New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-07-03
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BETTER GIVE 1T CR.

BETTER GIVE 1T CR.
We receive some letters suggesting evasions
of the spirit Of Gen. Grants and the kindred
agreements whereby tue Rebel armies were sur
rendered and paroled, and insisting that those
thus shielded may nevertheless be arrested, tried
and punished as traitors We would simply
advise oil who hug any such delusion to their
bosoms that our Government manifestly has
different theory from theirs--in our view, o
thousand times more upright and just. Had 1t
believed the Rebel Military leaders subject to
prosecution for treason notwithstanding the
terms Of Gen. Grants agreement. It would
doubtless have arrested them long ago. The
fact that it has not seen fit to do 20 should DO
accepted as conclusive.
But" says one Of thcse quibblers. " Gen.
Grant had no power to stipuls:e universal
amnesty" Very well; admit it. What he did
was to accept of and agree to surrender ON
eonditions--conditions proposed BY himself.
Just look them once more In the face:
"This 1.-THE surrender) done, each officer and
man will be allowed to return to their homes,
not to be disturbed BY UNITED STATES AUTHOR
ITY, 20 long az they Observe their parole end fAe
,acs in force eh.rs they reside."
Can thoso DO any doubt as to the proper
force and meaning Of those words If you can
conceive any, Just look at this passage in Gen.
Grants letter to Gen. Leo just prior ~ tho sur.
render aforesaid:
"The terms upon which Peace can be had
are well understood. By the South laying down
their arms they will hasten that most desirable
event, sors thousands Of human Iires, and humid
reds of millions Of property not yet destroyed.
Sincerely hoping that all our diSemlties may
| Be settled WITHOUT THR LOSS OF ANOTHER LlFB
subscribe myself, very respectfully. your ODE
dent servant,
~. s. GRANT, Lieut.. Gen. U. 8. A."
Can you imagine that our Government will
attempt to wrgge out of the plain intent and
effect Of this language II you can. you only
establish your own infamy not that Of our
rulers Even if they had no regard for good
faith, they would shrink from exposing them
selves Ia the excavations Of the civilized world.
but did not Gen. Grant exceed his pow.
ersl"
Tia, cavil comes too late. It was indeed
competent for the Government to dsallow Gen.
Grants convention with Gen. Lee, as 1t did
Gen. Sherman's frst. arrangement with john
ston But this right, 40 far as it existed, must
be exercised (ss it was in the Sherman Johnston
CASEY on the instant, or not al all. Having vir'
tually accepted and approved Gen. Grants
terms Of capitulation, by accepting the fruits
thereof, our Government wss nevermOre at
liberty to repudiate that agreement, or any part
Of it. 1t became its own act. in every respect
and particular, a. fully as if it had been origin.
ally proposed by the President and agreed on in
meeting of the Cabinet.
We do not suppose there. is any dissent or
demur among intelligent persons to what we
have here stated. We know no journal Of sny
character that disputes them, though several
may have seemed to do 30, while pandcring TO
ignorance and popular passion. And We most
respectfully counsel the European friends (not
the enemies) of our National cause not to dis.
tress themselves with apprehcnsions Of any
wholesale butchcry of the discounted Rebels
under the authority Of our Government. There
nas danger, for moment that the lust and
general indignation aroused by President Lin.
coins assassination would drive his success.
&c, ,vII into q course which would in calmer
hours, lie deeply regretted; but the gust Of pas.
sion has spent its force, and the peril it evoked
has passed away forever.