The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-05-02


We take these words from . recent
speech of President Johnson, as the head
ing for an editorial this morning. Our
readers will not suspect us of any dispo-
si,ion to oontrovert it, and most of them
will, doubtless, be surprised that any body
making professions of loyalty and patriot
ism should Object 10 the punishment Of
those who conspired to overthrow the
Government and wsged bloody and re-
lentless war against it. Yet strange as it
may appear, there are men, and numbers
of them, too, Influenced by tender SYM
pathy for the Southern leaders, or indul-
ging q mawkish sentiment alism against
the shedding of blood, who insist upon q
universal amr esiy for the guilty. In
deed, many of them. not content with en-
tire impunity to traitors, seek to stir up
bitter feelings against those " who advocate
the punishment of traitors, assuming that
The demand for punishment is simply in
stga,ed By the spirit of revenge.
Now, We believe that there is general
disposition throug bout the country which
has secured the enactment Of laws for the
punishment Of minor offences, and even
of horse stealing, burglary, robbing and
murder, and that public opinion, as q
general thing, demands the enforcement
OF the penalties prescribed by these laws.
And SO far as we have observed there is
universal concurrence in the opinion
that all persons engaged in the assasina-
ton of President Lincoln should be put
to death So far We do not remember to
have heard the demand for the punish.
ment of criminals under the criminal
statutes of the country. or even the de-
mand for the punishment of the assassins
OF Mr.. Lincoln sligmatized as vepceful
or bloodthirsiy. Is treason a minor Of
fence, involving less criminality, and less
injurious to our civil welfare, that its per-
petrators should be treated with excep-
tional lenity? Shall you punish tie
man who killed Lincoln, and let the traitor
chiefs who plotted the destruction of the
Government aud caused the killing OF q
million of the people of the land, escape
unharmed VIII you shoot down our
Union sol1iers who desert the fag, al d
treat Lee, Bragg, Beauregard, Johnston,
aud other rebel military ehieftains, edu-
Gated at the expense of the Government,
with distinguished consideration, after
they have deserted that flag and fought
against it? Shall we punish poor wo-
man for stealing loaf of bread, poor
boy for stealing q tin whistle, and poor
nan for carryiog of bacon ham belong-
ing to bis neighbor, and then turn round
and smile eomplacently on Davis. Benjl-
min. Wigfall and their confederates 10
iniquity, who have been guilty of the
highest crimes known TO the calendar of
criminal Jurisprudence
Why shall not these criminals be pun
ished? Why shall tho statute book be a
dead letter as TO them? We have seen
no good reason assigned. We know of
no reason tha. can be assigned that shoLl /
fad favor with God or man. The only
ground upon which they can be exempted
from the punishment which their crimes
deserve is, that they are numerous, rich
and powerful. But they are not as s,roug
nor as wealthy as the Government, nor as
numerous as the relatives of those whom
the crimes Of these conspirators have sen,
TO bloody graves The truth Is, there
seems TO be very general, sentiment
against Furnishing rich men and men II
high position for their crimes Of whateve'
kind. We don't remember ever to have
heard OF "gentleman" suffering ths
penalty of crime in the South, and bu'
rare instances of the kind in The North
10 fact the public have ceased to expect
that jlstice will be administered te
wealthy and Influential men in this coun.
try 10 any ordinary case of crime. And
relying upon this general custom OF The
country to spare wealthy criminals, it il
taken for granted that SO strong combi
nation of wealth and position and gent.
blood as have now incurred the gull. G
treason will easily escape the penalty.
We are not satisfied with simply over
throwing the military power of the re
bellion aud destroying slavery, we wan
to see the laws executed agains. traitor.
and treason rendered infamous. If tha
is not done, If the chief couspirators ar
not hung or banished, and their propert
con6scated, traitors viii henceforth stan
on an equality with loyal men, and tree
son be as fair passport to popular fave
as patriotism. Leading traitors must t
punished if wo would honor the laws