Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-06-10
RECONSTRUCTION,

-. 4.
RECONSTRUCTION
Meeting at the Cooper Institute, New York
Lecture Of Gerrit smith-Comments of
On Monday night q meeting was neIa "a. 49,
Cooper Institute, New York. "to take into con-
sideration the policy OF reconstruction best
calculated to promote the national welfare and
secure peace and harmony to our country"
Charles O'Connor presided at the request OF
the following gentlemen g. Godfrey Gunther,
Horace Greely, +. II. Chaplin, Richard O'Gor-
man, Sam l.. NJ. Barlow, Hy. Ward Beecher,
David Dudley Field, Henry W. Bellows and
lam KetchGm.
F6errit Smith, Esq, addressed the meeting
opposing punishment for treason. The South,
he said, in plungiHg this nation into war COM
mitted the great crime OF the age. The NORM,
under the r Of psess ana ~
danger Of committing the mean crime OF the
age. TApplause, mingled with Kisses. All
over the North there is amor for the blood of
the leading rebels whom we have captured
and those whom we hope yet to capture L
have no sympathy with TINS cIamor. Tne
South fully surrendering, let bloodshed cease,
and all punishment. or course l have no
reference here 10 the assassination OF our be-
loved President, nor to the starving ana mur-
dering of prisoners. Let all merited Punlsn-
ment fall on Il Jse who nre guilty Of these in
famous and Internal crimes. The North came
very reluctantly to the agreement to conduct
the war according to the rules OF war, oy-
which he meant the rules OF INTERNATIONAL war
He went on to say the South was treated as q
belligerent, and read copious extracts from
vattel, Hallam, Maceuiay and other writers
to show that the North treated the South In
that way because the laws Of wsr required II.
He was not willing that 1t should go doWn
through all the ages and over tne EARN mai
traitors Another reason why our civil war
should be conducted according to the laws or
war was found in the fact that where great
masses of men took very momentous and very
responsible steps 1t was not only charitable
but just, to conclude that they had sincere
and deep belief in the wisdom and riGhtiuiness g
little reason for taking such steps.
The speaker alluded to the famous General
Order No. 100, issued in 1862, and admitted that
q section in that order limited at the right OF
the Government to hold tor the crime OF trea-
son the prisoners in our hands at the close or
the war but he did not scruple to condemn
such q hint as utterly unworthy OF q faltn-
keeping and an honorable Government-
lCheers.] All the proclamations OF amnesty
were ez parte papers, and could not annul the
ties. Davis, Lee, and Breckinrtdge were
greatly to blame, and ought to have followed
rafher ra ann a. q u&e5ai9gtsn 9 and
pfffed them as well xs piamed thsn, ahd quot-
also be tempted" He (the speaker) would
loath himself if he had particle Of hate or re-
venge towards any Of his Southern brethren.
he went on to speak of the crime Of starving
and numbering prisoners, and said the North
was in part guilty of it; for the crime pro-
ceeded from the pro-slavery spirit-the spirit
| affirmed that the crimes OF slavery were the
crimes of the North as well as the South, ana
the danger was that In the dishonesty OF the
| North she would commit an awful crime.
| Mr.. Smith then gave his views Of the recon-
| struction at a great length, which were, suo-
stantially, that, as the North and the South
man, they should let by-gones be by.gones
| that the South must give up slavery; that men
| or women should not lose or gain political
or civil rights by vertue OF race or origin; tnal
No 1an doA
broken mp and parcelled out TO her poor, IN
| stead Of given to Union soldiers; that the
debt: and that to the loyal belongs the ballot
| box. Among the loyal he did not include those
| who purged themselves of their disloyalty by
listening to dozen Of words and kissing .
| "book," (meaning the Holy Bible.) / cannot
| said he, trrasmpte any traitor into loyal man
| by any process SO much OF q sham as that. AL
| the disloyal must be kept away from the bal
| lot box-the masses for ten years and the head.
| ers for life. The black vote was necessary II
| the salvation OF the nation. He denied thal
the President was competent to make peacs
| and argued that SO long as the country VIA.
| under the laws Of war the President and Con
Eress could prescribe the terms upon which
| peace should be made; but when the laws Of
war were set aside, then the constitution a.
| law resumed its sway over the States. He
thought JEFF. Davis should not be trled fol
| treason until the charge Of completely with
| proven. In conclusion, Mr.. Smith eulogised
| President Lincoln's character, and exhortet
his hearers to exercise the spirit OF forgiveness
| which he did towards the South.
In response to loud calls, Mr.. 6reely, Of the
| Tribune, made few remarks, In favor Of try
ing all men, North and South, who had vio
Y lated the laws Of war by starving snd shoot
| ing prisoners; but, they could not bt
| brought to trial unless 1t was assumed that ths
laws Of war governed the contest. When tha
was proved the men who were paroled undel
| the laws OF war-he did not care il IL was Lee
| whom he believed to be a very black traitor
could not be tried or hung without black vio
| lation Of faith. 49,. ,
| Mr. Smith was frequently interrupted BY
applause, Kisses, and interrogatories during hi
The New York papers devote considerable
| space In their editorial columns upon the char
| acter of the meeting. ..-..- e. -rz q. !. "a. =
The Herald styles the gathering meeting o.
s'rebel sympathizers." ioa F'
"This disposition of extreme magnantmity
| toward the rebels is all very commendable in
| strictly philanthropic sense, and 1t Is eviden
| that the distinguished gentlemen who figured
in connection with the meeting were moved
| solely bv this consideration. They would
spare JEFF. Davis and his colleagues from pun
| ishment because they are averse to any furthel
effusjon of blood. Herein lies the great danger
/ OF acting from impulse rather than rom 9
| calm consideration Of the merits OF o case
I Davis has committed the highest crime Known
| to our laws, and there is no mitigating circum'
| stances in connection with his ohence. Mag.
| nanimity is an estimable quality when prop.
| erly exercised; but that which saves the ue o.
/ man by endangering the safety OF 0oveln'
| ment, is no magnanimity at all: .r,.,.s.... ..
The Times severely crite,seso, ~ M the n"settns
| enT reSars to their opposition TO the war At Its
nrr,r -, sne and tfeir hostility 70 Mr. Lin