The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1863-11-20
FROM the Cincinnatl Iaxstte.
TIE WAY EOE Rebellion To
TERMINATE.

That the Government has Constitutional
ell the rights Of war against an insurrec
ion which has become so formidable as t
create civil war. is not denied. It proceed
TO put down rebels by force of arms. with
out the Intervention of indictment, habea
corpus, warrant. trial by jury OF the right t
bear arms, although all these are constitu
tonal rights not because war suspends III
Constitution, but because the Constitution
provides for war and thereby for the law
and practices of war. Foreign enemies il
war have no rights under our Constitu,io.
aud laws. If the enemy is citizen of tn,
country he has not only no rights under th.
Constitution, but besides the fate of war b,
is liable 10 the punishment of traitor.
The only way to end q rebellion is for ,h.
rebels to lay down their arms and submit te
the clemency Of the Government Usually
the ringleaders and the most guilty are made
examples OF. and the mass If submissive and
peaitent are pardoned. They acquire nc
rights by submission. Rights forfeited by
levying war upon the Government are no,
regsined By defeat and subsection. Rebels
who have failed in the trial of arms, do not
thereby acquire the ght to continue in the
control of States, nor to come back into Con
gress and renew the contest against the Gov.
ernment there. Their permission to assume
the political rights of loyal ciizens depends
entirely on the clemency of Government,
and should be granted only as the repent
ance is found TO be sincere. and their loyal
ty reliable, that is, only as it would secure
public tranquility and promote the ends oi
justice.
The States DO not stand between the Gov
ernment and the rebels. They iurni, h no
legal means Of Secession, nor legal protect
ion for defeated rebels, nor any legal me MS
of restoring political rights forfeited by war.
State lines or State Governments are not
known to our national crimiLal code, not in
our rights of war against rebels. The rela-
tions Of the Government and the rebels are
legally and constitutionally the same as if
there were no State organizations in exist
ence. Rebels may pass ordinances of Seces-
sion. They are merely declaration of re-
bellion. They do not change the charact
er Of the treason. and are void. They may
rescind them; it is not required in order to
ac,e.s- sn q lreviudrug feetOie hny rIgn1s 10 the
rebels; it is merely declaration Of submis
sion, and is to be given consideration ac-
cording as the circumstances snow 1t TO be
sincere.
Nor do rebels in war regain the right to be
tried according to the institutions of peace
by surrendcring. Were it So every prison
er captured by our armies in war, could
claim the right OF habeas corpus, and OF trial
by jury in his own district. If this were so,
our capture of rebel army would compel
US to liberatc it Immediately. because the law
requires indictment and trial by jury in the
district where the offence was committed
The right to make war upon rebels is the
right to punish them by the rule and means
of war, both when they are in arms, and
when they are defeated. Our Constitution
is no such farce that rebels may plunge the
country into civil war, and than by affect
ing submission, may substitute for the penal
ties of war, the supremacy of a rebel grand
jury. rebel petit jury and a rebel judge,
all traitors together; and then may proceed
to elect State Governments and members OF
! Congress and Executives to carry out by the
/ forms Of Government in peace what they
have failed to carry by war.
| If the Government has the Constitutions
right to defend itself against rebellion by all
/ the rights Of war, it has the right TO prose
! cute the war until it secures penalties for
the past rebellion, and security against any
future one Indemnity for the past and
security for the future" was our var cry
against the unoGending republic Of Mexico
Il Ii is a necessary motto in just war. Ma
tons which undertake rightful war. do mol
make neace without securing these, unless
,bsv are beaten. The horrible slaughter
and devastation Of this rebellion VIII all b'
,brov,aw away. unless it ends in the enfoIc
ling of such alties for tie past and Pro
,;s;ons for the future as will forever secure
the cou ntlv aga-HoA '"o
and against any interest which sets hsei
above the Constitution, aud the right OF th'
people to govern.
A,,he outbreak. the majority of the pso
nj. If the Southern States were opposed 4
the rebellion. We have reason TO thlui
,bev are still so. especially since they hav
seen the terrible punishment it has brought
and The hopelessness of the rebel cause; an
that If liberated from the military despotisn
Of the slaveholding sristocracy. they woul
gladly submit to the National Governmen,
when this liberation occurs BY the furthe
destruction Of the rebel armies, If this loy
atty which we suppose TO be in existence
now subjugated and suppressed. sprin gs in
TO life and force, the loyal men of the Sout
will be more vindictive against their oppre:
sors. and most zealous for the execution {