Weekly Trinity journal., 1863-01-03
The Reward OF Treason.


Thursday, January lst, 1868, may hereafter
be as renowned as the 4th of July, SO long CON-
memorated as the natal day of American lnde-
pendence. Who shall say that hereafter the an
niversary of the day on which the Presidents
Emancipation proclamation went into effect will
not, like the anniversary of our Nations freedom
from tyrranic rule. be welcomed by unborn mil
lions with joy and thanksgiving
Not a century has rolled away since our coun'
try's birth day, yet we now witness the bumlla-
ting spectacle of six hundred thousand traitors
in arms against our country. Twenty mohtns
have been spent since rebel cannon first preached
the walls of Sumter, and inaugurated civil war
In a vain attempt to restore the Union by mild
persuasion and half earnest warfare, two hund
red thousand hearths have been made desolate
by the absence of those whose bones are now
bleaching on the plains of Manassas, Springfield
Shiloh, Balls Bluff, in the swamps of the Chick
ahominy, and at Antetam and Fredericksburg,
under the "exbaustive q" system" and Fabian pol
icy of such Generals as Mcclellan and Don Car
los Buell..
On the first day of this year the President was
to turn over new leaf-give us change of pro-
gramme and inaugurate more decisive policy.
The days of grace having fully expired, the re-
belion is to be attacked in its most tender parts,
and the great foundation on which it rests knock
cd from under it. Without Slavery there would
/ have been no rebellion, and if Slavery dies the
rebellion goes down with it. The President long
ago expressed his desire to save the Union with
out destroying Slavery, but whenever it should
become apparent that one or the other must per-
ish, then he would say without hesitation let the
Union live, and the places that knew Slavery
know it no more forever.
On that day the shackles fell from the limbs
of every slave in those States or parts of States
now in rebellion against the Government. 1t is
purely military necessity, and as such we ap-
prove Of it. Our foes have shown themselves to
be desperate using desperate measures, and no.
thing but desperate means will avail to put them
down. If they are permitted to have three or
four million slaves to raise their supplies, dig
their entertainments, build Notifications, and do
all their labor, they can give their whole time to
fighting, and perhaps triumph.
The acts of the rebels in robbing the dead and
wounded, plunderng robbing and driving into
exile quiet Union.lovng citizens-men, women
and children, where they bear sway, fixes upon
them the character of unmtigated desperadoes,
and they should have been treated as such from
the beginning. 1t is obvious that men who could
I undertake to destroy this Government, become
traitors to their native land, on which they had
grown and fattened, are fitted for any villainy
under heaven, and would stop at nothing how
ever dshonorable to accomplish their purposes
They must be met by enough of the same char
acter to make them dread it. Snn,Lia SiniLi6us
curantuT. They waged the war, they should
have war in its most terrible and desolating form
They sought to rob the nation, and should at
once be declared robbers and their property con
hscated They are seeking TO carry out their
most favorite theory that tmieht makes right"
and they now should be made to realize the
strength OF the nation without stint They are
tnirsuug ~, biUud, uutii"s vioo 'h "~t'sfy ~"
T To procure the intervention OF England (our
ancient enemy and other foreign nations, they
have offered to free their slaves. Let them have
emancp patOn to their hearts content. They
have expressed the wish that the people Of the
loyal States would soon be cutting each others
ibroats, and that the streets of Philadelphia
New York, Boston, Chicago, and other cities
ure that they would gladly mete out to others,
should be meted out to them. The wisby washy,
rose water policy towards rebels, is to cease.
We do not wish any unconstitutional measures
adopted, but every Constitutional power. and
every power conferred by the law of nations
should be employed to its utmost limit. We be-
lieve the President has taken bold stand, and
enunciated his determination with the dignity
and authority of the Commander-in Chief of the
army and navy. After the most anxious solici
! tnde, and earnest consultation and advice of
Union men, not only of the loyal and border, but
even of the rrvoted States, he has come to the
solemn conviction that the duty he owes to him
self, his country aud his God, requires him to
strike from the slave his chains and let the op
pressed go free, and If necessary he should also
provide them with the means Of defense, and use
them in whatever manner will be most service
able for the restoration of the Union and saliva
tion Of the country. May we not hope that here
after we shall have officers to lead our brave
armies, who want to crush rebellion and rebels
together. If this be the policy of the President
the country will sustain him with unparalleled
unanimity, and victory will follow the flag OF the
| union throughout the land.