty but not my will consents.”
I do not, therefore, ask you to advise me, for I would
not do so, unless prepared to give to your advice
more weight than I can allow it. It could add
nothing to the convictions of my own mind, and the
indignant writhings of my own wounded honor; and
even these, God help me, I am forced to resist!
“This affair has, as yet, made no noise. It is not
at all known of in the army; but I think I can assure
you of the sympathy of all whose regard you value,
and their unabated confidence in your honor and
fidelity. I shall make it my business, be the consequence
to myself what it may, to do you ample justice.
Indeed, my indignation makes me so reckless of
consequences, that, apart from the necessity of bearing
insult from one from whom no redress can be
demanded, I am not sure that I do not envy your
lot.
“That your resignation will eventually be accepted,
cannot be doubted. What is the motive to
this letter, it is hard to say; but certainly it does not
proceed from such a disposition as would willingly
afford you an opportunity of triumphant vindication.
“God bless you, my dear Trevor. We have indications
that stirring times are at hand, which will
duty may call me, I cannot anticipate; but it will be
strange if the charms of a life of active service don't
bring us together again. Meet when we may, you
will find still and unalterably, your friend,
Having read this second letter, Douglas passed it
also to his uncle, and, rising, hastily left the house.
It is needless to scan the thoughts that accompanied
him in his ramble. They were bitter and fierce
enough. But he had learned, in early life, to master
his feelings, and never to venture into the presence
of others until the mastery had been established.
Many a weary mile did he walk that day before his
purpose was accomplished, but having at last effected
it, he returned.
Mr. Trevor had found leisure, in the mean time, to
scrutinize the letters in whole and in detail, and had,
at length, arrived at a conclusion not far from the
truth. He was prepared, therefore, to welcome the
return of Douglas with a cheerful smile; and instead
of adding to his excitement by any expression of resentment
or disgust, endeavored to calm and soothe
him. For such conduct the young man was altogether
unprepared. Aware of his uncle's wishes in
regard to him, he had looked for something different,
and had endeavored to fortify his mind against such
impressions as he feared he might attempt to make
on it. The great principles by which he had been
had been wronged. His duty to the Union was not
affected by the injustice of the President. So his
father would have reasoned the matter, and like his
father, he determined, if possible, to think and act.
But he had no idea that in this attempt he would
receive countenance and even aid from his uncle.
It may, therefore, be readily believed that the old gentleman
rose yet higher in his esteem and confidence,
from the delicacy and forbearance which he so unexpectedly
practised.
| CHAPTER XVIII. The partisan leader | |