Washington telegraph., 1863-10-28

false step may not only ruin 4 mans
OWN sell, but blast the reputation Of his
family for generations, it is Of infinite
Importance that every one should fully
comprehend the true ultimate designs of
the controlling party in the United
States with regard to those who have
been, III any wise, committed TO lie
cause Of the Southern Confederacv
Otherwise it may happen, as It has al
ready, that many, trusting To Tie delu-
sivc promises Of this or that Federal
General, may adopt course which will
forever cut them of from all aid and
protection from their own government
and leave themselves helpless victims
to the cruelty and rapaci;y of an upre-
lenting foe. The Southern Confederacv
is pledged to do its utmost to protect
tie property Of her citizens who remain
true to her cause. The United States Il
pledged TO her own people to conliscatc
the property Of rebels for tie payment
Of the national debt No Federal Gene
raj is authorized to grant absolution
from this penalty. Their promises to
this effect will he certainly repudiated,
and can only have the effect Of tempting
the weak TO course which cuts them
off from allegiance to tie South. and
binds them lei elplessly i'll the power of
the enemy. Buell. or Steele may charm
ever 50 wisely, but the veil will be
raised in time, from this government
which now s"ciliGiously assumes the
honor ard glory of the old National
Inion FIR the purpose Of aliuring back
, those who once worshiPped and revercd
il. Its hideous aspect viii be displayed
when retraction becomes impossible to
the deluded victims, and the whitening
taunt will be heard.
There ye saints Behold your light-your
; star.
y
. You who have by vote or deed be-
come part Of the rebellion" as they
} continue to term il, know this well, You
have no well grounded hope Of property
III a Union restored. The Northern
people will never allow it. They will
lie clamoFous against it, No admins
tration could grant You clernency and
survive They do not intend it.
We wish no further proof of this than
the following from the Chicago Tribune
an administration paper. The italics
are ours:
"EHFoEcE THE CoNFIscATIoY Acr.
The enforcement Of the C1nf>carion Act
10 VI the districts subject to our arms and
laws. Is necessity that the Adminstra.
tion cannot afford to overlook We say
nothing OF the righteousness Of the ren
altIes which that act provides for the
crimes of which the rebels are guilty, b.
cause the people, who do no, stop at the
slaughter Of rebels by wholesale, Do %,
need to be conyinc ID that tic taking OF
rebel property. even 10 the uttermost cent
IS puni.hmsu ut lighter than the taking OF
life; and rhaf, IL the latter is dsfeusible
and right. tue former cannot b. wrong.
: COgf cation as fhe ertremesf mercy that
a"y rebel has NE nlorGt ght 70 expect or
ciGim.
Who thall pay ? i the vital question
We of the N"rih. aud our chiliren 10 the
renth generarInn-we who az, conscious
of ITO cisubrtlirncc IL l.w, W. nfidcliry IN
the spirit of our institutions. m denial OF
the autnniiy 0f The Guvtnm-nt,-we
: Who have made such unexanped sacri-
fees Vt money ana life duriig two years
OF war. that ihe Constitution might be
preserved ard tie country made free, ,-
shall we be sadCled with tie great debt
4, that Congress has been obliged 10 con-
tract. Or shall tire nnu- .ellers and una
iignants, who melted the REBELLION In the
, hop OF gain, and from motives Of revenge
upon Us because We were more free, more
prosperous and happier than they, -~hal \
they BE- made to bear their part? Shall
those who daLce pay tie fiddler! This
l. the question that the people Of the
North Will beeiu to discus and we tell
the Administration that the fathers and
mothers who lave given heir sons, young
men who have given their brothers, ard
others who have given and lost thciI
friends, will decide that they have done
enough, aud Mqt The rebeLs must settle me
JiiiS, or at least that tie property OF tile
leaders and organizers shall fill up tbs
gap
This has been eiconiic rebellion the
crilninality thaf Conceived 1t II monstrous;
and in the conquest we fail to DO justice
10 ourselves and those who come after US
if we DO not exact penalties proporticneo
10 the crime that our armies overcome
} The objects sought for justify the ex'
tremest measnres that bave yet been de-
vised. 70 punish those who have been
so wan,only guilty Of offences against Coo
| and man, aud to make Of their crime:
such an exrmple that AL the futusE vii
be warned rot to become their imitators
are the demands Of the occasion and the
situation. And behind these is anethcl
thing rot less imperative and tha; is tc
: use the weapons which the G6Zernmen
l.c IL III. ~ yr.nI ~, ,,rr,..-