Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-03-09

How shall the mass Of the Kebal'
wIao Return 60 Thefr AfiegiaAcs
49, ~ psa's with' UoL etA
when TIVE men eet,lnto a dispute, both ar,
: Aapt 70 become vindiciive and revengelul--h,
who Is iniihe right as we'll as he who Is in the
wrong The contention, which began about o
petty piece Of propsrty worth few dimes, often
leads TO a costly and protracied lawsuit, ruluous
!. aliketo both winner and loser, and perpetuating
for generations grudge between families.
So IL Is In controversies between nations and
communities. There Is nothing palmer 10 the
thoughtful and rejecting mind than that such
Is the threatening and most dangerous aspect
Of our present national controversy. The peril
is manifest that our civil war, whatever ito re-
suit In other respects may be, will culminatt
In lasting hate and revenge between the two
sections Of our common country.
Many good and patriotic citizens seem sadly
distressed, for fear sufficient punishment will
moi in the progress Of the war, or after 1t il
over, be awarded to the rebels, and especially tc
the leaders and promoters of the iusurrectiOn
iney are afraid that too much lenity will b,
SHOWN to those who have risen up in arm,
against, and attempted to overthrow, the Gov
eminent They seem to feel that, II genera
pardon should be extended to the rank and Al,
oi the rebels. upon their submitting to the an
thority Of the Government, and returning I,
thel' eileeiance, Il would be holding out
premium tofebellion In future.
Webeieve that excess in the exercise of N,
onfissien grace, which leads to the forgivine Of
injuries, is not a common fault, either of indi
! 'viauais Or governments, in the present age Of
the world. But apart from this, It is, we be.
lieye. generally conceded that the old maxim
that criminals ought to be punished for the pre-.
Vention Of crimes, is no longer the sole motive
10 determining the mode and measure of pun
ishuent. The reformation Of the criminal
ana OF society ia also to be kept in view.
Summary punishment, according 10 whaI
: might be deemed the requirements of abstrac,
justice, cannot be visited upon every man who
has aided and assisted in the revolt against the
a s'GoVernnent Putting aside the cruelty and
oarbarity OF sneh course, II is simply imprac
tcable lonr. Government has not acted. and
cannot act upon such policy. II Il did /,
would defeat the very end and object for which
we are fighting. II would exterminate the dis.
affected iustead of restoring them to their al
legiAnce. FE s4RfG
As"cruel and unusual punishments' tend to
deoase men instead of reforming them, and to
multiply instead Of decreasing the number of
criminals; 80 If our Government were, as some
seem to desire, to execute, or to visit with i'm.
Prisonmens or forfeiture of property, all the
men who have IN this rebellion committed acts
which 10 structures of law amount to treason.
instead of preventing revolts against it's author
ity' it would perpetuate a smouldering fire of
inextiuguishable hatred and revenge, which
would be handed down from father to son for
centuries, and breed conspiracies and reyolts
witbou. number.
We must deal with the great body of those
in the South who have rebelled against the
Government, as We do with other large masses
OF men, holding the leaders and rulers respon-
sible for the crime or crimes committed. We
90 not light and kill men in battle, simply be-
cause they are guilty of treason, but to disperse
reOelliOus combinations and destroy tho power
OF the leaders In the revolt. Nothing could
tend more to consolidate these combination
and to render formidable, If not unconquerable,
the power Of the rebel chiefs, than the firm be-
lief among the mass Of the Southern people
who have been led astray, that even i. they
should return to their allegiance, their lives
would be taken, their persons thrust into prison,
or their property con6scated. Yet there are
not wanting men who are seeking to aid the
rebellion and make It successful BY inducing
the Government to adopt this suicidal policy.