Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1865-04-27

the most savage mode OF warfare ever prac.
ticed upon the earth. l will repeat here q
remark for which l have been in no small
degree censured. What is it, allow me 10
ask, that has sustained the nation in this
great struggle? Tie cry has been, you
know, that our Government was not strong
enough for a time Of Rebellion that in
such time she would have to contend
against internal weakness as well as internal
foes. We have now given the world evi-
dence that such is not the fact {; and when
the Rebellion shall have been crushed out,
and the nation shall once again have settled
down in peace, our Government will rest
upon more enduring basis than ever be-
fcre. Bot, my friends, in what has the
great strength OF this Government consist
ed? Has it been in one man power? Has
it been in some antocrat, or in some one
man who held absolute governmentl Mol
j thank God have IL in my power to pro-
claim the great truth that this Government
has derived its strength from the American
people. They have issued the edict; they
have exercised the power that has resulted
in the overthrow Of the Rebellion, and there
is not another Government upon the face OF
the earth that could have withstood the
shock. We can now congratulate ourselves
bldN VIC DOSoNSS inc btiOuEooiY INV IiOCSh1
and the bsst Government the world ever
saw. Thank God that we have lived through
this trial, and that, looking in your intel
| ligent faces here, to-day, | can announce to
you the great fact that Petersburg, the out
post of the strong citadel, has been occupied
by our brave aud gallant officers, aud our
untiring, invincibls soldiers. And set con-
tent with that, they have captured the
citadel itself, the stronghold Of the traitors.
Richmond is ours. and is now occupied by
the forces Of the United States. Death TO
| the c0nspirators-clemenc to their victims.
, Oee xerd more and have done. Ii is this:
/ am 10 favor of leniency, but, in my opin-
ion, evi-doers she I'D be punished. Treason
/ is the highest crime known in the catalogue
/ Of crimes; and for him that 10 guilty Of il
for him that is willing to lift his impieul
hand against the authority of the Nation
i would say death is too easy punish
ment. My notion is that treason must be
made odieus, that traitors must be punished
/ and i'm poverished, their social power broken
/ though they must be pade to feel the pen
atty Of their crimes, Hence | say this
the halter to intelligent, influential traitors
! But to the honest boy to the deluded man
who has been deceived into the Rebel ranks
| would extend leniency. would cay re-
turn to your allegiance, renew your suppor,
to the Government and become good cti
zen; but the leaders | would hang. ] hold
too, that wealthy traitors should be made
to renunerate those men who have suffered
as consequence of their crimes. Unior
men who have lost their property, who hav,
been driven from their bones beggars, ant
wanderers among strangers. 1t is well t
talk about things here to-day, in addressing
audiepos You can, to a very great sxt.ut
i'll It ploper s dirsctlsn Let us Sn % tn
work. Wehape put do,on these traitors Il
arms let as put them doWn IN ia,c, an pub
lie judgment, and IN the morals Of the corId.