The Portland daily press., 1865-04-26
President johnson and the Leading Rebels.

Since the death of our late President and
the constitutional cali Of another 70 MI MS
place, the public mind has been deeply agita
ted on the question of punishment Tor urea
sou. 1t has been feared by some that our
Government was becoming altogether too
lenient and merciful to those who instigated
this rebellion which has called forth such ire
nandous sacrifices of life and treasure on the
mart of the North; while others have been
disposed to dispense with punishment alto
gether, provided we could have reconstruc
ton of the Union and peace. There is anoth.
er class Of persons who earnestly contend for
the severest punishment known to the law for
the leaders Of this rebellion, or for those who
hrst instigated it and have given it vitality
and energy, but who are willing the masses Of
the South should be pardoned and liberty
given them to return to the occupations in
which they were engaged before the war.
The tragical death OF the President has un-
qlestionably wrought change In public SEN
timent and increased the numbers OF those
who advocate the severest punishment. II
has greatly modified and changed that leni-
ent spirit which has pervaded thousands Of
hearts and created a sympathy-morbid
though it bs-for the rebels; especially since
the capture of Richmond and the surrender
OF Lee and his army. Nothing in the world
is more natural than such asympathy. All
feel 1t more or less. Striking man after
he is down is repugnant to the instincts Of
humanity, and ever has been In all ages of the
world.
But there are other aspects Of the case.
Law has no sympathy with crime; neither has
it the spirit OF revenge. 1t touches not the
1t pronounces all innocent until they are
proved guilty, and then 1t knows no sympathy
or vengeance. But it is not our purpose to
discuss these questions at length. We are
thinking our Government will not be SO much
troubled with them now as it might have
been II Mr.. Lincoln had not been assassina-
ted. AeAA
"The tyrannous and bloody act Is done,
The most arch deed of piteous massacre, Aa
Thatever yet this land was guilty Of"
This terrible crime will strike such terror
to the hearts of leading rebels that they will
not feel safe on this continent. This atmos-
phere they can not breathe and they will see
IA constable in every bush.9 Now that the
rebellion is well nigh its end, the arch traitors,
the greatest scoundrels. ,the instigators and
sustainers of this bloody war will fee TO other
countries where they may hope to escape the
punishment OF their crimes. This assassina-
ton which will appall the whole civilized
world when known, win hurry these traitors
in their fight from the country they have SO
basely betrayed. They viii not "stand for the
order of their going" but will fee with all
possible haste to some foreign cline theIe
to live and die under false names and find
dishonored graves.
1t is pleasant to die for ones country,
but horrible to I'LL traitors grave in a dis
tant land. The well known character OF him
who now stands at the head Of the nation
will have no tendency to retard their fight,
but, on the contrasy, to hasten 1t. They
might have INDUCED some hope under the
lamented Lincoln's administration, but no such
hope can give them courage under President
Johnson's II not made OF sterner stuff than
his noble predecessor, he has been more
scourged, beaten and abused by the slave aris-
tocracy, and more closely watched the hellish
spirit that has controlled the rebellion. He
has lived among it, and felt its terrible power
surging on every side. He has barred his
breast and confronted the storm with'a forth
tude and energy which has endeared him to
all loyal hearts, and made him terror to all
traitors. These facts are all well known to the
instigators and abettors of this rebellion, and
they will exercise great precaution lest they
fall withia the eircle of his power.
Well knowing the character Of the man who
is now constitutionally Commander-in- Chief
of the army and navy of The United States,
these leaders of the great rebellion have al
ready, no doubt, begun to plan their way Of
escape from their country for their country's
good. We believe, should they be captured,
there is no hope for them. The law demands
their punishment, and justice has no element
of mercy in it on which they can reasonably
base any hope OF escape. A voice comes up
from thousands of new-made graves, and
loudly calls for the sacrifice, and millions of
sorrowing hearts demand it. That voice and
that demand win not pass unheeded. Presi-
dent Johnson's ears are open to such cries,
and they will be heard and answered; and
yet we have reason to believe he- will not suf-
fer the spirit of revenge to prompt him to any
unnecessary exercise of official power and
that justice will be tempered with mercy.