The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1865-05-17


Of human kindness, seem to be stirred
within them, and their bowels Of com.
passion to'yearn with strong desires for
mercy for tkeniscireS and their tcllo'r-
mJels. Of course, nobody should be
punished! Hanging is i very cruel
business, and decidedly injurious to the
health. and, Of course, a Christian ma.
ton like ours would not be guilty Of
such a naughty thing!
IF the Rebellion had been success,
what would have been the policy Of
these sclf.samc leaders toward loyal
men ?--for instance, the leaders Of the
re. organized government Of Virginia or
of the new State Of W:st Virginia ?
Would you find them pleading for
mercy, thiuk you, for the leaders of
these enterprises? If the Northern bull
had gorcd the Southern OK, the Southern
gentleman would have demanded sum
mary justice; but since it is the South.
eyn bull that sorcd the Northern on
that attempted to break up and destroy
the Govcrnment-aud since Justice is
demanded, that same Southern gentle.
man puts in L very emphatic IT,
Ii jeff. Davis was President Of the
Southern Coafelcracy, instead Of trei
tive from justice, and Extra BILLY Smith
Governor Of the Oli Dominior, and
Judge Ward upon the bench, what
would be the fate Of loyal men? Every
leading man, and every soldier IoGad in
arms against their authority: wOul! &c
ccns;yncl to the tender mcrcirS cf The
hanwman, and would 20 the way of Old
john Drow@. We haG sufficient rv;-
dcrcc Of this in the bric! period Of the
rci-n o. II. \. Wise in this Valley.
And yet these same men arc loud in
their dcprccations e Ill harsh trcatmcn!
toward themselves and their rebel COM
pau;oas in armS. Ice says Why
should JvT. Davis lie hanged? lie is
not worse than others" lie is only the
representative Of Southern principle,
the too! .! Ike South, the public servant
Of Southern rebels. And suppose The
Ex-Gencral ar%acs truc!y in that. Thc
lisht.!oo;ed and light.ingerci Ecbc.
Chief may not be worse than his peers,
yet the argument is heavy joke on his
peers. 1t is clearly supposablc that
many Of his friends arc as bad O: scoTSc
than he. Those who induced judas to
be;ray CHRIST We're worse n!cA than
Judas, AID Judas, to rid himself Of the
lormcn,s or guilty conscience. hanged
himself; and rs the authority Of She
Jewish government was gone, Con took
the matter in hand, and called for the
Roman sword as the instrument OF His
vengeance upon his guilty accomri!ccs.
Whether JcN. is troubled in the same
way, and vii, have su!,icieat discretion
and patriotism TO 90 and hang hlmSei!
for his country's good, remains to be
seen. BE this as it may, Andrew John
son is upon the throne, and will deal ort
Justice to all his rebel accomp'lces, as
their several cases may require.
But, how arc we to understand the
argument, that JeiI. is not worse than
other rcbcls?" is becoming an interest
Ing question, since aIl lesser rebel lights
are taking it up and making it the ioun.
t!a,ion Of their defense.
The gcn;@c1"na to whom | referred in
the outset, and WAC seemed 70 feel proud
o: tie fact that he had been four years
in Dixie, in defense OF his L"I"r"H .Sonib @!
said he regarded "Nr. Johnson as an
honest man and wise statesman, and
believed tia; he would pursue = iudicous
and honoraol" course towards Southern
men = and when asked il lie did no.
tiink chat the leaders SHOULD suffer more
than others, frankly answered, No; :
thew are not worse than others, and why
should they?
Nov, are we to understand, that as all
arc equally guilty,-that such nice
arrangement has been made, that al!
rcheis bear in equal proportions the
crimcs Of the .kchcIiion,-lhat aN Sho"id
mG;r "Eh".' The law provides tha,
traitors Of the first degree shall srIe:
death. JEFF Davis is certainly traitor
of the first degree: should, therefore, al
be hnngrol' Or does the multitude asSo.
ciatcd with him ncut:ai;2c the crime,
and bring it down to the second degree
and, per consequence, should all rebels
be subjected to con!iScation and banish.
ment? Or does the fact Of its being n