The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1865-04-19
Shall the Rebels be Punished 2

This Is q great question now pending be.
tney ruunUt rvuuv UI I-HUtv. a f~yr ,so,f %
the rebels are in their hands. and the re-
mainder will soon be in the same condition.
except that a few may escape into foreign
countries. Shall any of them be punished
for their crimes, and if so. in what manner
All the nations Of the earth and the mil
lions who will read the history Of this Great
rebellion in future ages, Will demand OF u,
that our action ON this matter shall be con
siderate, just and wise. In coming to q
correct conclusion rs 10 what this shall be-
let US first consider the character Of The
persons who have originated and upheld
this rebellion
I. The first and most obvious distinction
which presents itself Is that between thos,
who first planned, contrIvcl. originated
aud set 10 in motion, and those who after
wards. from various motives. merely fell in
aud flOated along with the current of trea-
son which was already sweeping past them.
There was certain number of conspirator,
without whose acts the rebellion would not
have taken place. Tier wickedness WI.
vs,-.....a. ..---....-.-, ~"t,'iSv't anu unsug
gesfad hy othars, and common sense. ana
the Judgment Of mankind. will hold them
responsible for all the immense evils which
have grown out Of their action. from the
death Of the first soldier slain I'm battle TO
the murder Of the President Of ;he United
States Among these traitors were doubt
less several members OF Buchanan's cabi-
net, some members of the Federal Congress.
some Governors and ext Governors ofStates.
perhaps few army and naval officers. and
editors OF several prominent papers In
Charleston and elsewhere These. WHO
contrived the machine and set il in motion.
constitute class distinct from all others.
and pre-eminent in guilt
?. Many military and naval officers. and
some civil officers OF the United States. who
had been entrusted by their countrymen
with money, public property. the custody
OF forts. arsenals. ships and the command
OF military and naval forces. not only de-
serted their country. but treacherously
turned over all the available means i'm their
Lands 20 the rebels for its destruction.
;. Large numbers Of military and naval
officers from the rebel state. resigned their
commissions. and then volunteered with
the rebels to overthrow the government
which had taken them from private life
and given TO them emolument. distinction
aud command
4. There are those who have superadded
10 their crime against their country. other
crimes against justice and common human
lty. We may cite. as belonging n this
class, the perpetrators Of the Fort Pillow
massacre, aud those who have starved and
Si'ied their prisoners OF war. by imposing
on them, FOR this purpose, unnecessary mi
vations and suiFcrinrs.
). There is a class Of rebel, wbo bav,.
Carried on the war against their country L,
extraordinary and often uniustifablemeans
Among these we enumerate rebel sn-es
male and female; rebel mail Carriers: pilots
Tor blockade runners; incendlaries. like the
hotel burners Of New York and OF the Mis-
sissippi steamboats,; the 81. Adams raid
ersi oushwhackers. and the officers and
crews Of the rebel pira;ical vessels on the
ocean.
O. The remainder Of the eight millions of
white people we would consider rs compar-
auvely guiltless, taking no other part in
The rebellion except As they were compelled
10 DO So OF simply submitting themselves
to the government which was over them
aud which they had neither the viii nor the
ability to resist.
luis brief analysis of the rebels shows
tna1 'ne relations of these varioue classes
TO our government and people are very
unlike. The great mass Of the rabo, No.,