The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-03-15


]. Tho Constitution defines clearly what tire,
1 ron consists in; and then ii gives Cor
# gress the power to pass laws for the par
= ishment of treason. In this respec. th
!. Constitution gives Congress full discrt
+ ton. If Congress can decree the penalt
: of death, or Imprisonment. or banishmen,
/ Why not the confscation Of property? An,
s if Congress can make lands, and houses
: and horses. and wagons liable to confsca
|, ton, why not slaves? And when thes'
! slaves are confscated by the Government
cannot Congress declare them emancipa
ted or rather will they not be emancipa
ted by that very act Is there anythin,
in the Constitution to hinder it2 Car
thafc be any doubt--can there be shad
ow of doubt--as to the authority Of Con
gress to do thisg And if Congress car
do it, why should it not? Do you prefe,
the death penalty VIII you present tc
the world the spectacle of great nation
lhirsting for the blood of q number Of
miserable Individuals Do not say that
you want to make an example; for if you
stop the source of treason, no warning ex
ample to frighten traitors will be needed.
Loud Cheers Or do you prefer impris-
onnent? The Imprisonment of the lead
ers may very we'll 60 along with con6sca-
ton, and as to the imprisonment of the
masses, nobody viii think of it. Or do
you prefer Punishment 7 ["Yes." How
would il please you to see Europe overrun
with "exiles from America" blackening
your character and de6ling your Govern
ment at every street corner, and incess-
antly engaged in plotting against their
conatry
And what effect will these two modes
Of punishment have upon the Southern
people? Either you are severe in apply
ing them, and then you will excite violent
resentments, or you are not severe, and
then your penalties will frighten nobody,
and fail of the object of serving as q warn
ing example. In neither case will you
make friends. 1t has frequently been said
that the punishment Of crime ought not to
be mere revenge taken by society, but
that its principal object ought to be the
reformation and improvement Of the crim.
inal. [Cheers. This is humane idea,
worthy Of this enlightened century It
ought to be carried out wherever praciica-
BILE. But how much greater and more
conmcndable would it be if applied to
people instead of IN individual r. As for
me, it will be to me supremacy Indifferent
whether any of the rebels meets punish
ment adequate to his crime, provided the
great source of disloyalty be punished in
itself. [Cheers.] The best revenge for
the past is that which furnishes the best
assurance for the future. GApplause. -
And how can We lose this great opportu-
nifty, how can We throw away this glorious
privilege We enjoy, of putting down re-
bellion by charging liberty, and Of pun
ishing treason by reforming society p
Cheers What hinders your Is it not
the Constitution Its voice is clear, un-
mistakable. and encouraging. This time
the Constitution refuses to serve as mask
to morbid timidity or secret tenderness for
slavery. Or is there really anything
frightful to you in the idea, which we
hear so frequently expressed, that every
measure touching slavery would irritate
the rebels very much, and make them
very angry. Laughter and cheering.
1rritate them and make them angry! /
should not wonder. Every cannon shot
you fire at them, every gun-boat that
shells their Notifications, every bayonet
charge that breaks their lines. makes them,
| have no doubt, quite angry. fContin-
ned laughter.] 1t may be justly supposed
that every forward movement Of our troops
has upon them quite an irritating effect.
IGrsat laughter-"Fort Donelson."1 IF
you want to see them smile, you must let
them alone entirely. But will You, there
for. load your muskets with sawdust,
stop the advance Of your battalions, and
run your navy ashoreg 1t must be con-
fessed, they have never shown ssch tender
regards for our institutions. But why
will this measure make them 20 angry p
Because it will, in the end, make them
powerless for mischief And if We can
obtain so desirable an end by doing this,
will it not be best to support their anger
with equanimity, and do it! TCheering. ]
| never heard of man who, when assault
ed by = robber, would refrain from dis
arming him because it might create I'M.
pleasant feelings. [Applause.] But. in
fact, the irritation it viii create will be
rather shurt-fived. # will die out with
slayery. / have endeavored TO set forth
that the reformation Of southern society
resulting from these measures Is the only
thing that will make the southern people
our sincere friends. Why not risk 4 short
irritation for lasting friendship -
Cheers.
But while am little Inclined TO pay much re-
gard % the feelings Of the Rcbcis. Who would de-
light in cutting throats. deem It our duty 70
treat with respect the opinions Of the loyal men Of
the South. on whose fidelity the whirl Of Rebellion
| raving round them had NO power. have heard Il
said that any measure touching Slavery would drive
| them over to our common enemy. Il this possible7