The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-11-11


of nearly million dollars. ~
Arrived war steamer Suwanee, from
an unsuccessful cruise in search of the
Shenandoah.
lsii SHEATHE THE SWORD.
Capt. Henry Wirz is, to-day, by sem
tence of Military Commission, ap-
proved by the President, to be hanged
by the neck until he is dead, land
may the Lord have mercy on his soul!"
We had hoped that the day of blood
had entirely passed-that there Were to
be made no more orphans and widows
for political otences-that the gibbet
was to be raised again in this land only
in obedience to the verdict of jury,
after impartial trial, before court, with
the forms of the Common Law. We
thus hoped, when a woman fell from
scaffold, i'm the Capital of the Republic,
hanged by the neck, exclaiming with
her dying breath, II die innocent, but
Gods holy will be DONE" We renewed
the hope when a Captain of a guerilla
band met the same violent death, at the
hands of a Military Commission, in
fair city of the Presidents own State.
We renew the prayer to-day, when,
again, the human sacrifice-be it to JUS
tice or to Revenge-is to be offered with
in the Walls of q Capital bearing the
honored name of successful Southern
Rebel sd I4 r
Not in reproach do we utter the
prayer We have no disposition--per-
haps no right--to criticise the acts of
sworn court or the decision of a high
reviewing officer. Neither do we utter
it in any interest of the prisoner, whose
life is--as all HVes area breath, trifle,
q shadOw-a matter of few years or
hours, of no more concern to us than
are the falling leaves with which Au-
tumn is now flooding the chill bosom of
the earth. Still less do we utter it in
any depreciation of the fate that has be-
fallen our late standard.
"Brokea Is its stafand shattered
And the valiant hosts are scattered,
Over Whom il fodted high"
Its memory can neither be honored or
dishonored by the deeds or death of Hen
RI Wirz. But we utter it i'm the name
of that day of peace and harmony whose
blushing dawn struggling through many
thick clouds OF passion, prejudice and
| ignorance, is beginning to bless the gaze
of longing men and fearful women,
opening up to them the prospect of re-
lief, at last, from the terrors of a long,
dark and stormy night. We utter it in
the name of that magnanimity which
is more honorable TO nation than the
strength which comes Of numbers, or the
pOacer Which comes of tUedlth. We utter
lit in the name of that law which is the
foundation of liberty-in the name of
that liberty which Is the foundation of
civil happiness-in the name of that re-
ligion Which fulfilled and abrogated the
Law, sweeping from the moral code the
aphorism of blood, "an eye for an eye,
and q tooth for TOOTH"
Peace brings to the South the sacri sc
of eyerything-oa 1t not bring to the
North the sacrifice of revenge? We
have surrendered hundreds, nay, thou
sands, of millions of dollars worth of
property; can you not surrender single
drop of blood? Does the reconstruction
of this great edifice demand SO costly a
cement? Must Liberty's pure ATLAS
have holocausts :? 10 II a0ise to make
MARTYRS?
You have determined by sheer force
of numbers that zoe shall share yOur Oo-
| Ltical fortunes-we know it, you know
it, the world knows it, that the Unicn
noW is Union Of force. Under the
benign policy of the President and the
craftsmanship of Congress, this IN
natural bond may be converted into a
tie stronger than hooks of steel. BY
the divine alchemy of charity these
links of rugged, cankering iron, may be
| transmitted to q silken cord that will not
gall prejudice-nOt even memory.
Is it not desirable that this wonder
should be wrought?
In peace, yOu rant IN q thousand
forms our aid. Is this the way o gain
it? In Wdr you may need it n0re-will
vengeance attain it, aOhen zoe remember
that yOur enemy advised clemency to as,
and you refusedas
We close our eyes to past memories
and open them to see the swift glitter OF
the descending sword as victim falls
Wa this make as tOrget-or you?
Surely, surely not.
We invoke the President, i'm whose
hands this august power lies, to stretch
forth his arm and stay forever this
bloodshed. 1t requires high courage,
some self-denial, much magnanimity,
and involves political, perchdnce person.
al, risk. Is not Andrew Johnson equal
to this.
But If he be not, and the work OF
blood proceeds, the foolish threat OF
Wirz may fail, but we tremble lest the
Republic be forever hereafter haunted
by the menacing spectre of murdered
brotherhood !--Petersburg Inder, NOU.
10.