The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1865-04-26

Magistrate, l,lpyed di al heats, haa been
ilRB tssuutcd and when we tracn this crime
10 iis Cauee- when wo remember the
soArce whence tIe asrnssin drew his IN.
apiratioiL AID then look at the rcsult--we
snlid yet more astOiilshod Mt this most bar
bators, most dalclhal assassination.
Sch q crime MS tho mnrdor OF great aud
good nau, houored and revered. beloved
aud tic hope ol the people, springs not
from ono solitary individual, OF ever so
desperate wickrdncss. We can trace ils
cause through successive steps, without
enumcrating them here, back to that source
which is the spring of all woes. No ono
eau say that IL the perpetrators Of thus
Gcndish deed be arrested they should not
not undergo tlIc extreme penalty OF the law
for tho crime: no one win say that mercy
should ntorposo. But Is ho alone guilty.
Here, gentlemen, you perhaps expect me
to present some indications OF my future
policy One thing | will say: Every era
teaches it's lessons Tho times wo live in
arc not withot instruction. ~ American
people must be taught If they do not al.
ready feel, that treason is ,r ne, and must
be punished; that the Government viii not
always bear with it's enemies; that II in
strong, not only 60 protect, but to punish.
When We turn 10 the criminal code aud
examine tho catul guc of crimes we there
fnd ar3On laid down NJ crime, with its ap-
prupriatc penalty. We find there theft,
aud robbery, aud murder given M crimes
aud there, too, we find the last and highest
Of crimes, treason. With other and inlcri-
OF Oilcuscs our people are familiar, but III
our peaceful history treason has been al.
most unknown. The people must under.
stand That II is the blacklist crime, aud will
surely be punished.
make this allusiou, not to excite the al
ready oxaspcralod iucliugs OF the public,
but to point out the principles of public
Justice, which should guido our action at
this particular iunCturo, and which accord
with public morals. Let 1t he cngraven on
every heart, that treason is Crtm", and
traitors shall suffer its penalty. While we
are appalled, and overwhelmed at the tall OF
one IN our midst by the hand Of the traitor,
shnll we allow men, ! care not by what
Weapons, to attempt tho l'ie Of the state
with inpunily2 While we strain onr
minds TO comprehend the onormty ol this
assassination, shall We allow the nation TO
hc as5assinated? speak in no spirit OF
unlinducss ! leave the events OF tho Ia.
turo TO be disposed of as thcy arise, re-
garding myself as an humble instrument oi
tile American people. In this, as in all
things Justice and judgement shall he de-
tcrmiuod 10y thrm. do not harhor bitter
or revengelul feelings towards any. Ia
general terms l.would SAY, public morals
aud public opinion should be established
upon sure and innexiblc principles OF JUS.
tice. When the question of exercising mer-
cy comes before me, it will be considered
calmly aud judiciousiy, remembering that
| am the Executive OF the nation. know
men love to have their names spoken of IN
connection with acts OF mercy, and how
easy it IL to yield to This impulse. But we
must not forget that what may be a mercy
to individuals is cruelty to the State. in
the exercise of mercy there should be no
doubt left that this high perogative is not
used TO relieve the few at the expense oI
the many.