The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1865-06-17
EsunfsIlrnc OfTraitOrS.

When Andrew johnson announced that
one of his leading objects, in administering
he executive powers, would be to punish
traitors the radicals were in high glee. for
they attached unlimited meaning to the ex.
preston, AMI jumped 10 the conclusion that
the work of punishment. was to go on until
abo ut every southern man who had taken
part in or even assented to the rebellion, was
either hung CT piloried. In practice, how
ever, it turns ont that the president intended
to give his meaning no such extensive mar
gin. By his proclau,a, on Of amnesty, nine
tenths Of the traitors are pardoned at one
s"7op. ana the balance are Promised pardon
also, on most liberal scale, if they ask it
The list whom tie President is really dasir
Gus Of visiting with condign punishment ap-
ears to be very small and TO embrace only
such as were unduly and meanly active in
bringing on the rebellion in the first place, or
who, in the course of it, were guilty Of out
RACES that are neither justified by the usages
of war or the practice of civilized nations.
Such are those who had hand in the cruel
treatment Of our prisoners, from Presiden .
Davis, who ordered or allow,c it, down to the
lowest mental W o n;-de himself n willing
tool n it. Such are those engaged in the
Fort Pillow and similar massacres in guer-
rla outrages of all kinds, and those who
had any part in the assassination conspiracy.
But upon those whose only offence was to
serve in the rebel armies, and who when those
armies are dcfea' ed, are content to lay down
their arms and, admitting that their cause is
lost, return to their obedience to the power
they were u hable to conquer, President John
son has thus far shown no disposition to visit
further punishment In this he is evidently
but following the law of nations as applied
to our forefathers by the great English orator
and statesman Burke, when they rebelled
against England, and when the English Gov
ernment Of, the assumption that the rebel.
lion would be suppressed. proposed after
wards to punish those engaged in it as trail
tors. Said Burke:
"War is at present carried on between the
Kings natural and foreign troops, on one
side, and the English in America on the
other, upon the usual footing of other wars ;
and, accordingly. an exchange of prisoners
has been regularly made from the beginning
If, Notwithstanding this hitherto equal pro-
cedure, upon some prospect of ending the
war with success, the Administration prepares
TO act against those rs traitors who remain
in their hands at the end of the troubles, in
| my opinion we shall exhibit to the world as
indecent piece ofinj justice as ever civil fury
has produced. If the prisoners who have
been exchanged have not, by that exchange,
been virtually pardoned, the cartel (wheiher
avuwed or understood) is cruel fraud; for
you have received the life of man, and you
ought to return a life for it, or there is M
parity or fairness In the transaction. When.
ever a rebellion really and truly exists, which
is as easily known in fact as it is difficult to
define IN words, Government has not entered
into such military conventions; but has ever
declined all intermediate treaty, which should
! put rebels in possession of the law of nations
with regard to war. Commanders would
receive 30 benefits at their hands, because
they could make no return for them. Who
has ever heard of a capitulation, and parole
OF honor, and exchange of prisoners, in the
| late rebellion in this kingdom? The answer
/, to all demands Of that sort was, We can
engage for nothing you are at the Kings
pleasure. We ought to remember that If
our present enemies be, in reality and truth,
rebels. the Kings Generals have no right to
/ release them upon any conditions whatsoever;
and they are themselves answerable to the
law, and as much in want Of pardon for
doing as the rebels whom they release