Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-04-10

nor tcAnoNitu8ou any 8ullt hnhloNofs AnAt
was openly and earnestly declared to the
Court and has never bean rstrasied. ]
never asked a pardon on the plea Of mercy
never authorized my friends to do so, and
never said would accept one 90 given
Hence the acceptance seemed to admit
against myself what know to bs falRs-to
contradict my own statsment-and thus to
submit 10 degrading imputatioa.
g. The ofFsnse charged was hindering one
man from enslaving another. This, when
ever and wherever in my power, consider
8 solemn duty. It Is an act that God, and
heaven. and angels approve. How then I'D.
NIT guilt for doing III
| understand the President to recognise
the legality of the fugitive slave act Of 1850
Ny conviction was for Constructing process"
under It, and It is declared illegal" That
ENACTMENT was coneocted BY the traitor
Mason; its supporters are secesslonists,
or In sympathy with them; and that the
President would bsptise this act with the
sacred name OF Law, and call my conviction
for obstructing" its enforcement illegal"
did not expect Ny acceptance seems, IN
my Judgment to sanction the Presidents
position.
4. The pardon assumes my guilt without
suy sllusiou to my conscientious convic
tons, and Ia doing so recognises no appeal
to Gods ''hiRber Lawn That law declares:
.hs that stealeih q man, aud selleth him. or
ifhs be found In his hand, be shsll surely
be put to desth" All the forms Of slavery
are included. The President recently re.
fused the interfersnce Of bis executive elem
ency, very earnestly solicited in behalf Of
Captain n. Gordon, sentenced for making
men slaves and IN this be fulI6llsd the laws
OfSinsi. Ny offence was hindeFing the very
same crime, though attempted under the
forms Of diabolieal enactments Now can
God esteem an sct which be places hrst In
enormity 10 from thirty 10 forty capital Of
fences; and the "ohstruetion Of the same
act, each a sinf Can the hindFance be 9th
er than duty3 How can an act, perform
ed by one Gordon, be punished by Jehovah
as Legislator, and carried out by President
Lincoln as executive with death be compared
With the "obstrucion' Of the same act by
another Gordon, and the lAtte' be In thai
oase Q criminal7 Does not such conclusion
eo0iound right and wrong-mix heaven and
hellf That my "o6sncs" was q sin against
God, the President don't directly say. Bu, be
regards it crime against the OonstI-
tution, end an enactment under IT.
That tried 10 violate q bogus en-
aetmeut Is true, but thst the con-
ssitution, or real Law was violated, utterly
deried to the Court, snd believe 30 still. Il
It Be true that the process resisted" was COZ
stitutloual, then the Constitution iu that
point iS ia covenant with hell,'' . aud dlsobe-
dlencs to lie bshests q christian duty. Ny
imprisonment, no doubt pleased the devil,
and Hunkerdom was jubllant; but cannot
believe thar any real taU ''hss been viDdica-
ted" This was another objection to Its &C.
eeptsnce-
The President calls the company with
which, towards its close, to smsll degree
acted, ''riotoas." deny the charge. Civil
government is Of God, and its heaven sp.
pOinted mission the protection Of human
rights. Whenever it turns and crushes these
rights, it becomes 'F1i0t0Hs' "a mob force
In this, slaveholding constitutes its gTeat9ss
possible de arturo into political Npostasy. Il
annihilates humanity with all rs rights
barriers the image Of God-sells OErist him
bGlA LUG pcAeIu1 u uAn AAkhlu DLGnt kGG
least Of his brethren" and had It the power,
would enSlave the Almighty Himself and
reduce Him to merchandise. Gould Il sell
for money the souls Of its victims after death,
aud Perdition patroniss . soul market
about ss few would escape its Rhostly auction
block as are now favored with their liberty
by the emaneipating generosity Of their
masters The really "riotous" proceedings
10 our cass were inSiigased by the official
kldnhpperl, acting under an unconstitutional
and diabolical enactment and trying 10 do
an act which God Rbhors, and in which dew
Ills glory. This constituted another di6eulty
in accepting the pardon.
! To all this 1t has been argued that the
pardon, with its benefits, Is mine-the Fea-
sons the Presidents, 10 justify himself to the
nation. This seems hardly frank and candid;
take the benefits and blame the President
for officially slandsring me, In the deed of
conveyance. As the President bad her
divers good and sufficient reasons" probably
some Of them would have suited me better
The best and, tt seems to me only good one,
Is omitted altogether. That is, that the fugi-
tive act, to Northern people, who now con-
sttute nearly sll that are loyal, is generally
repulsIvs; but few, and they the ueanest
will help to enforce It Many think it con.
stitusionally void, and God fearing men BE-
lieve IL q duty 10 oppose and violate Il. The
proces dings he calls ''riotous," in other and
varied forms, have occurred In the best COM
munities--the holiest men bssn engaged
II them, and good many OF them suffered
for doing 90. Why could not the President
make a distinction between my case-sup-
pose l acted from honest but mistaken con-
victiOns-and that Of the common fslon,
who knows be Is violating the laws Of God
and mani Yet, for aught can zee, he turns
me out as be would q thief or robber, who
iby bis sufeFings had attoned for his offense."
Thess, right or wrong, were my chief din
cplties. For yielding to the seemingly uni
versal Judgment of others, and the very tend
crest appeals Of cherished friends, no one is
likely TO blame me. have feared should
blame myself That the President merits
and has my gratitude, is true. The kind
sympathy and interest Of friends in ell ranks
Of life, have half removed my suferings, and
to one and all feel intensely grateful. Or
course, Messrs. Editors, do not expect your
endorsement Of my own views, and, there
fore, for your kindness, the use of your col.
nmnli dpu All yOu ua'e uoAS LUZ Ael yOu
have my thanks. Some may suppose am
worried BY the abuse of the Herald, but II is
not 90. Any man Of senSe, or without sense,
who has read all their bayings since they
6xed their noses On my track, and is not dis
gusted, nad nauseum," would not give q
SiEpence for It's good opinion. The point
less platitudeS, sorry essays, and witlsss
Wit, of the Herald, does not get high enough
for contempt. II hurting my feelings is part
of their pay, they work without weges.
I GEO. GORDON.
NsIson'a DiVIsion and the 4Tst Regiment.