Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-12-21
M0RNINGLEADER.
MON6AE mon NINe DRo. 81, 1858.


The Presidents Piau.
WdhaFe heard it remarked lately that
Mr. incoln's proposal to grant an am
nesty 10 the rebels, on the condition Of
their forswearipg slavery, was very
novel one; but tits only novel in.ifs terms,
not in its general purpOFt and design. It
has bsen. usual, Ia modern times, for the
execstve powers Of states, at the close Of
grest rebelhons aga ust their authority to
offer lparaou 20 persons implicated in
them, with certain exceptions. They
might, according to the Law, execute the
seyeTest. penalties upon every man who
had taksh MP arms; they might conhscate
their property, hang them, disgrace them
or order them into perpetual exile. ANY
readeF Of Eaglish history, indeed, will re-
call tha bloody record which that nation
hss made in her dealings with both Ire
land aRd Scotland; they will recall how
every revolt, whether Of the great chiefs
Of Ulster or CT the highland Lairds OF
even Of little political Whig conspirstors,
was followed by forfeitures, and hehead-
ings, and bsHishments, and trials and tor
turess Nor are the histories Of France
and CHER continental nations less fruit
ful IN such incidents.
Bat when the numbers engaged in re-
volt are maHy, 1t is impossible to sttsint,
or haHg, or Danish them all; you cannot
put a half million people in jail, nor sus-
pend them By the neck, nor send them be-
yond the SEAS and neither can you wholly
overlook theie crimes and treason when
they have been reduced to peace. In this
dilemms itss customary TO offer terms of
forgiveness t. those who have offended, if
they viii DO some a3t 20 prove their con-
triti Ju or 70 testify theiI sincere and hon
est fstu-n to allegiance. Thus, when
Charles tho Second went back to England,
after tho death Of Cromwell, he issued a
proclamation O general pardon and indem-
nity 10 al who should, "by public act, y
manifest their return 20 loyalty. George
the Second did the same 20 the stubborn
JacOhities, who were "ent in '45, and il
we uiist5ke not, some Of the late French
moharchs have res9rted to 8 similar mode
of anpsasiDg the teoubles Of civil war.
What is more important to Us. however
than these foreign examples, is the one sci
By the most illastrioUs Of our Presidents
George Washington. Ia lI95, a. the close
of the whisky rebellion Of Pennsylvania,
in which some ffieen thousand men ere
involved, he proclaimed his willingness tC
ersnt q free pardon to all who should 'fsnb
soribs certain assurances Of submission tC
the laws" What those assurances vert
precisely we have not now before US any
meaps Of sscertsiaing, but we suppose
thew were 0stbs which the +" Commission
eFs. OF Pardon, as the agents Of the gov
ernmsnt- we're called, were authorized II
administer Such of the insurgents as die
not comply with these conditions were helC
to, be gti,lfy Of treason, or Of mispTison O
trsss9a' and liable 70 be tried and convict
ed OF The crime.
Mr. LiHeoln, IN the far more stupendoul
case Of the Shareholders rebellion, exhibit
-magnaninity proporti0nstely greater
He not only extends to the guilty infrso
tors Of their eeuntrys laws the promise o
an entire OoliEioR of their offences, but h
makes the condition Of the pardon ih
graoaest booa which it is possible to con
fer upon them and their p0sterity. Ii
says 10 them that they have been seducsC
into acts of foul and bloody debsuchery
and tkst every man of them deserves thl
hslter or exile, but that he viii insist upOr
no veng gesDce, that he will soften even tn,
requirements Of justice if they will Civ
utteranoe that they will get drunk NJ
more. TIE single canseof their self-ruiE
has been slavery That alone has genera
ted their hatred of the harmless inhabit
ants of tbe free states; that alone has pro
ducedan perpe;uated the ignorance whicl
has allowed them 70 bec5me the lords of
selfish class; that alone has iBfamed tbei
prejudices with all the ferocity of civi
disoord: and that alopo stands in the wa
Of perfect peace and harmony for ali tim
to come. Let them rellnqRish that &C
cursed Ihing-tbe source Of their Hiseriei
and our diseonfoFts-and all the heart
burniBgs and chickering's Of the past shal
not only be forgiven, but utterly obliters
ted in the gush Of tender solicitude anc
affection that viii follow the deed.-N. 7
Pest ---