Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-04-30

UnlOnkem In tme menoh
New York Trapun"'s sAesslV"s'
The New York 7yibune hla labcred dilisens-
" to boIsler up tho sunHER theory Of State an
utilization. BY Contsnding that In several ot inc
Southern States. the people were almost 70 .
man rebels aud Irailors, On this ground /"
has demanded OF Congress general eonnsca'
tIon and emancipation act. Yet In an arn0'e
on this very subject, in its issue Of the sO'n 81
April, the Tribune states that " the rebel ranks
ara filled by conscription and terrorism" and
that " of their three or four hundred thousand
men now 10 their ranks TO war against the on'
ion. fully half are there because they nave no
alternative but death by violence or ssarVa-
ton" Its conclusion 10 this "Thus, there
are to-day not less than ONE HUNDAED THou'
SAND fighting for the rebellion, whose Judgments
and hearts incline them to the sdo OF the un'
ion; but they are still anxious to live, and they
shun the most obvious and imminent peril "
Such are the statements Of the most bitter
radical, and the most widely circulated kepuo'
lican journal In the country II IL be true' as
the Tribune states, that fully one-half or one
third of the men In the Confederate army are
to-day, in "their judgments and their hearts
inclined to the eide of the Uniou," what must
be the state Of the case In regard 10 the re-
naming population Of the Southern States
who have not actually taken up armsf The on
ly natural conclusion is that as large, II not
larger proportion Of the u1armed citizens Ne'
in their judgments and hearts, also on the SIDE
of the Union.
Taking the TriLune's premises for granted,
that one half or at least one-thisd OF The South
ern people 10 the field aud at home, are at
heart devoted to the Union, itlwould seem to in
dicate very clearly the policy the Government
should pursue. It should be one of concilie-
tion and protection in person aud property to-
ward all these loyal men 10 tho South, whom
rebel leaders have caused to be placed in
false position in regard to the Union. II con-
fiscation should be deemed advisable, the die
tate of prudence as well as regard for CON
mon justice and humanity, would seem to re-
quire that a very cautious and clear distinction
should be drawn between those who have en-
tered heart and soul into the rebellion with a
malicious intent to destroy the Union, aud
those who have been dragged into it through
ignorance or by force and violence, against
their better judgments.
Certainly, if, according to the statements Of
the Tribune, SO large proportion OF the peo'
pie In what it often calls "the rebel Ststes," are
at the core sound Union men, plain and IN.
euuivocal manifestation Of disposition on the
part of Congress aud the Executive to restore
them to, and protect them in all their cOnstitu-
tional rights unimpsired, would, with the aid Of
our overwhelming land and naval forces now
10 the South, effectuslly "crush out tho rebel
lion" 10 less than "sixty days"
Upon the Tr,buas's hypothesis that one-half
or one-third of the men in the rebel army are
really on the side Of the Union, there are of
course among those who are taken and held as
prisoners of war, the same proportion of Union
men. The duty Of Government under such cir
would appear to be plain enougb-so
seek out such men among its prisoners and treat
them accordingly, by engaging them, upon sat-
Isfaotory proof of their allegiance to the Con-
,titution and fidelity to the Union, ni!s service,
Or as soon as possible sending them home under
.s protection.
The foregoing remarks are based upon the
lupposition that the Tribune tells the truth in |
regard to the prevalence of the Union eenti-
ment in the South We do not indorse any
statements in that paper; but we cannot but
hope that, in regsrd to the large number of real
Union men in the Confederate army, it has at
east approximated the true state of the case.
This Wow is certainly encouraging, and leads
10 to hope that II correct, II will soon be under.
TODD and appreciated at the North, and that
ur leading men in and out of Congress, and
ur citizens generally, will be disposed to do all
hey can to release Southern white Union men
.om the bondage to which the rebellion has
affected them, and to restore to them the full
I'D free exercise Of ell their rights as citizens
T the United States and Of their respective
sates