Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1864-07-21


blood, the societyi God defend us from
such an aristoc-acy! Could their sires
rise from honored graves they would be
amply justified in exclaiming, in the Ian
guagc and spirit of the Indian warrior,
1.-THE blood of q traitor" . the Chippe-
was have cheated my squaw." Such IN
dividuals are to be found from the Poto-
mac to our Northernmost boundary, and
arc reproach upon the name of man.
When individuals become SO deeply
submerged in the muddy waters of party
politics, and possess no aspirations higher
than u selfish individual interest Or hope
of aggrandizcmcnt as to subordinate their
country to party. they are no longer fit
to be dignifcd with the appella..;,on Of
men. When they She. nave eliminated
their utter degradation and worthlessness
by thlowing overheard, III TIE hour of its
trial, the government which defends and
shields them; and take the lowest step in
moral degradation by giving aid and com
fort, or adheriag to its enemies, and yet
remaining within the territory and under
the protection of tina. government, they
have taken the last, deepest and most
damning step in treason, and are entitled
to nothing but TIE traitors doom. When
we look over the history of the past four
years, and ponder on the events which
have transpired in that short period So
cially. politically and belligeren'ly; when
we cast our eyes over the events and
scenes daily occurring around us and in
our whole land, wo feel almost if not al
together persuaded that God, in his Prov
idencc, has seen fit to smitc this people
and their rulers with madness.
The first great madness of our rulers
was in misunderstanding and undertaking
the magnitude of the treason and the de-
Termination Of the traitors, and despite
the violence and malignity displayed in
forcing the unwilling people of the South
not only into secession but also into the
rebel army, our government did hot profit
by the lesson; neither did they fully apprc-
ciate the teachings ofBull Run. Their pro
gress in comprehcnding the necessities ii
the times appears to be very slow, and
their acquisition of knowledge by the
hardest Congress has at last learned a
useful lesson and taken step in relation
to the Army which will be productive Of
good results if carried out with prompt
ness and vigor, to wit : the repeal of the
communication clause. 1t will afford an
opportunity, which should be speedily
embraced, Of putting some of the copper
head and traitor species into the position
of lessening the traitor brood.
We do not profess any great reading
in history, modern or ancient; but do
pretend to a slight insight into human ma
ture, and venture the prediction, without
fear ofimpairing our reputation either as
profound historian or gifted prophet, that
no Instance in history can be found where
a great treason or rebellion was speedily
and successfully put down, except by the
firm and swift intiction of the traitors
doom. Such, however. has not been the
practice of our authorities. and our sue
cess in putting down the rebellion is as
yet not a very "big thing"
We occasionally see domestic traitor,
after long forbearanee, arrested, taken to
the Provost Marshal's Office, sworn and
let run a greater rebel than before;
bushwhacker, guerrilla or bridge burner
is captured, held few days, sworn and
let run ten times greater devil than be-
fore; he can clap the title of Lieutenant,
Captain or Colonel to his name, he will
perhaps share the Same fate, or perhaps
after being well fed and put in good con-
ditiou, let go without even swearing him,
When our rulers shall have made the dis
covery that all this is merely premium
to treason and depression to loyalty,
and shall learn, further, to mete out to
traitors, the traitors doom, then, and not
until then, will there be reasonable hope
that we may live to the end of the rebel
lion and sec the establishment Of our
Union on n solid basis.