Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-05-09

men, who desire to plunge the nation into a sea
Of blood. Again and again we have directed at
tention to the folly and wickedness of the plea
that, because the rebels do thus and so, re nav
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
ical party justified it because the rebels had inau-
gurated a reign of terror at the SOnth. Every
species of wrong doing was defended on the same
plea. Ii was OF no use TO point out the insanity
OF the idea. Men would not listen. Ii seemed
TO be impressed on the minds of the radical PEG.
pie that whatever crime against humanity might
be committed by a savage in war. should be at
once adopted and repeated BY a civilized nation
warning with the savage. Hence the adoption by
our leaders of a set of principles and practices
which have disgraced US. aud will to all time dis
grace US in history. We shall seek in vain to
erase from the pages of our Dauioual story these
black and ab1minable records, and the only COM
fort is that, as has occurred 10 other nations. the
atrocities of which we speak will doubtless be
charged 10 the Jacobins of our day, the radical
party, who are alone responsible for 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
have not been very much exaggerated. The
murderous conduct Of the victors is so fully
proven that it is safe to place the account on
record AS one of the bloodiest and blackestin all
the annals OF warfare. But what shall we gain,
in reputation. in honor. in strength, BY what men
call retaliation
1t is better TO settle in the first place what re-
latiOn The government bears to the rebels. For
the whole difficulty about negro soldiers. aud
much other trouble too. grows out of the differ
ent positions taken at different times by the Ad-
ninistration in reference to its treatment of the
whole war; lis it or IA il not a war at ALT At
one moment We are assured il is a war, and that
the rules OF war are applicable. At the next
moment we are told it is not a war, but "a govern
ment suppressing treason and crushing rebellion
with a strong hand. and that none of the laws
which govern the relations of belligerents can be
regarded as applicable. Every one remembers
the privateersmen, in which cases the Admins
tration proposed to refuse the application of the
laws of war, and was about to. hang the men As
pirates. Wiser considerations and a rebel threat
of retaliation induced a delay. aud at lenglh the
men were exchanged But from that time to this
a succession OF complications has arisen because
of the negro policy aud the confiscation policy
of the Administration both of which entirely ig-
more The laws Of war 9fthe rebels are to be re.
cognized AS belligerents in full, as they constant
ly are in part, then the AdmiBisfr ation has a plain
course before il. IL must abandon coniscations
seizures. destruction Of private property. aud the
enlistment Of slaves. If. however, they are not
to be treated as belIigerents at all then the course
is equally plain. TO push forward the war, burn
ing, hanging and destroying.
But the latter course involves too many consid
erations for the Administration to pursue it. The
rebels hare the opportunity for severe retaliation,
and thus compel us to treat them as belligerents.
What are the rights and duties of belligerenis,
then, is a serious question for our consideration.
Ia the Fort Pillow case, the massacre of the
garrison was an act which must either be ayowed
by the rebel authorities, or disavowed, liz disa-
vowed, and the authors properly punished. then
if the rebels are beiligerents, we have nothing
more TO demand on that account. II avowed
and defended on the ground that it is a beliger-
egt right to massacre slaves in arms, or to refuse
quarter TO the garrison OF a tort. or on any other
ground, then il is only left for us to decide what
is the right cosrse Tor a civilized nation, and to
pursue that course. As for retaliation. il is alb
surd to think OF il, and the President was talking
to Bunconlbe the other day when he talked about
it. The rebels have too many opportunities oil
retaliating. They have some thousands of OUT
men in their power. They will not hesitate Il
use their power. If they justify the slaughter al
Fort Pillow, they will have no qualms of con.
science AT he defense of their policy by the exc
cution Of our men in their hands. We can't af
ford to inauguraie such a system. Those who
advocate it are passionate or foolish men, whc
ought to be in the army, and be also captured
prisoners, so as to learn a little of the truth and
seriousness of war. 1t IS well enough for thos,
who are at home. clustering and boasting in sa-
looms and on political stands, to talk about retail
iation at whatever cost, but the soldiers of ouI
Eoble army are not sheep to be sacrificed by tho
stay 1t home politicians. 10 crafty angry AND
thOughtIess revenge We cannot afford %retalia'
ton till We settle what is the character of ouI
opponent. Retaliation is one sort OF recognition
This matter needs a more sensible inyestign-
ton by the public mind than il has received. Tbs
war is in danger OF degeBerating ON both sides
into a contest disgraeeiul to civiiiz alton. Th'
rebels are bad enough. but We cannot reform
rebel manners and customs We cannot max,
them change their habits or plans, but We, chi
preserve our own from becoming barbarOus
With what face can we go to The world as cham
pions of civilization. when our cities and village.
are filled with the plumber of Southern houses
With what face can " claim The sympathy o
nations, when our war degenerates into suct
raids MS that of Shefmau, 10 spread devastation
and bring out thousands of poor negroes 10 starry,
and die on the banks of the Mississippi Let th'
people insist that the war shall go on as c~isilizeJ
nations make war. that we shall preserve tn
maine OF American Tree fromthc tapnt, of birhar
ism. and then we may clam from the whole
world an interest in a people who are seeking q
establish 'tic Supremacy OF law.AtN,. Y, Journa
| of Commerce..