Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-04-15

patient equity. We need spirit of mercyl
and good will to men. We need just that
sentiment, which would seem TO be sponta
s neously showing itself in the msssof North
ern minds, of generous welcome to every
returning rebel who sinned in ignorance or
haste, of justice toward every freedman who
will show his manhood, of patience toward
sll,-except the master spirits who, for
their own ambition, hszarded and brought
on all this woe. For them disfrenchise-
ment and exile should be the least retribu-
tion.
And here, in the name of justice and of
mercy too, here, beside the very Cross of
Him who freely shed his blood for sinful
men, protest against the idea of an indis-
terminate amnesty TO malignant rebels.
Christ is the friend and Saviour of sinners,
: but not of hypocrites and tsrmentors. He
teaches forgiveness to the penitent, and
compassion TO the deceived and ignorant
transgressOr, but not one word will you find
in the Gospel, not one example in his life,
Of mercy to the false and the cruel. Ven
geance is forbidden to US as private men.
God reserves it as his prerogative. But to
Governments he expressly delegates it, for
the security of the people. The ruler may
not bear the sword in vain. He must make
it terrible to evil doers. It is not enough
that we have proved our power to suppress
sed ition. We must punish it in Gods
name. We must make the thought of it
dreadful forever.
Ihear it said that there is no provision in
our laws for the capital punishment of such
men as these. If it is SO, it is because the
founders of the republic never conceived of
such pitch Of crime. God may never put
the arch traitors in our power. But if he
should, and they should escape un-
tscsthed, if that man who has been the
master spirit of the rebellion, who has been
nerciless and malignantto the end, who dug
by his cruel silence those thirty thousand
GRAVES at Andersonville and made starva-
tiOn policy, if that chief repudiator of all
mercy, himself as thorough an incarnation
of Satan as mems eyes have looked on, if
that man and his compeers are to 60 un-
whipped of justice, then let US never pun
ish another criminal. But give me anoth-
Ter country for my home. The returning
prodigal let US wolcome with Joy. Those
who have sinned in ignorance or by con-
straint, let US freely pardon. But let Judas
hang. Justice to traitors is the best mer-
cy to the people.
4. We have been quickened in conscience
and in christian faith. For many OF the
esrly months of the war, the people fought
against the Divine tendency. But God
5chooled the Nation, from President down
20 the slave In chains, and moulded it to his
will. From the time we changed our policy
and the National aim, God has given us
victories. All now perceive the Divine in
terposition. None recognize and own il
more clearly and freely than our civil and
military leaders. The perception has chss-
tened their hearts, and inspired them with
faith in God. The leaven has worked into
the masses of the soldiery, and more have
-K,l L.
in an ordinary generation. The end is
better then the beginning. The wsr has
not left trace of hatred in the North.
christianity has lost nothing in these
years.
The discourse closed with graceful al
lusion to the beautiful process of Nature,
hiding with grass and flowers the terrible
scars and wrecks of war, and thus standing
as the symbol of that mantle of mercy and
love wherewith God will cover the desols-
tion and hearts made and hrol1en in these
awful years.
Rev. Dr.. Bigelow, of the First Baptist
Church, offered the final prayer, after which
the grand old patriotic hymn, ''My Coun-
try tits of Thee" was sung, when the
benediction was pronounced by Rev. DR..
Aiken.
The principal feature of the afternoon
was the convention of the working men of
this city, held in the open air in the north
east corner of the Square. a report of the
proceedings will be found elsewhere.
There was but little done, in the latter
part ofthe day, in the direct way of cele-'
bration. Flags fOated gaily from build,
ings, tower, and mast head, but there was
almost total lack of humorous expressions
Of Joy. An efigy of JEFF. Davis hung by
the neck all day frop the roof over Hawks,
news room door, which reflected muchcred-,
it upon its "sculptOr," Mr.. W. D. Folsom,
as well as provoked good deal of merri-I
ment in those who passed by.
The boys extemporized a portable gal
lows, in which swung JEFF. Davis, which
they paraded through the streets, with
whoop, halloo, fife and drum.
In the evening number of bonfres we're
kindled on Superior street, and rockets lett
off. Mr.. n. F. BraytoD's Insurance Office
windows were beautifully illuminated with
crescents of small gas lights, underneath
which were the magical initials, "U. S. G., y
and these, in turn, underplaced by three
large beautiful stars. It was one of the
finest devices we have ever seen.
The streets were packed to late hour!
The city seemed emptied of men, women
and children, who delighted in the bland;
air of the evening and the calm starlight