Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-05-10
Prom The Cincinnati Commercial.

Prom The Cincinnati Commercial.
d Did Hadtcais on H~constsuctiOn.
Ii is a curious fact, that the old radical leaders
Of the abolition persuasion. are taking first and
strongest of all in the country. positions in favor
Of treating the southern people who have been
involved in the rebellion. with the greatest lib
crafty; THAT they are opposed to executing any
BODY for the crime of treason. and urging with
all their energy, "a quality in the development Of
which they have never been accused of lacking.)
the immediate adoption of a policy of universal
amnesty. the exercise OF a spirit Of the broadest
charity. and the cultivation of amicable relations
with those whom We have been Sighting so des-
perately. The opinions of Mr.. GREELEY arc we'll
known, as he constantly gives them to the read
ers of The Tribune We published a few days
since extracts OF a letter from GERRIrr Saith to
President JOHNSON. He represents to the presi-
dent that he must not be animated by a spirit of
vengeance. He tells him that We acknowledged
the belligerent rights of the southern rebels, and
adds.
God forbid that now, when the tide Of war
sets strongly 10 our favor, we should be guilty OF
thrusting the constitution into the place of the
code of war. and OF holding and trying as traitors
those whom We. (none the less really. il indi-
rectly } agreed to regard but as enemies; and
whom, by all the conclusive reasons of the case,
aside from such agreement. We are bound to re-
gard in that light only. We must not be
guilty Of this bad faith. We must not break
this solemn bargain The south would hate Us
for i'll The world would despise Us for i'll And
-O.l1 NOT tha pnrfh baraalf ~ NOT daaDiaa ua
for il, be at least f~earfully divided 10 regard To
itf
"Surely. in the light of their common respon
sibility for slavery. and for the spirit il generates,
the north, as well as the south. is to e.charged
with the rebellion. and with all its horrid fruits.
including even the starving and numbering of
prisoners The whole is the work of both; and
il is the foulest hypocrisy. as well as the deepest
njusticc, for the north to punish the south for
sny pirt OF it.
1.-The duty OF the north is not to punish the
south, but simply to provide for the future safety
of both north and south. | scarcely need say,
that the main thing TO this end is TO rid the land
" slavery, and TO restore to its victims the civil
and political rights of which il has robbed them
To this | would add, no death. no Imprisonment.
no Danish ment-nothing but the breaking up OF
the large landed estates of the south for the ben
EFT of the needy, aud the perpetual withdraw
VI pbitlC8 pOWCF lIODu u iCtutr~s ~
the temporary Withdrawal of it from the disloyal
masses.
WENDELL PHILLIPS takss Substantially the
same ground. He said in q recent speech in
b ,-ton: F-
What shall We say to the punishment of reb-
ELF The air is thick With thre ats of vengeance
| al mirc the motive which prompts these But
ct US remember no Cause. however Infamous
ass ever crushed bs Furnishing ifs advocates and
sbettors. AL history proves this There il no
cl.ss of men base aod coward enou Oh. no matter
What their views and purpose. to make the pol
lcy of vengeance successful. In bad csses. a.
we'll "a the good. il IL still true that the blood
OF The martyrs Is The seed Of the church We
cannot prevail sgains, this principle of human
nature. And again. with regard Ia the dozen
chief rehels. 10 will never he a practical question
whether We shall hang them Those not now in
Europe Gill soOu tie Indeed, after psroling the
olooi'est and g~ulltiest OF all. Robert Lee. (loud
applause J there would be little fitness in hanging
any lesser wretch
'Th- only punishment which ever crushes a
cause l. that which IT, leaders necessarily suffer
In consequence oft The new order OF things made
"a prevent the recurrence of their sin.
was not the blood of two peers aud thirt,
comm .ners. which England shed after toe rebel
lion OF l1lI. or that OF sse peers and tSenty
after The rising Of las. which
the house of Stuart. Though the fight
listed only a few months. those blocks and
gave Charles hs only chance 10 recover.
But the coniscatei lands % his sdherents. and
the new political arr 'ngemeni OF the Highlands
Just. and recognized a. such. because necessa-
quenched his star forever.
"0ur rebellion has ts,ei tour years. Govern
m ut has exchanged prisoners and acknowledged
- belhgerent rights After that, giobets are
OF of the question. A thousand men rule the
r. belliou-are the rebellion.
"A Thousand men We cannot hang them all
We cannot hang men in regiments. What Gov
er the continent With giooe'si We cannot sick
en- the nineteenth century with such a sight. IL
would sink our civiliz ,tiOn To the level of south
ern btrosrism liz would forfeit our verv right
to supersede the southern system, which RICH, is
based on ours being better than theirs To make
II corner stone the gibbes voRld degrade W. 10
he level Of Davis and Lee"
In conclusion. Phillips said he would Danish
thousand leaders Of the rebellion. under pen
,lty Of death il they returned. and con6scate
heir property. Everybody else should be told
o 20 10 peace. and behave themselves.