Delaware State journal and statesman., 1865-06-06
from fflends7 heVieW.
THE QUESTION OF TODAY


John G. Whittier writes in The VRlager
(Amesbury, Maes.) his views OF the present
danger Of our country and the duty Of her loyal
people, from which we quote as folows:-
"ln spite of all revelations of the utterly bar
barous character Of slavery and its dreful tiTsct
upon all connected with it,, We were on the very
point Of trusting 10 its most criminal defenders
the task of establishing the State governments
Of the South, leaving the real Union men, white
as well as black, at the mercy of those who
have made hatred q religion and murder q
sacrament. The nation needed one more terri
BILE lesson. 1t has in the murder of lis beloved
Chief Magistrate aud the attempted assassina-
tion Of its honored prime minister, the two men
Of al others prepared to go farthest to smooth
the way Of defeated rebellion back to allegiance.
Even now, the lesson Of these terrible events
SCENE but half learned. In the public utter
ances hear much Of furnishing and hanging
leading traitors, fierce demands for vengeance,
aud threats OF the summary chastisement of do.
mestc sympaihizers with treason, but oompara q,
lively little is snid of the aocursed cause the
prolific mother Of denominations, Slavery. Tue
government is exhorted to remember that it
does not bear the sword in van-the Old
Testament is ransaoked for texts Of Oriental
hatred, aud examples of The revenges of semi
barbarous nation-but, as respects the 4,O00,-
h.
the patient long-suifering, kind hearted victims
of oppression-only here and there voice
pleads for their endowment with the same rights
OF citizenship which are to be accorded to the
rank and file Of dsbanded rebels. The Golden
Rule of the Sermon on the Mount is not applied
to them. Much is said of executing Justice
upon rebels; little of justice to loyal black
men. Hanging few ringleaders of treason, it
seems TO be supposed, is all that is needed to
restore aud re.establish the revolted States.
The negro is to be lett pOwerless in the hands
of the "whlte trash" who hate him with a
bitter hatred, exceeding that Of the large slave
holder.
! In ehoit, four years of terrible chastisement
of Gods unmistakable judgments-haye not
taught US, as n people, their lesson, which could
scarcely be palmer II it had been written in
letters Of fire on the sky. Why is it that We
are so slow 10 learn, so unwilling to confess that
SLAVERY is the accursed thing which whets the
knife of murder, and transforms men, with the
exterior Of gentlemen and Christians, into fends
How ptifu is our exuitation over the capture
Of the Wretched BoVth and his associates The
great criminal, Of whom he and they were hut
paltry instruments, still stalks abroad in the
Pine woods of Jersey, where the State has
thrown around him her legislative sanction
and protection. He is in Pennsylvania thrust
ing black men from public conyeyances.
Wherever Gods children are despised, insulted
and abused on account of their color, there ia
the real assassin of the President still at largo.
do not wonder at the indignation which has
been awakened by the late outrage, for have
painfully shared it, But let us see to it that il
ls rightly directed. The hanging of score of
Southern traitors will not restore Abraham
Lincoln, nor atone for the mighty loss. In
wrtakiDg revenge upon these miserable men, We
must sec to it that we do not degrade oursely,.
and do dishonor to the sacred memory of tbn
dead. We do well to be angry and, if need
be, let our wrath wax seven times hotter. unit
that which was murderer from the beginning
ID consumed from the face Of the earth. AS t6e
people stand by the grave of Lincoln let then
llit their right hands to heaven and take a
solemn vow upon their seuls, to give no sleep TO
their eyes nor slumber to their eyelide. until
slavery is hunted from its last shelter. and
every man, black and white, stands equal before
the law.
In dealing with the guilty leaders and insti-
gators OF the rebellion, we should beware how
we take counsel of passion. Hatred has no
place beside the calm and awful dignity of ius.
tlce: Human life is still a very sacred thing
Christian forbearance and patience arc still
virtues. For my own part, should be satisfied
70 see the chiefs Of the great treason 10 out from
among us homeless, exiled forever, with the