Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-05-28

the most cofulel 10 unite Wita me "a tnis /
sentiment.
In my Judgment, we may in no way un- I
der our Constitution punish the rebels in
We are then left to the only |
just and practicable mode that remains 10
us; that Of dealing with them as individu-
ais, which holds each man TO answer only
for his own transgrassions, and permits a
wise and discriminating selection Of the
proper subjects for punishment accompa-
MED ever BY mercy and humanity,in whose
absence justice itself often degenerates into
revenge. .1s.a
As individuals the rebels may be punish
ed by loss Of life, loss Of liberty, banish-
ment, loss Of citizenship, the right Of hold 4
ing property, and the disability Of acquir-
ing, or enforcing any rights, under any
law, State or national Obviously these
must all be provided and defined by statutes,
yet to be enacted that can only take effect
in the future, or from their passage; thus
allowing immunity for the past and present
from all save such penalties as existing
laws provide. Ovo
The proposed enactment should, in my
judgment, necessarily provide for its own
execution by Judicial process, finding, and
Judgment subject to the ameliOrating
clemency Of the Executive in proper cases.
l cannot at present consent to mere mil
itary court, save TO enforce mere martial
law. -...- .E-
What atonement shall be deemed sufh-
eient by the injured party, who is to ixits
measure, ascertain its guilt, pronouce sol
emn judgment, and execute the sentence?
Obviously and clearly We are not to follow
the savage examples Of old barborous ex-
tirpations recorded in the pages of classic
history No utter destruction or removal
Of entire communities; no razing Of cities,
driving the plowshare over their fOunda-
tions, and strewing their empty places
with salt, and thus reduce them to eternal
sterility and solitude. Nor viii there be
any blowing Of Sep0ys from the muzzles of
huge guns, amid the gibes Of brutal sol
diery, according to the latest Christian ex-
ample; but the whole will be conducted
pursuant to enlightened law, by its ap-
pointed ministers, according to its forms
and usages, with deliberatiOn and decent,
solemn dignity. There viii be at least six
or seven millions Of criminals to be in
some way dealt with or passed over great
States Of abject, Of desperate, sullen, sui
ky or subdued penitent culprits awaiting
trial and judgment The mind, not to
name the heart, soul, and human instincts,
the cold impassiye, inhexible judgment
that no emotion can shake or disturb, re-
volts at the idea Of holding these masses
individually responsible OF attempting to
take Judicial cognizanee Of their misdOings.
That is not only impraeticable, but impos-
sible. We are rather to regard them rs the
! fanatics of great popular delusion, the
victims of mental disease and brain
plague that has swept whole nations, than
/ the responsible doeFs Of punishable crime.
/ We nav doubtless dismiss from among
them, without an inquiry, the whole female
sex, and thus dispose ofsene half humeri-
cally. II is very possible that, with few
exceptions, all persons under age may be
sent to join their mothers and sisters. To
these we shall doubtless add the Hndistin-
e1ishedl and undistiguishable herd, the
mass, the commOnalty, that 60 TO make up
the numerical total Of the rebels and NAL
1 contents. All these, with the exception Of
one particular to which references will be
made may well, after taking the solemn
oath Of perpetual allegiance, which should
be administered TO men, women, and chill
. I uTen, KEd l-DtAIAh. aNlAAf AALAtAAhnf kAhAlNl'
\ danes and tender maidens, in some public
impressive manner be dismissed to then
repentant reflections, and the admOnishinl
miseriiesss that their crimes and follie!
would reduce the number to some thous
ands, and enable the mind to deal readily
with their mere number, and to classify anC
? adjust them in the scale and ranks of infa.
my. They would constitute in a bad way th'
elite, the aristocracy of treason, made W
Of its unkilled and unescaped leaders
With reference 10 the infiicti6n Of the Sc
verer penalties, doubtless further dis
elimination might be made in favor Of many
1t is doubtless true that some who occupied
4 places somewhat prominent, were in meas
uFe coerced to it, while many more under
false apprehension Of their duty to theil
seeding Ststes, felt constrained to follow
their fortunes respectively, rs a matter o.
absolute duty The mass of those sc. re
naming We doubtless might judicially put
to death, though probably no advocate Of
such gross slaughter would come forward
BY what principles shall we be governed ?
What rules shall we apply in the admins
tration of the extreme penalty? Shall We
measure and estimate the blood and tears
shed for the nation and demand compensa.
ton in kind? Shall we count the slain in
battle and take life for life? Shall we say
ten thousand, one thousand, five hundred
or one hundred lives shall measure the ju-
diciaI atonement in blood? Clearly, nc
rule founded on such considerations will
govern us. Obviously the degree of pun
ishment to be awarded should in some
measure correspond with the dignity and
Importance or the turpitude Of the Grimm
ais, respectively, in the treason. The so
called president, vice-president, and cabi-
net of the traitor government should die
l would unhesitatingly award the same
fate to every man who held a commission
in the American Army and Navy who
abandoned his God, his country and his
flag for the cause of treason. l would a:
unhesitatingly put under the same con
demnation every member of the Thirty.
Sixth or the present Congress who Joined
the rebels or gave them aid and comfort
Clearly, those who held judicial position;
and other high places under the Govern.
ment, foreign ministers, &c, and who aban,
doned them for rebellion, should be liable
to the same penalty. l know no reason
why traitor governors. the members Of th'
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fall within the same category. Traitor.
who have ever holden high places under tn,
Government, members of the rebel Stats
governments, and any and all who had wor
a bad eminence, should be forever banisheC
at least The residuum would punish by
Imprisonment and fines, loss Of citizenship
inability to sue in the courts, SC. AbOv'
all and over ali, no man Of those who hav,
taken leading part in this rebellion shoulC
ever be eligible to a seat in Congress or Il
any other place of trust or profit under thi
Government. Iwould forever preclude tn,
whole plotting, reasonable, rebellious
bloody brood from again polluting witt
their Shiny presence the national sanctu
airy. And this disability should be afixeC
by simple force Of law, so that no weak o.
wicked Executive could ever remove it
the Congress alone should have that power
Iventure these crude reflections upol