Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-05-04
Retaliation.

Retaliation.
The country rings with the cry of passionate
men. who desire TO plunge the nation into a sea
Of blood Again and again We have directed At
tention 10 the folly and wickedness OF the plea
that because the rebels do thus and So
and ought to do the same When the Admins
traiion suppressed the freedom of the press and
imprisoned citizens without law or right, the RAD
zeal party justified il because the rebels had inau
gurated a reign of terror at the Sonth. Every
species of wrong doing was defended on the same
plea. 1t OF no TO point out the insanity
of the idea. Men would not listen. IL seemed
to be impressed on the minds of the radical PEG
pie that whatever crime against humanity might
be committed by savage in war, should be at
once adopted ana repeated by civilized nation
warning with the savage Hence the adoption by
our leaders of set OF principles and practices
which have disgraced us and will to all time dis
grace US in history We shall seek in vain to
erase from the pages of odr natioual story these
black and abpmnable records. and the only com
fort l. that as has occurred in other nations. the
atrocities of which We speak will doubtless be
charged to the JacObns of our day, the radical
party, who are alone responsible tor them, and
that thus the nation will escape IN some degree
from the odium. The rebel cruelty at Fort
Pillow seems TO be beyond question. There is
reason To believe that the horrors there committed
murderOus conduct of the victOrs is so fully
proven that il Is safe TO place the account on
record one of the bloodest aud blacklist in all
the annals OF warfare But what shall we gain,
in reputation in honor in strength by what men
call retaliation
Ii l. better 10 settle in the first place what re-
lation the government bears to the rebels For
the who lie difficulty about negro soldiers, and
much OF her trouble too. grows out OF the differ
ent pc sitions taken at different times BY the Ad
niinist ration in reference TO its treatment OF the
whole war l. it or l. il not war at all? At
one moment we are assured it is war, and that
the rules OF war are applicable AT the next
m oment told it i not a war. but govern
IN ent suppre-sing treason and crushing rebellion
with a strong ha nd, and that none of the laws
which govern the relations OF belligerents can be
regarded applicable. Every one remembers
the pryateersmen, IN which cases the Admins
tratIon proposed To refuse the application OF the
laws OF war, and about to hang the men "a
pirates. Wiser considerations aud rebel threat
OF retaliation induced a DELAY, and at length the
men were exchanged But from that time to this
succession OF complications has arisen because
OF the negro policy and the cOnhscaOn policy
OF the Administration. both of which entirely g-
the laws of war. | the rebels are To be re.
cognzed as belligerents in full, as they constant
ly are in part then the Administration has plain
course before 1t. Ii must abandon contiscations
seizures. destruction OF private property. aud the
enlistment of slaves. Ii, however, they are not
TO be treated belligerents at all then the course
is equally plain. 10 push forward the war, burn
ing, hanging and destroying.
But the latter course involves too many cOnsid-
eratlons for the Administration to pursue it. The
rebels have the opportunity Tor severe retaliation,
and thus compel Us to treat them as belligerents
What are the rights and duties of belligerents.
then, Is serious question for our consideration
In the Fort Pillow case, the massacre of the
garrison was an act which must either be avowed
by the rebel authorities. or disavowed Ii disa-
vowed, and the authors properly punished. then
il the rebels ligerents, We have nothing
more 10 demand on that account. If avowed
and defended on the ground that IL is belliger-
cut right TO massacre slaves in arms or 10 refuse
quarter to the garrison OF tort or on anv other
ground. then il i only leit for Va to decide what
IL the right course Tor n civilized nation. and TO
pursue that course. As for retaliation il is ab
surd TO think OF il. and the President was talking
to Buncombe the other day when he talked about
IT, The rebels have too MANY opportunities OF
retaliating They have some thousands of our
men in their power They will not hesitate To
use their power. If they justify the Slaughter at
Fort Pillow, they will have no qualmS of con
science at the defense OF their policy by the exc
cutlOn OF our men in their hands We can't al
fora 10 inauSurate such system. Those who
advocate II are passionate or foolish men, who
ought 10 be in the army. and be also captured
prisoners, 80 a. To learn little of the truth and
seriousness OF war. Ii is well enough for those
who are at home. clustering and boastng IN sd
looms and on political stands To talk about retail
latIon AZ Whatever cost, tut the soldiers of our
Eobe army not sheep to be sacrificed by the
stay At home politicians. To gratify angry and
thOughtless revenge. We cannot afford retalia-
ton TILL we settle what i the character ct our
opponent. Retaliation i one sort of recognition
This matter needs more sensible inve>tiga-
ton by the public mind than il has received The
VAR y IN danger of degenerating on both sides
into contest dlsgraceiul To civilization. The
rebels are tad enough. but cannot reform
rebel manners AMI customs. We cannot make
them change their habits plans. but we can
preserve our own from becoming barbarous.
with what lace can We go 20 the world as cham
piOns of civilization. when our cities and villages
are hiled with the plumber of Southern housesi
win what lace can we claim the sympathy of
nations, when our degenerates into such
RAIDS a. that Of Sherman, TO spread devastation
anu bring out thousands OF poor negroes TO starve
and die on the banks of the Mississippi? Let the
people insist that the shall 20 on A. civilized
nations make WAT, that We shall preserve the
name OF American Tree from the taunt OF barbar
I'm. and then We NAV claim from the whole
world IN interest ~ people who are seeking To
establish the supremacy Of law-IN Y Journal
OF Commerce