Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-05-08
TRIAL OF THE coNsPIRAroRs.
GERRIT SMITH On THE FUTURE POLL
CY OF THE GOVERNMENT.

Gerrit Smith has addressed letter to Pre-
sdent Johnson, dated 2lst ult.,) remOnstra-
ting against "rgorous and bloody policy"
He says:
God forbid that now, when the tide of war
sets strongly in our favor, We should be gull
ty of thrusting the Constitution into the place
of the code of war, and OF holding and trying
of traitors those whom We (uone the less
really, if Indirectly agreed to regard but as
enemies and whom, by all the conclusive
reasons of the case; aside from such agree
ment, we are bound to regard in that light
only. We must not be guilty of this bad faith.
We must not break this )lemn bargain. The
South would hate us for it The world would
despise us for il And would not the North
herself if not despising us for it, be, at least,
| fearfully divided in regard to 1t : Greatly
should we all love our country. But there is
one thing We should all love more-and that
is fair dealing. 'Our country right mot
'.our country right or wrong !'-should be our
motto.
| referred, at the beginning OF my letter,
TO the apprehension that peace, which, only
a few days ago, seemed so very near, is now
unite remote. | cannot doubt that il is, if
the severe policy toward the conquered re-
bells. which so many are calling for, shall be
adopted. In that event, hardly in my day,
or even in yours, will peace return to our at.
aicted country. For once let it be known
that the leading rebels, who shall fall into
our hands, will be doomed to punishment, be
il death, imprisonment, or exile, and imme-
diately, amongst their followers, sympathy
with them and rage against us, will know no
bounds. Tens of thousands will burn with
vengeance, and will care for nothing but to
crafty it. This will be true as well of per-
sons under parole as Of others. In that state
of things a guerilla warfare would ensue,
which, if not pscifed by concessions, and
such concession MS, too, as would fatally in
wade national and human rights, might run
through many years, haraSsing and wasting
our armies, and adding fearfully, If not IA
tally, To our already vast debt. 1t
must not be forgotten that it cost our
nation many years, many lives, and
thirty or forty millions Of dollars to put an
end TO the guerilla war carried on in
Florida by handful Of Indians and negroes.
l have glanced at the painful consequences OF
a harsh and unfair treatment of our conquered
enemy, But how blessed would be the con-
sequences Of wise and kind treatment of
that enemy Then the South would be at
peace with the North would soon learn to like
he; and would soon welcome the tens of
thousands of families that would Immediately
begin to emigrate from the North to the South.
Then the North and the South slavery having
passed away) would rapidly become one in in
terest. and one also in character. Moreover,
the whole work would be blest by the termns-
ton of this most horrid war in peace so full
of reason, Justice, and love. Christianity
would be honored and advanced by a peace
made so strikingly in her own spirit. In that
spirit We cannot shed one drop of the blood
of our subdued foe. If possessed Of il, we
snail forgive and forget the wrongs done to
North, and shall feel that the South has suf-
fered enough, and that she deserves to be
soothed and cOmforted, and not more afflicted,
by us. Largely on your wisdom and mag.
panimity do / found my warm hope of seeing
this war give place to bloodless, Kind, for
giving, and therefore immediate peace. But
This Is not all for which look to you. Now,
whilst we have this fresh sense Of one or the
worst wars-now, whilst we can contrast its
ugllness with the beautiful pc ace which, I'M
less we thrust II from us, is Just at hand
now is the time for our nation to be the first
of all nations to propose an end to national
wars by means of an international Congress,
whose decisions upon the disagreements and
controversies bet ween nations shall be final.
Yours be the glory to favor measure
fraught with more honor to God and more
happiness to man than any or even all other
measures Yours be the glory of Identifying
your administration with the cause of inter-
national peace
With great regard your friend,
GERRIT SMITH.