The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-02-11

THE SWORD OF JUSTICE.

THE SWORD OF JUSTICE
AS we anticipated, the refusal Of the
Southern Commissioners to accept terms
Of degradation, which those who pros
posed them knew could not be accepted,
has been followed by menace of exter-
minating vengeance. Lincoln's news
paper organ, the Chronicle, says "the
sword of justice must execute the work
which the folly Of blinded leaders would
not accord to the arts Of pacification.
The whole mission of Blair to Rich"
mond was designed for no other purpose.
Was ever a country before, with three
large armies in the field, called upon to
law down its arms in unconditional sub
mission to give the party making the
demand the right to hang its principal
citizens if he chose to exercise it; to
surrender its whole property, as the
only condition of peace? And could a
Government, making such proposition,
seriously expect compliance ,? Could it
expect the most heroic race of men on
this continent to sheathe their swords
upon such terms? Could it believe the
Southern people would give up that
whole slave property at the summons of
an act of Congress, which the vast
armies of the North have been unable to
take from them in gigantic war Of four
years? No such insane expectation was
ever INDUCED by the subtle and malig-
nant schemer who set on foot the Blair
mission. He knew as we'll the result of
that negotiation before it began as when
it ended. It's only design was to repre-
sent the Federal Government to the
North, and to the world, as seeking in
vain to recall, by pacific measures, the
Southern States to the fraternity of
American Commonwealths, and thus to
justify, as the punishment of incurable
obstinacy, a policy of confscation and
determination, which has been the real
purpose of this whole war.
The Northern people, living under an
inclement sky, and on soil that requires
incessant labor to produce the bare ne~
cessaries of life, have long looked with
an envious and greedy eye upon the rich
plains, the genial suns and the overflow
ing comfort of Southern life. The aboli-
ton crusade has been manipulated by
W. II. Seward with no other design than
to pave the way for an exodus of the
overfowing Northern hive to the green
pastures and fertile fields Of the Ameri
can Italy. If the object Of this invasion
were the restoration Of the American
Union, what easier than for Seward to
propose to our Commissioners recon~
struction and guarantee of the rights
enjoyed by the South in the old Govern
ment? But he had no such purpose
He made demands which he was sure
we would refuse, only to have pretext
Tor drawing the sword of justice" or,
what is meant thereby, exterminating, as
far as practicable, the Southern popula-
ton, and transferring every acre of
Southern land to Northern hands.
Now that this diabolical purpose| is
deliberately avowed, We shall see whether
1t can be executed with that impunity
whichdas hitherto attended Yankee out.
RACES, and which has emboldened them
10 threaten infinitely greater horrors and
injustice. Mean and servile natures uni
iormly become ferocious and even valiant
when they have an unresisting prey
10 hunt hare is more exciting pas
time to some sportsmen than to face .
non. Hitherto Yankee atrocities have
been met by threats of retaliation, At
winch they only laughed. They have
misunderstood the character Of this peo-
PIC from the first. They misconstrue
'aeir moderation and humanity into
aoject fear, or, 1t best, refer It to saga-
c'ous policy. The fear Of them does not
s1ss IN shess ATTITUDES !; and when thsg