New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-07-25
HENRY WARD BEErNER ON TIE
FATE OF JEFF. DAVIS.


the shape Of III essay, remonstrance, or en-
treaty from some one who has been told or has
read that "the Radicals "-meaning the cham
pions Of Equal Rights irrespective OF Color
are thirsting for the blood of the leading Rebels
Some of these letters name Messrs Sumner
and Wilson of Massachusetts as thus ferocious,
though no one can quote line, phrase,
from either of those Senators which justifies
the assumptions: and no one has a right to
speak for men so amply able to speak for them
selves. Now i. may indicate wisdom or weak
ness, but il is in either case true that those
who clamor for bloody examples are not veteran
Abolitionsts. The Nen- York Herald has had
more to say in that vein than all the champions
Of Impartial Suffrage on the continent. or all
those we have met who insisted that JEFF.
Davis and other such should be hung, we recog-
nizc scarcely one ~ now or ever solicitOus that
the Blacks should be eniranchised Here is
what HEsEY WARD BEECnER has to say Oh the
subject in the last Independem:
PUNISHMENT or THE REBEL LEADERS.
do not know 81 any crime that j. greater than the
crime Of treason against such Government as ours
and hold that every man that has been principal
actor, syounrary mane giIg head Of any sort IN the
late Rebellion and has continued 10 be such 10 the last
not Only IL guilty Of treason. but has earned mos,
4b1ndnny the extreme penalties OF the law. And Of
all southern men 10 not know OF any that think
worse Of than JEFF DAVIS. OF course, am liable To
he blinded and IL lad found II at all the South loved
li and the NOIlh hated him. should have said that
controlled 10y the influence OF our cass; hut
foand that he disked 10y the southern people even
more than by the Northern peoIe. | did not tnd a
men that denounced him. They went further than
could o. in dscfcditing Lis ability; for think he has
shown much ability, Bui II seems 10 me that he has
been the worst man, the moei deliberately bad man.
that tie South has produced lie has been man Of
finaicsm. ard Of that Kind Of ianaicsm that largely
involves the malignant element. believe there Was
DO injustice cruelty and scope II cruelty, and
persistence in it, which he was not capable Of If 1t was
the only way 10 carry bis end. lie was one OF those
that cooy violate every principle Of morality for
the sake Of succeeding in thelr purposes. And reg rd
him as the master criminal.
Now. when he. with all the other chief Rebels nre
arrested and tried If II can be shown that he has been
connected BY deliberate knowledge even, with the afro
oous conspiracy to assassinate President Lincoln.
know a. why he should not give his life from
the gabvs. just as every other murderer does. II.
when tie facts in the brought TO light II is de-
termnui that no has had hand ths nefarious plot
shall not have word 10 say, and there will not be
word to be said at home abroad against his execu
ton Hut II be Ii convicted only OF having headed this
Robelion; in other words, II his OieBse is political
oense. believe that he should be tried for his life.
that he should be condemned 10 DEATH and that then
his sentence should be muted 10 dlsranchseme
and baIishmcnt for the Of his days People have
asked ne. Where would you Danish him tor /
would l, him choose the place 10 which he should 60;
but would insist that be should not stay here. IL
said " Has he not deserved death - Yes hundred
fold. Tat neither iu human or In divine law do We
think 1t expedient 10 give man all the punishment
/ that he deserves.
Look for instance at the grounds on which we are 10
stand a. nation. IL has come to be familiar saving
I'VE are fighting the battle Of all nations" and my
own mind has rested very much upon the effect Of our
conioi upon the democratic elements ard prospects OF
Europe And this is question that Is to be settled ON
grounds FIRST What is to be the effect If the mode
of dealing with these head cuprts upon the com.
pnunity home and secondly, Mat TO DO the effect
of the mode OF our dealing with them upon tie world
abroad,
Now as to it's effect upon tho community at homo I
do not hink that the gaows will add single part
Gle Of emphasis 10 the enofudty Of this great crime
Men cay that jnftice requires bs that and the other
thing say that justice requires nothing which il NOT
for the good Of the community All that punishment is
for Is either first TO reform the enpr or second to
deter the rest Of the community from ever becoming
culprits. We'll hanging never reforms anybody. A
to lettering men from hereafter becoming traitors by
tho hanging OF Mr. Davis and his eompeers hold that
the war itself by It's results and outcome is the most
terrific warning that could possibly be set up And to
attempt by erecting against this lnrd background the
petty figure OF gallows with dangling at IT, to
hghten the effect would be- like lighting tapers when
Gods beginnings are flashing ccross the heavens, to add
to the grandeur Of the storm.
The idea Of emphasizing the warning against treason
by the execution Of or two men, when whole States
banknpted BY It, when the youth of fifteen States
have been cut off. when every other family In those
States is broken up, when communities are utterly
dsorganizd, when wide deserts lie waste where pros
perity was wont TO teen. and when the wo-ld looks
upon the spectacle OF unInitgatod suffering Of power
broken Of money squsndcred. and of and villages
sacked ant desolate--sUch an idea is preposerous.
The voice O God In history Is more solemn than any
voice that YOU can add to it by any human adminstra
ton Of justi,e.
So far, thG, o. these mon are concerned. We shoud
not hang then oi the sake Of their reformation. And
II We wish produce moral impression on the oop-
puait' tha!k sisAaZ produced 10 degrss hat ~