The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1862-05-15

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the whole structure was to turn, was
the idea, repealed by all the accredited
teachers Of morals and public law, that
the black man was born to be slave
and that twas to defy the DEGREES Of
God and nature to allow him to be free.
To say that, under this State OF
things, all persons who have participa-
ted in the rebellion are alike guilty, is,
! it seems to me, unreasonable and
true. Surely, the terrified, the .seduced,
the misled, the weak, and evenlthe way
ward, are to be distinguished from the
| firm, the intelligent, the malicious, the
deliberate, and the powerful. The axe
of Justice should not fall alike upon
those who sin with full knowledge OF
of their wrong and those whose fanlt
arisesrather from their association with
others. The laws of humanity, ofmor-
ality, and the practice of Christian ma.
tons forbid, in such cases, the con-
founding of the comparatively innocent
with the deliberately guilty. Ourow
selfrespect, our own love of Justice,
should and / doubt not will guard the
Government of our country from such
reproach, and teach the masses of
our erring countrymen that our victo.
rious blows are dealt solely in the in
terest of humanity, law, and order; and
that though they see it not, their and
our posterity will acknowledge that we
conquer but TO save. ,aG ya-7i-3k
As to the rule of discrimination,
can think of none more obvious and
practical than toinclnde all those in the
confiscation who have borne arms
against the Government, or aided and
comforted the rebellion, and who have
at any time taken an oath to support
the Constitution of the United States,
or held any commission in the rebel
land forces, or served as an officer in
their navy, or acted as a member of the
rebel congress, or of any of the insur-
gent State legislatures or conventions
since the taking effect of an ordnance
of secession, or rs president, vice pres
dent, member of the cabinet, Judge or
other officer of q court, or foreign min
lister, commissioner, consul, or CONNER
cial agent of the so called confederate
States. This rule, though it may not
reach all the ringleaders of the rebel
lion, will, apprehend, be fourd sniff
cient for the ends of justice and Of
easy application. 1t furnishes simple
tests, and the evidence of guilt will be
easily accessible.
| shall, therefore, ut the proper time
offer an amendment by way of proviso
to the first section of the bill in accor.
dance with these views. 1t will be in
close analogy to the classification en-
braced in the amendment of the Sena-
tor from Ohio, farthest from me, (Mr
Sherman,) and / shall commend it ear
nestlv to the favorable consideration of
the Senate.
Little further need be said, appre-
bend, of the justice and expediency of
the proposed con6scation. While re-
gard it as a war measure to be used for
gripping and humbling the enemy, |
am not forgetful that it may be regard
ed in two other points Of view firstly,
us means of obtaining indemnity for
the cost of snppressing theinsurrection,
and, secondly, as punishment for the
great guilt of those who have intelli-
gently engaged in it.
The first object ought not TO be over
looked. The wanton aggressions upon
the Government will, before peace shall
be restored, cost 50, Ooo, 900, 900, debt
the bare interest of which will hang
heavily upon the people for ages to
come. Every branch of industry will
feel its pressure, and every man, woman,
and child must consent to the mortgage
which this accursed rebellion has fas.
tened upon our lands aud goods. That
those who have wantonly and wickedly
occasioned this unavoidable distress TO
the loyal and innocent, should, when
their estates are in our power, be suf-
fered to shirk a burden which upon the
principles of just retribution belongs
,choUy to them, is what prudent peo-
pie will never consent TO. That people,
though. not fond of war and slow to
plunge into it, are not afraid Of it, and
they are not so forbearing, SO weak, as
to waive any of the essential rights OF
war, nor so ridiculously chivalrous as
to embark in it merely for the purpose
of subduing their enemies and letting
them 90 free again without asking them
to help pay the expenses of the amuse
ment. A Government that runs its
people into debt for a just war, and,
emitting to take full indemnity from
the enemy, while it is in its power to do
so, leaving its own people to pay all
the expenses, affronts and Injuries them,
and encourages the enemy to new ag-
gressions. In such a case success is
without security, and peace but truce.
The Government of the United
States has witnessed whatno monarchy
ever witnessed. 1t has COPIED with the
most formidable rebellion III the history
of the world, one which no monarch
cal government since the dawn of his
tory could have withstood for six
weeks. 1t has seen the. PEOPLE, by
whom and for whom the Government
was fashioned, arm themselves and
rush voluntarily forward to its support
in throngs too numerous even for the
OCCASION. 1t has seen them willingly,
the old and the young, the rich and the
poor, the educated and refined as well
as the rude, the native born and the
foreign born, the Protestant. and the
| Catholic tho hclieypr and the unbeliey-