The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1862-06-06
WHOLE NO., 647.

propose to offer suggestions upon that
point But, as . punishment for crimes,
either independent of or in addition TO per-
sopal penalties and disabilities, do propose
to con6scate or take from rebels their prop
erty 10 such instances, and under such regu-
lations as further discussion and more ma
ture reflection may suggest. Unless this
method is resorted to, many. Of the most
dagrant, perhaps all the gigantic criminals,
may escape punishment. For who doubts
that the great leaders will, when the struggle
to tbom becomes utterly hopeless, Sc
shape i,s closing scenes as to withdraw their
own coveted persons from our all-embracipR
arms and go to wander socursed over the
earth, whose shudderiug surface will recon
from the pollution of their tootprints 2.--
Upon such we can work no retribution. save
the poor, cheap process of seizing to the
public use suOb substance as they could noe
take with them.
Am to be told that Under the Cons,itu-
ton the power does not exist to seize and
con6scate the property of those huge and
blackened felons Who will stand here to
plead the cause Of treason BY suggesting
learned, artificial quibbling and unworthy
doubts Of this power that have foundation
nowhere save in willingness to aid tho
guilty? Clearly we have that power, nnd
as certainly will II be vigorously exercised
on at least this class Of criminals.
The law was the study of my youth, aud
its practice has absorbed ell the years Of my
manhood. yet, thank Heaven, I am not law.
yer enough to find the only measure and
estimate OF Q nations opportunities and
needs in the artificial rules of a nisi prius
court, devised in the witbered brain of
warped judges, in a barbarous time, to get
around obstacles they had not the courage
| L.. l. L
res in the dust of the dead generations. I
will never be found estimating and weighing
the ever rlssting equities by the narrow prece-
: doots Of five. pound court. Our way shall
never be walled up with the disinterred
tones of this lost and forgotten lore
Learned and ghostly lawyers, who glide from
their musty leaves like dried geraniums from
!, misad and forgotten song books, and whose
shrivelcd lips shock Us with the rude jargoR
of pas. ages, may gather up this brain debris
of judicial cemeteries, and bic them back to
, the nooks of forgetfulness, for these issues
D are not to be decided by rules from that
, source. Some reason must bo given fer de-
0 Gliding our tremendous case amiss, other than
: that courts have always adjudged the petty
b cause of their litigious sutors amiss also;
J and yet these old books, rightly road, are
}. with US on the question Of power.
i To those who say that we canpot pass 0
!, confiscation bill, will only say that they
Q will see that we can. Iniis scope and terms,
d any act that is not to be The merest of shams,
n must in it's provisions embrace all traitors.
o / know we are told by absurdly wise mon,
n that such law must DO curiously and in
d geniousy framed; it must graduate and class
l. ify the rebels into at least six classes and be
es so specified and nice and wise that no con.
D. victon can possibly be bad andor it.
O. Sir, to me traitor 10 q traitor; they all
'g belong to one bad class, and as such all must
70 be obnoxious to all punishment have al
Id ready indicated who should bo punished, and
ID how; but it must be left to the prosecuting
'r officers. to the courts, and the Executive,
st who of the whole macs shall be punished, %
- well as the degree of it's severity. An ef-
'e fort to discriminate by Law will defeat the
Of just object of all law. would set free tho
slaves Of every man and woman engaged ia
O. this rebellion. The guilt of the master at
8. least should inure to the benefit of the slave,
y. and from this huge crime should spring q
ID greater beneicence. have twice occupied
s. this floor and the press on this general
OF subject, and do not now propose even to
~ ~ epitomize the arguments for this PROPOSE
of ton. l may, however, be permitted q
"a. remark or two upon some OF the weigh-
ut tiest objections to the expediency Of this
of measure.
I'd. The citizens of slave States impIore and
d beseech us not to "Alrican;ze"--as they
rs. cali it-their sections. by the emancipation
we Of the slaves OF the rebels. do not th;nl
'a aao l quite understand the force Of this ex
in preston. il by it they mean the odiou
ay and uncomfortable presence Of the descend
3D., ants OF Africans. Who carried ant
iu- planted these Africans in their midst, aEt
no propsgated and increased them there p
MI Not we. They would have them. Tbey
~ ~ outraged Heaven and insulted the eartl
%. to get them and ii is because they hav,
re. them that this war came. Where shoulC
led the especial consequences fall If not ol
The them? Theyexclaim against this schem
lid as if emancipation would increase, quad
cry ruple. the number OF the negroes, and as
,ri- they had none now.
M ~" / know these gentlemen OCCASIONAL
o o", startle themselves with the horrant pic
ber lures OF a negro insurreciion. Out Q
gbo what grows this awful fear OF insurrection
,m. rape and blood 1t is the slave tha
PSI meditates and broods over the idea of in
ov- surrection, ard solely and purely becsus
mo nc be is slave: and il is 10 get rid OF hi
~ IL chains and their attendant curses that b
!, % of becomes conspirator. and in secret whei
aid his knife and appetite for blood. Strik
ors down slavery .and you annihilate the poi
the sibilty OF insurrection by the destructio
ate Of the sole creating cause. There hay
Won been innumerable slave instructions III
nSd der the stars and stripes-an insurrectic
ny ;Us OF free negroes never, and there never wi
! n be and least of all IN the presence
IA. Eve hundred thousand soldiers.
,uld We are told by che men Of the North an
r to South that the emancipation Of the slave
this will. as the phrase is, ''AfrcaniSe" the Nor,
the also. If 80, this would relieve the South
ody a measure. know the strength and dep,
inv aud blindness of the unseeng. unhcarin
this unk showing and unreasoOing brute prejudt
oros against this race. and that can neither o
tive tighten nor instruct IT, ] know that leg
ono iatures and constitutions makers IN the fr
States Are now busy adding dark bIes
the their already blackensd institutions, a
,ore Just az IL by legislation they could fen
n of against these negroes. II these blind works