Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1865-03-23
THE FATE oF The REBELS.

u z a q OE 4l u hEDELO.
1t is a common remark that the
wounds inflicted by civil war heal
quickly Mr.. Everett, In his Gettys
burg funeral oration. repeated it
and unfortunately illustrated it by the
English restoration of Charles Sec
ond-unfortunately, Because Charles'c
reign was one long act of vengeance
which his brother james continued
until the nation rose again and ex
PEELED the Stuarts forever. >
The truth is, that such wounds dc
mot and can not heat quickly The
English civil war began in I642; and
in l745 the Jacobites took arms
again. The reasons are obvious; and
equally obvious are the reasons why,
in this country, we should be as gen
tie and humane In our feelings to.
ward the rebels, and in our treat
ment of them, as firmness of purpose
and security OF settlement will allow.
AS we have constantly said, there
has been no vindictiye feeling upon
the part of the loyal nation since the
war began; and although tue Presi
dent has been sharply censured for
his tender heart and incessant par
dons and notifications of severe SEN
tences, his conduct has responded to
the deepest popular feeling. The
long national forbearance under the
tragical sufferings of our prisoners
in the rebel hands shows how per
fectly clear of hatred or anger the
public mind !s.
This disposition will deepen with
increasing victory, and the danger is
not that we shall punish too relent-
lessly, but that we shall imperill the
result which the war should secure.
MagnaEimity is neither forgetfulness
nor weakness, and frmness is not
revenge. For just solution of this
terrible struggle, it is essential that
every man bear constantly in mind
the inexpressible v ickedness of the
system for which the insurrection
was long prepared and the utter
criminallty of its leaders. For more
than a generation they aimed at the
debauchery of the national con-
science. For all that time they de-
voted every power and opportunity
of confusing the sense of right and
wrong in the nation, and to corrupt
ing the fundamental principles of the
Government. To this end they ap-
pealed to all that is base in human
nature. They MAZE tie name of the
United States hated as a bully abroad
and a slave-driver at home They
created that public sentiment IN the
governments of Europe that hailed
our probable destruction with de-
light. At home they annihilated the
most fundamental constitutional
rights of free speech and equal citi-
zenship: and when they thought that
the national mind was sufficiently
enervated and corrupted they drew
the sword, believing that the mere
sight of Its edge would compel the
quaking nation to terrified submis-
sion to their will.
These are the crimes of the lead
ers of the rebellion, and they are
crimes that can never be safely for
gotten. Those leaders are to be re-
membered not for the blood of the
var, not for the young and noble of
every section of the country whom
they have sacrificed, not for the bro
ken hearts and wasted homes and
desolate land, not for the war, but for
that conduct and purpose which
made the war inevitable The Earl
of Strafford did more than any sin
gle man to precipitate the struggle
between Charles First and the Par
Lament. Strafford was executed be-
fore drop of blood was she'd But
no student of history and human ma
ture can rightfully condemn the ex-
traordinary act by which he fell.
What Strafiord was willing to do
that the rebel leaders have done.
First they corrupted the people by
arts, and then they tried to over
throw the Government by arms.
But Strait rd's punishment would he
inadequate for them, We neither
wish nor expect to see a single capi-
tai execution follow the war. If
England had taken Ma oleon Bona
parte to the Tower and shot him at
midnight in ditch, as he murdered
he Duke D'Enghien, there would
have been painful sense of total
inadequacy between the offense and
penalty, Naposeor's fate lad some
proportion t. his career. jefferson
Davis, even if he falls into the hands
of the nation, will not be hung for
treason. But by solemn act of Con-
gress he should be individually and
forever disfranchised as an American
citizen, and then delivered to the
remembrance Of the country he has
sought first to debase and then TO
destroy. -
As for the great nass of the 2eo-
pie in the Southern States. they have
always been taught by their leaders
to hate us, and they have learned the
lesson. Only time and constant in
terrourse viii wear away that feeling.
And it is clearly the duty of every
loyal man 10 help its removal, not by