The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1862-05-07


cotton and sugar lands, and the ornaments Of
their churches. Their ambition grssped Cubs.
and that island was soon 70 undergo q practical
veri6cation Of the doctrines of the Ostend con-
ferencs which had received the blind adhesion Of
the President whom their voices had elected in
1856. And At the foundation Of this splendid
chimsra Of revolutions and dominion, and the piv
o, On which the whole structure Vas TO turn,
was the idea. repelled by oil the accredited teach
ers Of morals and public Law, that the black man
vas born TO be slave, and that il vas to defy !
the DEGREES of God and nature to alios him 70
be free.
To say that, under this state of things, all per-
sons who have participated in the rebellion are |
alike guilty, is it seems to me, unreasonable and |
untrue. Surely, the terrified, the seduced, the |
misled, the weak, and even the hayward, are to |
be distinguished from the firm, the intelligent, |
the malicious, the deliberate, and the powerful |
The Ak of justice should not fall alike upon those
who sin with full knowledge of their wrong and
those whose fault arises rather from their associ
alton with others. The laws of humanity. Of
morality, and the practice Of christian nations
forbid in such cases, the confounding of the
comparatively innocent with the deliberately
guilty. Our own self respect our Owe love Of
justice, should, and doubt not will, guard the
Governments of our country from such a reproach
victorious blows are dealt solely in the interest
of humanity, Law, and order; and that though
they see it not, their and our posterity will ae-
know Wedge that We conquer but to save.
As TO the rule of Discrimination, can think
Of none more obvious and practical than to in
clude all those in the con6scation who have
borne arms against the Government, or aided
and comfor,ed the rebellion and who have at
| any tine taken an oath to support the COnstitu.
ton Of the United States, or held any commits.
sion in the rebel land forces, or served a. an off,
Ger in their navy, or acted a. a member Of the
| rebel congrss, or Of any Of the insurgent State
legislatures or conventions since the taking effect
of an ordinance of secession, or az president,
vice president, member of the cabinet, judge or
other officer of the court, or foreign minister,
| commissioner, consul or commercial agent Of the
so called confederate States. This rule. though
il NAV not reach ali the risgleaders of the rebel
lion, will, Iapprehend, be found sufficient for the
ends OF justice. and Of easy application. 1t fur
nishes simple tests and the evidence OF guilt will
be easily accessible.
| shall, therefore, at the proper time, offer
| amendment, by way Of provisio, to the FIRST sec
| ton OF the bill, in accordance with these views.
| 1t viii be in close analogy to the classification
| embraced in the amendment Of the Senator from
Ohio farthest fom ne, Mr. Sherman, ard
shall commend it earnestly to the favorable con.
sideration of the Senate.
Little further need be said, / apprehend, Of
the Justice and expediency Of the proposed con.
6scation. While regard it as a war measure
| to he used for Gripping and bumbling the Ell envy,
I AIN not forgetfuI that it may be regarded in two
other points Of view; first. ~ a means Of obtain
'ns Indemnify for the cost of suppreeeins the in
| surrectiOn, and, secondly As q punishment for
the great guilt Of those who have intellgenty
engaged in it.
| The FIRST object ought not to be overlooked.
The wanton aggressions upon the Government
will, before peace shall be restored, have cos, US
81, 600, 600 00o debt the bare interest of which
will hang heavily upon the people for ages to
come. Every branch of industry will feel its
pressure, ard every man, woman, and child must
consent TO the mortgage which this accursed re-
belliOn has fastened upOa our lands and goods
That those who have wantonly and wickedly oc.
casioned this unavoidable distress to the loyal
and the innocent, should, when their estates are
| in our power, be suffered to shirk a burden
which upon the principles of just retribution
belongs wholly to them, is what prudent people
will never consent to- That people, though not
fond of war and slow to plunge into it, are not
afraid of it. and they are not 20 fO,bearing, so
weak, as to waive any of the essential rights of
Wal, nor 50 ridiculously chivalrous as to embark
in it merely for the purpose Of subduing their
enemies and letting them go free again without
asking them to help pay the expenses of the
amusement. A Government that runs its people
into debt for just war, and emitting to take full
indemnity from thu enemy while it is in its pow.
er to do 80, leaving its own people to pay all the
expenses, affronts and iHjn'es them. and encOur-
ages the enemy to new aggressiOns. In such
case, success is without security, and peace but
truce.
The Government Of the United States has wit.
messed what no monarchy ever witnessed. 1t
has COPIED with the most formidable rebellion in
the history Of the world, one which no monar-
chical Government since the dawn Of history
could have withstood for six weeks. II has seen
the people, by whom and for whom the Govern.
inert was fashioned, arm themselves and rush
voluntarily forward to its support in tbrongs too
numerous even for the occasion. 1t has seen
them willingly, the old and the young, the rich
and the poor, the educated and refined a. we'll
a. the rude the native born and the foreign born,
the Protestant and the Catholic, the believer and
the unbelever, all oil, Fastening to aid, BY arms
and BY money, in sustaining the Government and
subduing its foes. Shall we turn round to these
uncounted faces now gazing upon US with mex.
pressble anxiety, inexpressible hope, and uncon-
querable resolution, and ssy coldly to them, I'VE
will take no indemnity for you or your friends
you are pouring out your treasure and your
blood in the hottest cause in which nation ever
fought or suffered; continue, good friends, to
do so still, but pardon in US the weakness, If
such you will call it, Of abstaining from taking
indemnity; We fear it will offend the enemy !"
Oh, sir, is there a loyal heart that would thus
bow itself down before traitors? And 10 there
q traitor with the spirit Of q man in him who
will respect you for the spiritless forbearance
He needs no argument to persuade him of the
rule Of war that lands as veil as goods may be
taken from the enemy. He has, ny a stroke
both bold and early, not only launched his pirate
craft against your uuarmed commerce on the sea,
but seized aud confscated the lands and NOVA
bles of every Union man within his reach Who
dares open his mouth in behalf of the Govern.
ment. His prescriptions have beggard thou
sands upon thousands, desolated their hearths.
and driven them into exile for the crime of low
ing the flag you are defending He despiees
your mercy, laughs at yosr forbearance, and
spits upon the olive branch you bold out TO him.
II. h--~. sh-s H.. F..s :. -:...-y S->.L, 81:
umph or exile, and he 10 resolved boldly to stand
the hazard OF the die. He has not yet, though
bleeding under your blows, asked Of you favor;
but TO the ordinary mesns of annoyance has rot
scrupled TO add assaults upon non combarants,
violence to women and children, the poisoned
cup, the atrocities OF savage warfare, and even
the violation of the dead. Sir, tell me not that
such foe can be rendered wickeder or stronger
by the use Of any means known to the iass Of
var, nor that bis resistance cat be overcome
BY anything but bio~s veil laid OF, and followed
up from one held to another. Do not Ie, US de-