New-York daily tribune., 1862-04-21
CONPISCATION- -RECONCILIATIO
RECONsTRUCTiON

RECONsTRUCTiON.
Whether the enormous expenses and losses
imposed on our People by the Sayeholders'
Rebellion ought to be paid by the Rebels or by
the steadfast Unionists, is question which
would seem to answer itself, UniOnsts being
the judges; yet the Pro-Slayery politicians and
presses yehementy protest aganst any sweep
ing confscation Of Rebel property as certain to
protract and embitter the civil war now raging
and render o reconstruction Of the Union Inn
po,sible. That there ia sOme plausibillty III
this view of the subject We readily admit, and
we would have the Government do nothing in
the premises which is not fully sccordant with
humanity nnd the laws OF war. Yet IT seems
clear that, if there ever was case IN which
Rebels should forfeit their property BY treason,
this js such case. The Government which
they conspired to overthrow is their own Gov
ernment; their fathers deliberately and yolun-
tarily made it; they have repeatedly and
unconstroinedly sworn to uphold 1t; 1t
has ever protected them in the full
enjoyment Of every natural right and some al
leged rights TINT are e1tra-natural: it has Sc
cured to them not only all their own property
and earning. but the earnings in addition oil
-Four Millions Of others; it never oppressed nor
wronged them in the least, and they bad not
even croundless fear that it might do 40 to
justify their most wanton ard criminal rebel
lion. They had not even the South American
pretert for revolt of having been defeated IN
an election: for they desired and conspired to
b. beaten, and only lost the control Of the Gov
ernnent because they would no. permit their
lifelong allies and serytors in the Free State.
10 help them retain it. IL was their pre-
determination TO rebel that caused them tC
break mp the Democratic National Convention
at Chareston and shvcr the Democratic party
in IsGO
." But would you have all the property OF
citizen. Of the Slave States confscated -
Surely not. We do not believe, and have never
believed that a majority of the people of those
States freely and heartily aided the Rebellion.
Shameless and uncontradcted lying with regard
20 The spirit the purposes, the acts OF the
" Liucoluites" may have ultimately drawn or
driven majority into the vortex OF treason;
but the rebellion was originally the work OF Il
minority. But that minority included the yio-
lent, the desperate the ambitious-it was made
powerful by secret affiliations end " circles; u
and il was resisted with pusillanmity and
neryeleasnes utterly unparalleled. In nearly
every part of the South, the merchants, the
mechanics, tue more intelligent White laborers,
and Il large proportion even OF the Planters,
we're unionists till after the fall of Sumter.
Northern Alabama (where nearly every man il
farmer and not one in ten owns a saye) was
ss decidedly, though not as c0urageously, for
the Union as East Tennessee. Even semi-
bsrbarcus Arkansas gave Union majority at
her frst election held to decide whether she
should stay IN the Union or go with the Sc
ceders. But the unionlsts lacked the courage
TO stand by their convictions in the face oi
ruffian mobs who denounced them as Abolition
ists and LincOnites, and when the current
set in favor of Secession they quailed before il
and became traitors through sbject fear. Alex.
II. Stephens fought Secession powerfully TIL q
majority of the Georgia State Convention de-
clared for it; since then, he has been one OF
its most efficient abettOrs. Thomas 4. II. Nelson,
who was reelected to Congress niler Bull Run,
from O loyal district of East Tennessee, started
to come 10 Washington and take his seat in
the House; but, being surprised and captured
on his way by the Rebels, he was terrified into
turning renegade to all his past professions and
declare for Secession. The apostacy of such
Virginians as John Janney, WIN. IL. Maclar.
land, A. III. II. Stuart and Geo. w. Summers,
could not be credited on any but the most in.
dubltable testimony. Men who had q dozeI
times sworn allegiance to the Union repudiated
their oaths as coolly and carelessy as they
would have accepted or declined an invitation
TO dinner. Never was treason so reckless o.
appcarances--so insensbe to shame.
Now, while we would not have every one
who has been bullied or lied into a seemin,
acquiesccncc in the rebellion stripped Of h
property on that account, We insist that th,
responsible authors Of this stupendous wron!
and wickedness ought to bear full share o
tho losses it has imposed on the country
Wege tue Rebels 10 submi. tomorrow, th