Weekly standard., 1863-08-19
The Law of Retaliation.

Sou'o "CoNo oAuCc OuT government SuSieu OuI
couple of Yankee officers in prison at Richmond to
be executed by way of retaliation for the execution
by the federal government of two of our officers for
recruiting in Kentucky; and now, it seems, the
federal government has singled out q relative Of
Gen. Winder, and relative of Gen. Lee, in con-
finement at Fortress Monroe to be executed in case
the sentence pronounced on the two Yankee officers
referred to shall be carried out Our government,
or rather the administration at Richmond hesitates
Meanwhile the gallant Gen. Morgan, and portion
of his band recently captured in Ohio, have been
confined in the penitentiary of that State their
heads shaved, and themselves placed on the footing
of criminals. The Richmond Esamaner, noticing
this outrage, says:
To this humiliation, this infamy, have the bra
vest and the best champions of the South been
brought by the tmdity and trucking of their gov
ernment Certainly this would never have been
done, if the Yankees had not ascertaned, by long
and cautiously feeling, that the authorities at Rich.
mond wanted nerve. If it were an incident which
began and ended with ITSELF not much needed to
be said of it. But this fact has horrible signii-
cance 1t is an indication that the Southern gov
eminent is permitting the enemy to take that same
vantage ground in the conduct of hostlities which
the policeman enjoys in his contests with the out
laws of the criminal population. 1t has come to be
assumed on one side and confessed on the other,
that the soldiers of the South felons while the
myrmidons of the North are the executors of JUS
tice; that we are all in the wrong they in the right
that We are rebels to law, and they its defenders
and representatives. They must inHct punishment
without hesitating or calculating consequences
while we must expect and submit to it. when We
cannot compel
Into that hopeless position the nerveless policy
of the South is fast carrying it The men at the
head of its affairs must know it as we'll as we do
What idea, what motive, what fatal delusion or hal
luclnation, holds them back from their obvious
course? Can 1t be personal fear? Gan 1T be pos
si6le that they think their chances for safety one
whit the better in case Of alure because they dared
not shed blood in retaliation! Such a calculation
appears too weak to be possible. Is it nervous hor
ror, shrinking from necessary pain? They are
bringing U.S. themselves and their countrymen,
evils by the side of which, the scenes of retalia
ton have only the theatrical terrors of tragic play
The enemy conducts himself with the reckless
defiance OF consequences which is supposed to be
an attribute of a daring insurrection; while the
Confederacy exhibits all the ill-timed moderation,
astonlshment and slowness of action, which is gen.
orally shown by long established but declining
thogity. Who could have anticipated such reversal
OF roles? At the outbreak all mankind expected
that the Confederacy would have been "bloody,
bold and resolute," we'll able that would have
faced its gigantic antagonist with the decision of
revolutionary France before combined Europe. But
the United States has been the Narat, the Robe
spicrre the Danton the Confederacy has preferred
the policy Of tbe Bourbons, and leaves its best and
bravest to perish like the noble martyrs Of France.
And what is worse than this. if possible, Mr.. Lin
coin has given notice that for every negro captured
in arms by and restored to his owner or sold in
to slavery, he will put Confederate prisoner to
work on the public works. We are called upon,
therefore, either to admit that he has right to free
our negroes and make them fight against US, or, by
contrary course to see our veteran soldiers who
may be taken prisoners put to work like felons in
penitentiaries and on railroads. What will Mr.. Da-
Wis doa How will he extricate himself from these
alarming difficulties
We concur with our cotemporary Of the North
Carolina Christian Adooeate that retaliation is un.
christian heathenish but our government has new
ertheless threatened it. and it must either 20 for
ward or recede fit goes forward, the blood of in.
nocent men on both sides will flow like water;
if recedes it will lose character for rmness both
at home and abroad.