The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1865-05-26

longer make freemen Its beasts of burden
The war was unproroked, and simply a
crime.
lhe setting up of a pretended govern
men, was crime. Ii had not the shad-
ow OF right 1t gave TO lis projectors no
more legal authority than they had as in
'dlHlduals. 1t could authorize them 70 do
no act winch It's movers had not a lawful
right to do without it that is. lis autbor-
ity was wholly imaginary. Ii justified
none of them in anything done against the
constitutional authority.
1t is important TO keep this matter dis
tinctly understood that the SO called acts
of secession were wholly illegal. and the
so called Confederate government was.
from its inception. treason.
The men who contrived and put into
operation, this rebellion, therefore deserve
punishment The blood of scores OF
thousands cries from the ground for justice.
ihe widows and the orphans appeal for
justice 1t Is not vindiciive TO say that
the leaders in this unholv rebellion ought
to bepunlshed. You imprison a man for
outrageS upon property; here are men
who have destroyed untold millions. and
heaped upon us a debt whose burden will
weigh down the labor of every man for
generations Will you say-in the flush
of generosity-let all them 90 freeg You
hang man who murders another; here
are men that have murdered thousands
upon thousands of our young men; will
You let them all 60 untouched: Is that
justice. Is it right Have you so soon
forgotten the graves OF sons. husbands and
brothers , For one, have not SO soon
lost from my memory the dead faces of
noble comrades. slain by the Internal
wickedness of Southern villains Not in
cruel vengeance, but in righteous retribu-
ton. do they ask for Justice
But, a matter of public policy. what
ought we to do Shall we treat these
men as brethren Shall We say that trea-
son is 10 20 untouched Is this the way
TO maintain order
Here are men who, while holding offices
in which they had sworn to maintain the
constitution and laws. used their position
TO plot treason. They lied, they stole,
They rebelled- They opened war. They
have desolatel Lands. and plunged homes
in sorrow They shook orr government
TO Its foundation. In the arbitrament of
war. they have failed. Now failing, they
say, give Us all the rights OF citizens, and
let US he unharmed in person and proper
ty, and We submit" Is that the WAY in
which 10 deal with rebels and traitors
Ii so, ii ismerely saving to all future time,
rebel, and when war destroys Your pow
er, no harm shall come to YOU" 1t Is
premium on treason. No government
can afford that
Clearly there is no safety but in justice
Punish the leaders Dislranclli>e forever
every man of a certain rank, Distran-
chl>e for term OF years, every man who
has borne arms under. or sworn :lllegianoe
to, the rebel power. Let every loyal man
at the South vote. regardless of color-aS
IN act not only of justice 10 those loyal
men, but Of power TO the government
Only 10y this can We obtain security for
the future
Sometimes it is wondered whether
Southern men will live cordially with their
conquerors. There is another question:
whether We are 10 i've cordially. and ON
equal terms with Southern rebels and
murtlerers- As 10 cordially, veS, when
they repent, and not before. On equal
terms, no. On equal terms with those
who have slam our men: vote OF a
maimcd soldier TO be hencetorih equalized
10y the vote ofa rebel; 4 loyal man 10 he
equivalent 10 a traitor TO acknowledge
rs friends those We deteSt as murlerers:
TO have AT our table those that we Seorn:
TO take in our own, the hand red with our
brothers blood. The lime has not come
for that Ii never will. Their followers
are brave men. often generous; eaSily de-
ceived and may lie brought back and
forgiven Their leaders are wicked men.
whom ii Were sin even TO grcet with a
welcome. ~ long as Cellar Mountain.
the Peninsula. Aniieiam. GettySburg.
Nicksburs, Chickamauga, PeierSturs. re
main. 81 long will justice and right be I'M
ii Davis and his remor>eleSs aSso-
ciateS remain unhung.
Let lis not forget that we must have
security for the future. let us demand
"no compromise" lie; not any senti-
mental idea of forgiveness ovcrpower ;he
absolute necessity of proving that if men
rebel. they DO il Al the cost of their life