Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-05-18
John G.. Whittier ON the Question
of the Hour.

John u. whittier ON the 4uestiOn
of the Hour.
JOHN G. WHITTIER is an Abolitionist
sincere and able, and has given to the cause
of Abolitionistn lifelong devotion. Like
btlfer Abolitionists, he urges that the color
ed man be made the equal, politically, Of
the white man. AS much as any other man
he deplores the assassination of President
LINCOLN; but yet he does not regard that
great atrocity as Justification for visiting
vengeance upon the people of the South.
He has spoken to the public on this subject
through the columns of The Amesburg
(Mass.) Valager. This is his language, and
we commend it to the consideration of those
who manifest an unwilingness to be satis-
fled with anything short of general hang
ing, quartering and disembowelng Of the
leaders in the Rebellion: 2
do not wonder at the indignation which
has been awakened by the late outrage, for
Ihave painfully shared it. But let us see to
it that it is rightly directed. The hanging
of a score of Southern traitors will not re-
store Abraham Lincoln nor atone for the
mighty loss. In wreaking revenge upon
these miserable men, we must see TO 1t that
we do not degrade ourselves and do dishonor
to the sacred memory of the dead. We do
well to be angry; and, II need De, iet our
wrath wax seven times hotter, until that
which ewas murderer from the beginning"
is consumed from the face of the earth. AS
the people stand by the grave of Lincoln let
them lift their right hands to heaven and
take a solemn vow upon their souls, to give
no sleep to their eyes nor slumber to their
eyelids, until Slavery is hunted from its
last shelter, and every man, black anu
white, stands equal before the law.
In dealing with the guilty leaders and in
stigators of the Rebellion, we should be-
ware how we take counsel of passion.
Hatred has no place beside the calm and
awful dignity of justice. Human life Is
still very sacred thing; Christian for
bearance and patience are still virtues.
For my own part, should be satisfied to
see the chiefs of the great treason 60 out
from among us homeless, exiled forever,
with the brand of Cain on their foreheads,
carrying with them, wherever they go, the
avenging Nemesis of conscience. We can
not take lessons, at this late day, in their
school of barbarism; we cannot starve and
torture them as they have starved and tor
mented our soldiers. Let them live. Per-
haps that is, after all, the most terrible PEN
atty. For wherever they hide themselves
the story OF their guilt will pursue them
they can have no rest nor peace save in
that deep repentance, which, through the
mercy of God, is possible even for them.
| have no disposition to stand between
these men and justice. If arrested they can
have no claim to exemption from the liza
bilties Of criminals. But it is not simply a
question of their deserts that is to be con-
sidered; we are to take into account our
own reputation as Christian people, the
wishes of our best friends abroad, and the
humane instincts of the age, which forbid
all unnecessary severity. Happily we are
not called upon to take counsel of our fears.
Rabbinical writers tell us that evil spirits
who are once baffled in contest with hu.
man beings lose from thencetorth all power
of further mischief. The defeated rebels
are in the precise condition of these Jewish
demons. Deprived of slavery, they are
wasps who have lost their stings.
AS respects the misguided masses of the
South, the shattered and crippled remnants
of the armies of treason, the desolate wives
mothers and children mourning for dear
ones who have fallen In vain and hopeless
struggle, it seems to me our duty is very
plain. We must forgive their past treason
and welcome and encourage their return
ing LOYALTY. None but towards will insult
and taunt the defeated and defenseless. We
must feed and clothe the destitute; instruct
the ignorant, and, bearing patiently with
the bitterness and prejudice which will
doubtless for time thwart our efforts
and misinterpret our motives, aid them in
rebuilding their States on the foundation of
freedom. Our sole enemy was Slavery,
and Slavery is dead. We have now no
quarrel with the people of the South, who
have really more reason than we have
TO rejoice over the downfall of system
which impeded their material progress,
perverted their religion, shut them out from
the sympathies of the world, and ridged
their land with the graves of its victims.
We are victors--the cause of all this evil
and suffering is removed forever--and we
can afford to be magnanimous. How better
can we evince our gratitude to God for his
great mercy than in doing good to those
who have hated us, and in having compass
sion on those who have despitefully used us?
The hour is fastening for us all when our
sole ground of dependence will be the mer-
cy and forgiveness OF God. Let us endeav-
or so to feel and act in our relations to the
people of the South that we can repeat in
sincerity the prayer ofour Lord "Forgive
us our trespasses as we forgive those who
trespass against us, " reverently acknowl-
edging that He has indeed "led captivity
captive and received gifts tor men; yea, for
the rebellious also, that the Lord God might
dwell among them.". j. G. w.