Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-01-28

justice. II the old pagan Romans could say the hghes
justice the highest injury jus, injuria
certainly behooves christian nation to be mindful of it
Abstract principles good 10 their place. but potca
problems involve many and often conflicting interests
that large survey needed and practical expedency
and liberal equity should have play well abstract
right Extreme measures against the rebels which shall
involve not only themselves but and children in
iadiscrimnate ruin may perhaps satisfy certain grim
craving for terrible rerbuton, but they will not be saDc-
toned by the public opinion of Chrstsndom, and VIII,
sooner later induce reaction Of sympathy which will
deprive them Of all beneficial effect We must not forget
that enemies men, whatever their wrong doing.
Any present injury we them in order to bring them
to terms consistent with the laws of modern warfare is
admissible and becoming We have ourselves continu-
ally urged that the blows should fall heavily and rapidly
But when measures proposed like the conscaton bill
now before the House, that nnct misery for the future
rather than the present that rerbutve rather than
restorative, can no longer urge. tits subject tina
should be reserved for the camest deliberation.
We have not searched history particularly upon the
subject but recall instance of such sweeping
Wholesale conscations this bill contemplates The old
Roman Empire has the of being about hard a
coDqueror the world has and yet ts usage
to con6scate the property of it's enemy entirely but TO
for the original proprietor onehird for the sub
sstence of himself and family. Cromwels confscations
10 Ireland which have always figured particularly
severe, yet attended with aotments Connaught
such as the Protector deemed sufficient for family sup
pert Russas regime Poland after the nsurrectol
of 1880 has been considered almost mercess. Fifty
thousand Poles sent to Siberia and about ten thou
sand estates were conscated But these estates were
only small proportion Of the old soil Of Poland. Ia the
State OF Virginia alone there hundred thousand
freeholds within the limits Of the Confederacy" at
least hree-fourhs of million. Nearly all of this vast
amount of real estate would be forfeited forever by it's
present propretors if this confscaton
red out according to its terms for there is hardly real
estate the South who has not participated in the
rebellion in one way or another Such sweeping work,
were il practicable would throw into the shade every
thing of the kind known to history
The object of the Polish and the Irish con6scatons
was to make quiet subjects. Their may be read
in the chronic discomfort and repeated insurrectons of
the countries down to the present day. The object
of our confscaons must be to make willing citizens, for
our republican system admits Of such condition that
of subjects We may strip these rebels of their posses
sons if we please but we have got hereafter to share
political power with them, and have children with
their children. We would like to have some of these
wholesale conscators this question Unqualified
or limited conscations Ireland Poland failed make
good subjects hog cH unqualified and unlimited confsea
tions make good eifizens2
There two great objects, each of supreme conse-
quence The first to bring this war to the speediest
close consistent with the preservation of the Union The
second bury the bitter feelings of the af
forward possible in order that the Union may be ever
afterward at peace With itself.
Permanent confscation does not help the first object
one whit more than would the confscation Of the life
teress 1t directly defeats the second object for would
entail heartburnngs upon the postery
Of the present rebels for generations to The
sort of conscation succeeded by restoration Of proper
ty TO the family, might in few years be forgotten The
other long human nature remains what it s would
never to rankle.
We trust that Congress will study not simply the
shtutonaty of this but its expediency 1t is
subject which passion should not be allowed to approach
The coolest Judgment alone should settle it 60 de-
pended the President settled aud most wisely
too.