Delaware State journal and statesman., 1864-03-04
THE TERMS OF PEACE.
No. 4.-coneessions.
BY WILLIAM II. ALLEN, LID.

TnR President proposes to concede life, liber-
iy, property, except in slaves, and oil other
rights Of citizenship to all rebels who will re-
turn to their allegiance and subscribe to the oath,
with the exception Of come six hundred civil
and military leaders. Does he conoede too
much DOES be eonCede toO liltei One re-
plies, TOO much, for he makes void the Confsca-
ton Act; another, TOO iiis, for the rebels will
make it a point Of honor uot To sacrifice their
leaders. The war will have been waged at our
cost, says the former; the war will never ter
inmate, says the latter.
1t is believed by many that under the Presl-
dents Terms powerful landed arisiocraoy will
survive the wsr and rule the South as belore.-
They regard this aristocracy as an unassimiat-
ing element in our political organism, force in-
herently hostile to our institutions aud danger
Gus 10 republican liberty. They therefore de-
sire 10 see il broken down by II rigorous execu-
ton OF the ConfscatiOn Act. We do not deny
the danger, but we differ as TO the means Vi
averting it. The prudent ply sician often deems
1t better to wait on nature IN the treament Of
diseaser, than to prescribe the drastic and de-
bilitatiDg nOstrums of tho pharmacoI eeia; and
30 in political maladies the wise statesman will
pursue the expeoiant method whenever violent
remedies would be likely 10 iufct lasting injury
the constitution Of the patient, or destroy his
life. 1t is submitted that the landed arisIooracy
Of the South, which slavery has built up iu two
hundred and forty years, will decay In one NTH
vi that time, il you abolish the institution which
supports it. II you break the legs Of giant he
will fall as certainly as il you break his head
50 if you strike down the props Of this mighty
olgarohy, IL will soon tumble into ruins. Its
property will change hands 1t will pass, as in
other free communities, where 1t ID not tettered
by laws Of primogenilure aud entail, from the
idler and extravagaut to the entefpiising, indus
tiious, and thrifty. Ii will adjust ilselt by the
FsN ut..I nu.nta
oes. The Confscation Act was never expected
nor meant TO be executed Vigorously except
against the prominent leaders aud supporters Of
tue rebellion. A sweeping forfeiture Of all the
property Of u vast country, II 1t could be carried
out, would be Guinous to the vanqushed, with
out any corresponding advantage to the victor.
Besides, il is fatal policy in war 10 drive an enc
my 10 such txtremlties that in his despair he
will resolve to sell his life as dearly as possible.
They who regret tbat the proclamation of
amnesty did not include all grades Of the rebels,
assume that the President will execute the laws
in their utmost igor against every traitor TO
whom it's benefits are not extended. They seem
10 forget that the President still retains the
power to remit the whole or part Of tho penal
ties against traitors after conviction; and that
bis past record is pledge, that il he err, the
error will incline TO the side OF mercy. ln maxi
ing the exceptions the President Was actuated
by higher motives than thirst for revenge and
blood. Justice and the future safety Of the
country demand the punishment Of the bad men
whose ambition has drenched the land in blood.
Let them escape, If they can, into voluntary
exile; but if they remain in the country, let them
be arrested, indicted, ariaigned, tried, convict
ed, sentenced, Rnd-then, IT ih0 President, in his
clsmenoy, will permit them to live, or il they,
with the stain OF blood on their hands and it's
reek on their garments, eau bear tO live let them
live But in the name Of justice, for the sake Of
humanity, for the memory o, our slaughtered SONS
aud brothers, aud for the future of our bleeding
country, let them be incapable of holding any
ofloe OF honor, trust, or profit during their nat
urRl lives. Let us never again be made victims
VI the Vaccinations Of traitors in the high places
Of the republic. Never again let the nation Wit
ness the spectacle Of a Secretary OF the Treasury
banktupting the government which he serves,
and from which he is careful to draw his own
salary never again n Secretary Of War disarm-
ing one section to arm another, and stealing the
funds appropriated TO his department as q sacred
trast Never again Secretary Of the interior
abandoning his post Of duty TO plot treason in O
distant State. Never again Secretary of the
Navy, whether u Northern or Southern traitor
sending all the seryoeabe ships Of war to remote
seas In order TO render the government power.
less on its maritime frontier. Never again sen
ators and representatives nightly seheming il
secret caucus Of Washington to overflow th'
BuDDOfI
and betray the people for whom they were elect
ed TO legislato. Never again officers of the army
and navy violating their honor and military oath
BY drawing their swords against the goyernmeu
which had educated and fed them. Let thos
who have been guilty Of these monstrous acts o
parricide be branded with lifelong iniamy. A
traitors have forfeited all rights, the GoVernmen
may dictate the terms on which it will permi
them TO live.
AFTER the military power Of the rebellion sha
nave been so far destroyed as TO warrant th
organization loyal State governments, accord
log 10 the plan Of the President, or any othe
acceptable plan, II will DO the part Of wisdom I
remove, SO far as possible, any causes Of irrita
ton which an experience Of three quarters of
century under the Constitution NAV have show
to exist, The interests Of a permauent peac
will demand this, aud a liberal policy win accor
II. F'' "''' -SS''
Apart from questions connected with slaver
the people Of The South have complained M mr.
Just taxation aud unequal representation.
The taxation against which they have protes
Cd long and earnestly has been for the psyme
OF oountes on certain kinds Of Northern prt
auets, an the levyiug of protective duties on il
ports, ior the purpose OF fostering particu
branches OF industry. We believe II to be d.
monstrahle that the payment of bounties 10 So
IAN an Improbable business at the expense
those branches1f industry which are remunerl
we except In cases where the safety OF Il
uVuhtfy demands the production within its oV
UNITS of articles indispensable to it's defence
sonuary to the true principles Of public econ
n.y. IS moi our purpose, however, to arg
ne question here. An example, in no ps
-'"''ous' Will sufficiently illustrate the subje,