The Portland daily press., 1863-08-03


Justice to the Innocent rs. Clemency to the
Guilty.
We have been prompted to make the fore
going question the theme of the present article,
by reading in Fridays Argus an elaborate and
carefully written leader entitled Restoration
OF the Union" We might not have deemed
it necessary to take specific and extended no.
tice Of that article, did it not appear to fore
shadow the ground to be assumed by the par
ty of which that paper is an accredited or
gan. The article opens with this confession
and assertion:
That the recent successes of arms have greatly
dishearened the of the Southern people, there
can be no doubt The indications unmistakable
that large portions of them desire to have the way
opened for their return TO allegiance under the Con-
stution with protection for their persons and their
rights in accordance with its guarantees The plant
ers of Louisiana have already made formal applica-
ton to the President in this behalf.
The first statement of this extract is I'M
questionably correct. The Southern people
are becoming "greatly disheartened," and this
has been brought about by their own want of
success; by ''the recent successes of our arms"
For this reason they are beginning to look
about them, and to ask what shit shall be
made TO place them in the same prosperous
condition In which the rebellion of their own
making found them-the condition af pros
perity under the Constitution and laws which
they, with suicidal madness, have destroyed
by their own free act and volition. Had they
been successful, there is not the slightest indi-
cation under heaven that they would not now
be cultivating the same intense hatred of the
North and its free Institutions, that they did
before Farragut anchored his feet in front of
the Crescent City. 1t is well that this fact
should not be lost sight of. "The indications
are unmistakable" that the backbone of re-
bellion has been broken that the least insane
of the rebels begin to realize that they have
been engaged in hopeless effort to establish
an empire on negro slavery, and that they now
wish to make the best terms they can in order
that The last vestige Of their power, influence
and property may not depart from them. 1t
Is equally unmstakable that now is the time
when frmness is needed in the Government;
when no weakness, no waveriug, no backing
away from the right should for a moment be
thought OF. The Government is strong. The
rebels concede its strength by assuming the
attitude Of suppliants; and now is the hour
Of its danger,-danger not of subversion by
the overwhelming force of the enemy, but
danger of failure to accomplish its highest
and truest mission through weakness, and a
yielding spirit towards those upon whom a
just and repeatedly foretold retribution is like
ly to be visited. An Executive officer who
l..s 81,
flrmness, has often succumbed to the plead
ings and tears OF a wife. or the supplications
and entreaties of children In behalf of a hus-
band or father, and through a weakness per-
hsps common to humanity-creditable to hu-
manity If you please-let loose upon commu-
nifty fiend whose just inheritance should
have been felon's cell If not a scafiold. So
our President and his advisers, who have met
armed rebellion with the courage of men, may
listen to fattery, caresses and the pleadings OF
importantly, and yield the truest, the noblest
and the most sublime advantage which has
been gained in all this conflict of arms and
carnage OF the field. We say they may do it.
We have little fear that they will. Abraham
Lincoln, we have been assured, takes no back
ward STEP" God grant that he may not, but
that every step shall be right onudrd, in the
direction of truth, right and eternal justice.
The statement OF the Argus that the "plan-
tiers Of Louisiana have already made formal
application TO the President to be allowed to
return TO their allegiance under the constitu-
ton, Is a mere assumption, without a single
fact to back it. We are aware that three indi-
viduals, Z. NJ Mathiot Bradish johnson and
Thomas Cottman, in recent letter to the
President, assume to speak as "a committee
appointed by the planters of Louisiana" but
they bring no credentials they furnish no ev-
idence of their authority to speak in any such
name, and the Presidents reply plainly implies
that he doubted their right to speak in any
such behalf They are selfconstituted com
mittee, chosen possibly by a mere fraction of
the planters in the district in which their in
terests are located, but that they were chosen
by the planters of the state, that they represent
the planters Of the state, is, as we have said,
the merest assumption, unsupported by soli-
tary fact.
And what do they ask for? Hear them:
They have been delegated TO seek of the General
Government a full recognition OF all the rights of
the State they existed previous to the passage of
an act Of secession. upon the principle of the exs
teDce of the State Constitution uDimpaired and no
legal act haring franspired that could ga any ,cdy
oeprfre them Of the advantages conferred By the Com
sfsfaficn. Under this Constitution the State wishes
20 return to Its full allegiance in the enjoyment of
all rights and privileges exercised by the other States
under the Federal Constitution. With the view of
accomplishing the desired object, further request
that your Excellency WILL COMMANDMENT Chief
Of the Army of the United States direct the Military
Government of Louisiana to order an election, in
conformity with the Constitution and laws OF the
State
Look at the unblushing eflrontery Of thislan-
guage. Louisiana in her State capacity, had
Formally seeded from the Union, trampled
upon and dshonored its flag, stolen its mint,
ferts, cnstom-houses, post offices and revenue
cutters; had taken up arms against the au-
thority Of the Constitution, had raised the
standard Of revolt in every parish and pre-
cinct, had sequestered the property of our
Northern ship owners and when unable longer
10 hold it had destroyed it by ircendiarism,
and her Governor had been the agent of the
state In committing all these acts against the
authority Of the Government, and yet this
self-constituted committee dare to insult the
common sense of the nation by declaring to
the nations President that mo tegDl dct' of
The state had "tronspired that could In any
,oay deprive them of The advantages con-
L.. N.