Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-11-30
@CIemeney and Common Sense"


From Hon. Charles Summers scholarly
and logical paper under the above caption,
which appears in the December number OF
the atlantic Monthly we copy the follow
ing practical suggestions;
at is easy for the individual to forgive
It is easy also for the republic to be gem
erous. But forgiveness of otfenses must
not be a letter of license to crlmei II
must not be the recognition Of an ancient
tyranny, and it must not be a stupendous
ingratitude. There is q familiar saying,
with the salt of ages, which is addressed to
us now: BE Just before you are generous
Be Just to all before you are generous 10
the few. Be Just to the millions only hall
rescued from oppression, before you are
generous to their cruel task masters 10
not initiate that precious character IN 'he
gallery of old Tallemant de Reau1, OF
whom it was said, that he built churches
without paying his debts. Ouf forem0St
duties now are to pay our debts, and these
are two-fold first, to the national freed
man; and, secondly, TO the nstional
creditor.
apply these obvious principles practf-
eally. A child can do it. No duty OF
clemency can Justify injustice. Therefore,
in exercising the beautiful power of par
don at this moment in our country, sew
eral conditions must be observed.
81. As a general rule, belligerent trait
ors, who have battled against the country,
must not be permitted at once, without
probation or trial, to r~esumetheir old pla-
ces of trust and power. Such a conces-
sion would be clearly against every sug-
gestion of common sense, and President
johnson clearly saw it SO, when, address
ing his fellow citizens of Tennessee, June
10, 1864, he said: II say that traitors
should take a back seat in the work of
restoration. If there be but five thousand
men in Tennessee, loyal to the constitu-
ton, loyal to freedom, loyal to justice,
these true and faithful men should con
troll the work of reorganization and refor-
nation absolutely
"2. Especially are we bound, by every
obligation of justice, and by every senti-
ment of honor, to see to it that bellig-
erent traitors who have battled against
their country are not allowed to RUE the
loyalists, whether white or blNck,
embracing the recent freedmen who hG We
been u friends and allies.
s"3. Let belligerent traitors be received ,
and cautiously back into the sOver |
of citizenship. 1t is better that
should wait than the general security
imperiled, or Our solemn obligations, I
whether to the national freedman, or the
national creditor, be impaired.
"A. Let pardons issue only on satisfac-
ly assurance that the applicant, who has
1een engaged for years in numbering our
ellow-citizens, shall sustain the equal
civil and political, of all men, ac-
'ording tOthe principles of the Declaration
# Independence that he shall pledge
1self to the support of the National
- nd, if he be among the large hold
nd, that he shall set apart home
; = his freedmen.
mi. &c ,w " is easy. Follow common
rso SeatiDg to avoid one peril, do not
n mon smother. Consider how every
inc Of worth or honor is bound up with
a national security and the h'atlonal
itb. and that until these are fixed DC,
md change, agriculture. commerce ahd
dustrv of all kinds must suffer. Cap. Hal
mot stay where Justice is denied. En-. u
alton must avoid land blasted by the
ir;t of caste. Cotton itself will refuse to
,ow until labor is assured its just reward.
' natural consequence, that same bar !
rism which has dreRched the land In I
God will continue to prevail, with wrong,
rtrare and the instruction of an OPP
,essed race; the national name will be
shonored, and the national power will
weakened But tlse way is plain to
old these ,:alamities. Follow common
nse, and obtai U guarantees commensurate
it'll the danger. Do this without delay,
that security Al, I'd reconciliation may not
postponed. Evtry days delay is a loss
he national wealth and an injury to
q NATIONAL treasury. But if adequate
Iaranties cannot be obtained at once
en- at least postpone all present., surTen.
r to the oligstehy, trusting N
Providence for protection, and 10 tine
r that awakened sense Of justice n hg-
anity which must in the end pre- van.
nd, finally, take care not TO rush fr. pn
to Scylla."