The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-07-22

lIVeS, worth Two tnOuehnu mlliiOA NOlAe
more Our country has been rayaged and
desolated. Our cities towns and villages
are ~mouldering ruins. C~Onquering armies
occupV the country. The COnfederacy has
fallen and ne hare been deprived Of all
eiuiL Government and political rights. We
have neither law nor order. There Is no
protection for life, liberty, or property.
Eyerywhere there is Generalization, rspine
ard murder. Hunger and starvation are
us. And now we meet as a d,SgrGeed
and subjugated people to petition the con-
otteror to restore oar lost rights. Such are
the bitter fruits of secessionI
GOVERNOR FEELS DEGRADED BY COM.
a'' ING BACK.
Mr.. Chairman, 1 will here frankly say,
as 1 hsve often said during the past four
wears, that there was not a man In the
United States who more deeply regretted
the secession of the Southern States than l
did at the beginning of the revolution; and
there Is not nol0 IN the Southern States any
,oho feels more bitterly the humiliation and
DEGRADATION of going back into the Union
than 1 do. Still, I know that we shsl be
more prosperous and happy in the Union
than out of it.
" s JEFF NOT TO BLAME.
- Il has been too common, Mr.. Chairman,
TO attribute the failure of this great revOlu-
ton to the President of the late Confeder-
acy. That, sir, is q mistake. The people
we're themselves to blame for its failure.
They were unwilling to make those sscriti'
ces which were essentialto its Many
who were most prominent in the movement
never did anything for it after the war
commenced. Instead of sseking their prop
or position, in front Of the battle, they
saught E~bomb-ProOfs" for themselves and
their sons. There were others who got into
soft places" and "%oficisl positions where
they could speculate and make fortunes on
Government funds.
In fact, toward the latter part of the
war, it seemed that every one was trying
to keep out of the army, and was willing 10
pay anything, and make any sacrifice to do
so. When General johnson surrendered
his army he had on his muster roll 10000
men, but only 1900 TO be carried into
battlel Gen eral Lees army was in the
same condition. Where were the absen-
teesH at home, on furlough; staying over
their furlonghs. deserted and strsggliOgl
At no time during the last three years Of
the war was there more than One-third OF
the army ready to march into bsttlel How
was it possible for the Southern people to
succeed, acting tbus2
Mr.. LINCOLN NO GREAT Loss To sOUTH.
It has been said and repeated all over
the Southern States, that the South has sus-
tanned q great loss in the death of Presi-
dent Lincoln. l do not think so. Presi-
NTETTE MmnEa g.
man than President Lincoln WIS
every way more acceptable TO the South.
In the first place be is q Southern man, and
Lincoln was q Northern a He is 3
Democrat, and Lincoln WAS q Wing and
Republican. President johnson was q
slsve-holder, well acquainted with the in
stitution, and knows what is proper to be
done in the great change which is taking
place. President Lincoln was wholly IN
~scqusinted with slavery and Southern in
situations. President johnson is q man of
iron will and nerve. like Andrew Jackson.
and will adhere 10 his principles and po-
Itiesl faith.
On the other hand, President Lincoln
showed himself to be nothing more than
clay in the hands of the potter, ready to
change his measures and principles at the
bidding of his party. President johnson
hiss filled all the highest and most honor
able offices in the State of Tennessee, with
crest ability and satisfaction to the people.
There is no stain or blot on his private
character. The sblest speech ever deliver
cd in the Senate of the United States, on
the issues between the North and South,
was inside by President johnson. He
voted for Breckenridge in the Presidential
canvass of 1860. Judging then, from his
anteeedents, the South should have every
hope and confidence in him.
FREEDOM A CURES To THE BLACKS.
The idleness and vsgrsncy of the negro,
in q free Stale, may be a nuisance to socie-
Nv. It must be corrected in the best way
we can. / have no doubt, in nine cases
out of ten, freedom will prove q curse in
stead of a blessing to the negro. No n
should turn of his negroes, if they are
willing to remain with him for their vic
tusls and clothes and work as they have
heretofore done. They nave no agency in
bringing about the change which has taken
place, and we should feel no ill-Will 10.
wards them on that account.
lr.b REBELLIoN NOT TREASON.
The resolutions submitted to this meet
ing express a hope, on the part of the peo-
pie Of Greenyille, that the President will
enlarge his amnesty proclamation, and
grant q pardon TO all who are liable to
prosecution. The Secession of the South
ern States was far greater, and very differ
emit from a Rebellion proper. 1t was or
ganized by constitutional sovereign states,
acting in their sovereign capacity, and not
~ oocnm hlHur-. - aSes-nna
Treason may be committed against the
State of South Carolina, as we'll ss
against the United States. After South
Carolina left the Union, all her citizens
were liable ss traitors, in the State Courts,
who took sides with the United States and
fought against her. If they were liable to
be punished IS traitors in the United
States Courts, for taking side with the
State, then all were traitors and liable to be
executed as traitors, whether they fought
for or served for the one or the other gov
eminent This WOnld, indeed, be q most
cruel and lamentsble condition. Death
was their portion, act as they might. To
stand neutral they could not, and to choose
between the State and United States was
death. Surely q principal 80 monstrous
and absurd cannot be enforced. There
were thousands and hundreds of thousands
in the Southern States who deeply re. ret
tedlthe secession of their States, but after
the State hsd seeded, felt that their first
allegiance was due the State.
NOT A REBELLION.
But, Mr.. Chairman, the secession of
eleven or twelve sovereign States, compos.
ing one-hslf Of the territory of the United
States, was something more than q Rebel
lion. 1t was legitimate war between the
two sections, and they acted toward each
other throughout the war as recognized
belligerents, and were so'treated and recog
nized by foreign nations. Prisoners were
exchanged between the two belligerants,
and none were treated IS traitors during
the whole of the four years war. Hun
dreds Of thousands of prisoners were thus
exchanged. The highest generals, as we'll
as the humblest privRtes, were treated IS
captured soldiers by both Governments,
and exchanged. Surely a general officer
who has been exchanged while this gigan.
tic war was wsging, cannot now be de-
manded as q traitor, tried and executed as
q traitor.
There have been few national wars in
Europe in which greater armies were car
ried into service and on the field of battle.
To call such a wal q rebellion simply is a