The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1865-05-24
asrrlt Smith 10 President johnson.

Gerritt Smith, the we'll Unknown Aboli.
ton philanthropist (we say philanthro-
pist in contradistinotion to Politician has
written remarkable letter to President
j ohnson, urging the President to carry
out the conciliatory aud humane policy to-
wards the South attributed to the late
President Lincoln. Mr. Smith fears that
the sufferings undergone by the President,
his family, and friends. may induce him
to extend the severest punishment to the
rebel leaders.
We quote the following from Mr.. Smiths
lettea:
awhile Mr.. Lincoln was yet alive, gov
ernment was incessantly called on by
presses and public meetings, by sermons
saturated by the vindictive and blood
thirsty spirit of the jewish theology, and
by voices innumerable, not to spare these
leading rebels No wonder, then, that
the manner of his death is made use of
to increase the thirst for their blood
For, absurd as is the charge, that the as
sassin was their tool,it nevertheless gains
extended credence. They all knew Mr..
Iincoln's characteristic clemsncy, and
that the terms of peace he had agreed on
were exceedingly mild. Hence, how in
sane is the supposition that any of them
sought his death?'
AS to the policy of inficting severe
punishment on the rebel leaders, Mr..
Smith says:
81 cannot doubt that peace is quite re-
mote, if the severe policy toward the con-
quered rebels, which SO many are calling
for, shall be adopted. For once let it be
known that the leading rebels who fall
: tiato our hands, will be doomed to punish
{ ment be it death, Imprisonment or exile.
and Immediately, amongst their followers
, sympathy with them and rage against us
, Will know no bounds. Tens of thousands
? will burn for vengeance, and will care fol
} nothing but to crafty it. In that state
r of things guerrilla warfare would ensue
/, which, if not pacifed by concessions, anc
, such concessions, too, as would fatally in
. wade national and human rights, nigh
: run through many years, harrassing ant
/. wasting our armies, and adding feartully
: if not fatally, to our already vast debt
9 1t must not be forgotten that it cost ou
: nation many years, many lives, and thirt,
f or forty million dollars to put an end t.
: the guerrilla war carried on in Florida b.
!? handful of Indians and negroes. | hav
: glanced at the painful consequences of
: harsh treatment of a conquered enemy
But how blessed would be the consequen
S ces of wise aud kind treatment of tha
e enemyi-then the South would be at peac
: with the North; would soon learn to lik
e her, and would soon welcome the tens Q
o thousands of families, that would imme
! diately begin to emigrate from the Mort
a to the South Then the North and Soutf
/ Slavery having passed away,) would rap
elidIy become one in interest aud one ais
, in character Christianity would be hon
If ored and advanced by peace made $
il strikingly in her own spirit. In tha
d spirit we cannot shed one drop of tn
,f| blood of our subdued foe. If possesse
n of it we will forgive and forget the wrong
IL done to the North; and shall feel that til
re South has suffered enough, and that 81
deserves to be soothed and comforted b
Z us.'' f