Delaware State journal and statesman., 1865-09-12

Suiit VI men WHO Moulu Soueet VI "AN"i
such fendish cruelty V-who with inexcusa-
BILE wickedness got up the conspiracy, kim
died the flame of war, and as the prime
movers, and ruling spiritS of the whole
struggle have occasioned the shedding of
rivers of blood, and untold suffering and dis
tressY
Their criminality cannot be described in
words nor the utmost stretch Of imagination
compass it. Nothing hut the blazing, pierre
ing light of eternity, can ever fully reveal
its enormity.
But they should not go 'unwhipped of
justice" in this world, and if ever men de-
served to swing upon a gallows, these do.
If as the Word of God teaches, the 'powers
that be"-"are for terror to evil doers, y
here certainly are fit subjects to test the prin-
ciple, -hereare the ildoers, of the deepest,
darkest dye and it ought to be said of our
rulers "they bear not the sword in vain"
But what are the probabilities as to the
punishment of these menS What are the
present indications They are, we regret to
say, that most, if not all of them, will es-
cape without punishment, or with very
slight one
Many of the leading rebels have already
pardoned, others likely to be, and some
of the rankest traitors have been placed in
power, either by the appointment of the Fed
eral Government, or by the votes of their
rebel friends. They have as rule, become
bold and defiant, and If they do not threaten
open hostilities, they make great virtue of
their sham loyalty, and with an unblushing,
impudent assurance, demand promotion
when they deserve punishment
And why are they so eager for power and
place, nominally under the very government
they have so recently plotted, and perhaps
fought, to destroyH
1t is not from love to that government, and
genuine loyalty. For, with few exceptions,
they hate it with perfect hatred, and theii
taking of oaths, is like writing the name in
the sand, and all their pretended loyalty al
treacherous and deceitful as the apples o
Sodom. Now there's method and pur
pose in all this-an understanding and con
cert of action, with the leaders, Throughout
the entire South.
we hupM lhib llOHl lue CuhIhCttI VI tut
men, from what we have read, and from
what we have seen and heard. Unques
tionably the purpose of these crafty ant
never TO be trusted traitors, is either I,
rise again in arms, at the favored moment, o
to accomplish by political intrigue and diplo
macy, what they failed to do by the wage
of battle.
We say this, because we know the mel
we are dealing with, and have studied tn
crisis in all its phases. Yes we can almos
feel it in our very bones. We confess tina
we look with anxiety into the future. w
l have more concern about the settlement witt
t the traitors, than we ever had about the re
suit of the contest upon the field of battle
Now the people-the patriotic masses
have been told all along that, whateye
might be done with the Southern people, tn
leaders must surely swing They have bee
: taught that the crime of treason against tn
j. freest and best government in the world, an
d the attempt to destroy the most prosperot
II and happy country the sun shines upon, WI
d ment would be the greatest of calamfties'"
+ The Press, the Pulpit, the Forum, the Bu
letins and Proclamations of our civil an
d military leaders have all iterated and reitei
ated it. 1t was on the strength of thes
e representations, and their own intelligen
IS convictions, that they came forward and =
It nobly responded to all the calls of the 90,
ernment-thst they so freely opened thei
2 purses, offered their sons, or barred thei
Is own bosoms to the storm of war, and poure
r out their blood free as water.
h Such an oifering-on the altar of Freedol
and their country as they supposed-wa
II never made by any people of ancient {
= modern times. Now shall all this treasul
II shall all this precious, priceless blood, /
S poured out for nothingS Shall the peopl
be put off with the punishment possibly ,
jeff Davis, the murderers of Lincolr
and few such human monsters as Turner
Wirze, and Winder, if the latter had nC
= already gone where justice will overtak
' himY Never, No never We warn the go,
l. ernment against any such conclusion or an
u such conduct.
II The noble men who are manned for III
q by rebel bullets, or enfeebled by disease col
l. tracted in this struggle to save their countr,
II and perhaps in rebel prisons, demand tht
l. these traitors should be suitably punished
and not merely the Booths and Werzes, VIII
n were but instruments in the hands of sue
II men as jeff Davis and Robert E. Lee, b,
20 most of the ring-lsaders, together with tn
r notorious, bitter and active, of the rank an
'e file. The bereaved, heart broken families
of who have given their dear ones in sacrifc,
torn forever from their embrace by reb
le cruelty and treason, demand II.
ie The tax payers of the present and fltur,
10 who groan under the burdens caused by IL
Is war; have right to demand it, The frient
rs of liberty throughout the world, and ii
heirs of freedom in coming ages, demand
y All patriotic, liberty-loving American cit
$, zens, have right to ask and require it.
't And lastly the honored, hallowed memor
4 and shed blood of the gallant dead, call ft
id retribution and compensation-at least tn,
le justice be done to the country and the worl,
50 by puniGhing the guilty instigators and LEI
ID ders of this most wicked, inexcusable an
~ costly rebellion ~
"a --7-- $ssst--------
10 LOCAL AFFAIRS.
= E'nsfa,oa n . p,,a;nsa. ,,,J d. NJ 4.