The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-08-17
hlisrcllollD.
Law and Penalty.


disposed to treat with great forbearance and
lenity. those who have taken position Of
hostility to the Union. 1t would seem that
forbearancc had been exercised until it ceases
to be virtue. Treason must be treated as a
crime and the traitors punished when in the
hands of our authorities. If anything can
arouse the public sentiment to appreciate the
stern realities of war, and the vileness Of the
crime of the men now in arms against the
Government, it must be such scenes as were
enacted at the recent battle at Bull Run.-
Circumstances loudly call for vigilance and
action on this subject
AS soon as Gen. Mcclellan had taken his |
1000 rebel prisoners, he writes to know what
he shall do with them. Arrests have been
made in great number Of instances, ofprom'
inent leading men in this rebellion /; and after
being iocarccrated short time, they have
been set a; liberty. Vessels sailing under jeff
Davis letters Of marquc have been overhauled
and taken, after having committed overt acts
OF piracy and it remains yet to be seen wbeth'
ell any DutilSutuCut Snail w u4SISo Ooo w @AoHS
sailing in them. Marshal Kane is arrested
as the Chief of Police iu Baltimore and, on
searching his premises, arms and ammunition
are found concealed in headquarters and sta
ton. houses; and the arms aud drums and ac-
coutrements OF some of the brave Massachu-
setts regiment who were slain on the 18TH
OF April in passing through Baltimore, are
found in his keeping
Every day brings tanning proof that lho
Iannihi!aton OF that eglment-marchlng at
the call of the President to the defence OF the
capi,a- Was the plot OF the Marshal and his
coadiuto1s, the Commissioners OF Police !;
that the plot was not consummated was not
owing to any defect in the plot, but to the
bravery Of the troops.
Not one arrest OF multitude OF traitors
has been prosecuted TO conviction. Most have
been discharged after taking the oath OF allie
glance, or have been let out on bail, or have
been permitted to 20 scot free
On the matter OF law and penalty, we have
few earnest words to say. The law wnicn
has no penalty is no law. 1t is simply word
r OF advice.
re Judge Catrou, of the U. S. Circuit Court
for the district of Missouri, Southern man
by birth and education, in his late charge tc
a Grand Jury before his Court at st. LOUIS
has s;yeu the most intelligent and explicit
$. exposition Of the law and penalty which VIZ
have vet seem According to this, every torn
Of aiding and abettng those at war with thf
Government is treason; giving them aid aut
, comfort in any way whatever being treason
!; ,onch more being found in arms against tn
Government is treason.
1" Skcpticism as regards treason, however,
1iffuSed through all the masses of society. l
is even doubted whether there is such Grim
at all. The course pursued by our ooVefh
mept puts the crimo in the dim distance, ans
the penalty where it is SO dim that 1t canno
be seen at all. Tai; is the weak part OF ou
mast and present proceedings as Government
This stale OF things being continued ali tn
r;Aed cannon Ia creation all ouI hundrojs
" thousands of men and our hundreds OF Mi
lions Of dollars, will avail nothing to the put
ting down this rebellion.
l. is the just judgm of the demerlt
~ crime that constitutes the value OF huma
u virtue. 1t is the province of Government
get crime and penalty together; to show thi
they are lnSepaiapic, anu oah"o' w
a,ed. Government doing less than this b.
= comes unfaithful to Itself aud Its high trus
- Il is ON this saithfuness that the strength
the civil Government depends. Governme'
canoot forgive crime, or blink crime ar
! be stable Government must inspire the put
lie mind with due regard to law 1t Is n
the swift inhction OF penalty which DO
:, this. 1t is uot the fear ot being hung tn
Ses Ss prevents murder 1t is the sense OF the he'll
pusness of the crime. How is this sense pr
duccd? 1t is by steady adherence to Il
T. mains and penalties OF the law. his prod
ees an inward judgment, which also produc
the condemnation of crime. 1t is by such G
ncation. i! We may so speak, that the mind
made to loathe aud abhor crime.
our But putsue the opposite course-'-tea
'ur- men to think nothing of the crime, by loSl
srht of the penaIty-and Government eeas
to be moral force but if any thing at
it is brute force. Tue civil power sinks a
the military power rises The military pow
becomes necessity, because the moral fo'
is lost. Good men submit to 1t, because tn
ON see no other way to restrain bad men,
iOer, If the guilt Of treason fades out OF
Aiso de- minds of men, then look fpr all men to
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