Nebraska advertiser., 1865-04-27
nebraska aouertiser
JOHNL COLHAPP. EDITOR.

BRowEyHLE, THURSDAY RRIL p, 1868.
Now tha, the "beginning Of the end"
of the war can be fairly seen, the ques-
tion as to what punishment should be in
ficted on traitors and rebels, has become
one of living interest and vital import
ance. On it rests the future peace and
prosperity of the whole country. Wheth-
er the bullet which caused the wound
s6all remain in the body of the country,
there TO cause constant .uneasiness and
perhaps future trouble, or whether il
shall be cut out ere tie wound is healed,
and thus insure a healthy future. Slav-
ery--the immediate cause of the war
is in the past, and can no longer cause
serious trouble; but those who have
caused the loss Of hundreds Of thousands
Of lives, oceans of blood and millions Of
treasure for its p~erpetuation, are within
our grasp as traitors, and must be punish
ed for treason, or the peace of the coun-
try becomes a mere play thing in the.
hands Of unscrupulous demagOgues. If
no example is made-if mercy 10 trait
srs become a precedent-any section Of
the Union, any particular interest that
may feel itself oppressed. or any State.
car get up, with impunity, a rebellion at
any time, so long as men can be hire to
fight for money and ambitious men may
have it. The crushing out of this re-
bellion will doubtless have a great moral
effect, not only in Ibis country, but all
over the world but the neglect to pun
ish the authors of il, and permitting them
again to gain high places of trust or
honor under This government, would mar
all the moral effect of victory, would
lower the government in the eyes Of
our people, and make it appear even
more than contemplate in the estimation
Of the civilized world. Our self-respect
makes the severest punishment to trea-
son necessary. the respect of those States
who are being forced back to allegiance,
make it necessary, and justice cries aloud
from the grave of our lamanted Chief
Magistrate for vengeance. and if its
voice be not heard, woe be unto us as a
people.
Many schemes have been proposed, all
containing mercy 10 the deluded masses.
Some are for exiting the leaders, others
again for hanging those who have re-
ceived an education at government ex-
pense and who have deserted the Gov
ernment and committed treason, and on
Iy exile for the leaders who have arisen
from civil life in the one case, it is
argued, deserlion and treason is commit
ted, in the other, treason only. This dis
tinction seems 10 US unnecessary, and to
add another aimless point to the discus
zion. Treason is the highest crime known
to our law, and it matters not if the
criminal has run through the whole cal
ander of crime, if he be convicted and
hung for treason, that must expiate for
all.
We believe that the heaviest penalty
known TO the law should be inflicted on
the leaders of the rebellion, civil or
military that their property should be
c~onfscaled, and, if possible, applied to
TO the education of the masses of all
%cOlOrs; that for every traitor hung, ten
good Northern school.masters should be
sent to the South to "teach the heather,
and spread he gospel !" thatt everyone
in the South, capable or reading, should
be given a copy of the Bible. the Consti-
tuition and a trHe history Of the rebellion
bound in one volume. We believe. that
all that is necessary to cement and
strengthen the Union more completely
than ifever was, is irmness on the part
of our present authorities, and light to
the deluded masses. As ignorance is
the parent of anarchy and the foot.stool
Of tyranny, SO education is the parent of
Liberty and free government. Let US
give the people light, hoping hat their
minds are not so darkened but that truth
may ind a lodgment there, and bring in
its train Union, Peace and Prosperity.
THE NEWS.