The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1865-04-05
The Military Progress and its Results

The Military Progress and its Results
The taking Of Richmond, the evacuation
OF Petersburg, asd the flight Of Lees army
IN the south. are events causing great Joy
.nono our people everywhere, but they |
are events which have been certain 10 come
for a considerable length Of time. The
march Of Grant through the wilderness
nearly a year ago was made under circum-
stances which rendered it certain that no
movement Of his army could
take place. which wOull look for q moment
towards abandoning the conquest Of Ricn-
mond The nation demanded IL, and u
must b. done Since, il has been mere
Question Of time. Since the middle u Au-
gust last,a steady stream Of military events,
extending over all parts Of the rebeilous
country, has been slowly but surely CON
verging 10 bring about this grand result
aud II Is now plain enough 10 every one
Inat the momentum Of this stream OF mill
tary events has become 80 great, that
though il may be- temporarily checked, Il
viii soon bear down al opposition before
H. Ia military affair a. M the great con-
vulsions Of nature, the preparations for the
nnal catastrophe are made, little by little,
Tong in advance OF those grand conse-
quences which. when they take place, star
tie the astonished nations. and put their
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But in the midst Of these great successes
aud stirring events. when It IS already ap-
parent that the blood and suffering Of our
soldiers are about 70 be crowned with their
Just and long delayed reward and there j.
approaching an opportunity for calling 10
the har VI public justice the criminals who
have caused mourning and SORROW 10 visit
almost every family in the nation, We hear
a great cry raised that 10 il the duty Of the
President 10 offer a general amnesty 10 all
who have been engaged in this rebellion
Ia proportion as the national arms are more
successful against the rebels, the Nortkern
Democracy become more earnest Tor hay
ing all their " Southern brethren pardoned
and received at once into unconditional
fellowship IS good citizens. \ portion OF
the Republican press al the head Of which
l. the New York Tribune, seconds this
movement with all the influence il can
carry, with the hope Of making such pres
sure upon the President that he will yield
10 their views az the voice OF the nation.
Against this proposition We desire to pro-
test with all the earnestness. OF which we
are capable The leaders of this rebellion
mast never be forgiven in this world. Il
may not be- necessary that their blood
should How upon the scaiold, but they
should be declared 10 he outlaws, and be
driven out from their native land which
they have attempted to destroy, and left To
linger out a miserable and despised exist
enee among foreign nations. The bare
proposition 10 restore Davis and his com
peers to their estates, their citizenship. and
their stations a. legislators and military
officers OF the United States. sounds 10 u-
like the grossest insult that could he offered
W Aitt III Aff Iifu WIN u1Nt 50 utttN ElFtl
up their lives in defending their country
against the villainOus attempt Of these
traitors. IL seems to rs that, as nation,
We must despise ourselves if we permitted
these CRIMINALS 10 30 through life as good
citizens, without placing upon them, in
some appropriate way, the solemn condom-
nation Of the people whose ruin they would
so gladly have effected.
But suppOsing il were possible that the
sins of the leaders OF this rebellion could
be forgiven, there is another class Of crimi-
mails whose Oflenses are more fragrant still
and who will not be forgiven by this gener-
alton, nor by the Judgment of future ages.
We refer TO those who have had the con
troll aud custody of our soldiers and officers
IN the rebel prisons, and who have willfuly
tortured thousands OF them into a horrible
and lingering death Those who did this
thing were all rebels; but they have su-
peradded 10 the crime Of treason this afro
eiOus crime against humanity There are
those who gave the original orders for these
murders, and they should be traced out, by
solemn judicial Investigation, all the way
mp from the common soldier who, without
orders, from mere wantOnness, shot his
prisoners IN cold blood, 10 Jetr Davis. who
gave the orders, OF allowed them 10 be
given, for the wholesale destruction Of our
brothers, by allowing them to starve to
death, while piles of boxes containing pro-
visions forwarded by the friends OF the pris-
oners were lying rOtting by the side of the
prison doors. Cruelty 50 deliberate and
wanton should be exposed by the patient
investigation Of legal tribunal: and when
the guilt has been ascertained and Justly
apportioned among the perpetrators, no
mercy should be shown to them, whether
they be or high or low degree. Their crime
Is one not against n government or nation,
so much as against humanity and mankind
and all nations Of the present age, and the
unnumbered millions that will read the
story in future ages will pronounce their
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