The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-04-29
THE GATE CITY.


sOUTaERN REFUGnEs AND tn,
RREslD1NT. =
A number oflpyal Union refugees frol
rebeldom called on the. President Ii
other day With whom thsy had ID Inter
esting and satisfactory interview. Th
following is their address - read by Jude
Underwood 8Sn.
"MR. PREsmzsr: The gentlemen VII
come with mo 70 pay their respects to IT.
Chief Magistrate Of the nation are for tn
most part exiles from the South-exile
Tor their devotion to the Union AID th'
Consultation, 10 defiance Of the thresu
and pefsecution of slaveholding aristoe
acy. Your recent utteranoss have ssirred
our spirits like the sound Of a trumpet
and encouraged the hope tnat We may ere
long In safety visit our desolated farms
and rebuild our houses 10 the sunny
South. I'VE have no feelings but those
OF Kindness for the common people of our
section, even for those who BY physical OF
mutual compulsion. or BY gross decep-
ton, have been arrayed in arms against
the Government. We would say with
Joshua of old, "Every one who rebels
shall be put to DEATH" but woe to wicked
leaders who though baffled are neither
humbled or subdued, whose arrogance
and treason are as dangerous to us and to
the country as ever. We thank you for
declaring that these great criminals must
be punished. The Great Author of ma.
ture and Providence DEGREES that those
who SOW the wind shall reap the whirl.
wind. We know that We cannot go home
In safety while traitors whose hands are
still dripping with the warm blood of our
martyred brothers, remain defiant aad un.
punished. 1t is folly to give sugar plums
to tigers and hyenas. 1t is more than
folly to talk of cIemency to those
worse than Catalines, for clemency and
mercy to them is cruelty add murder to
innocent aud unborn. If General Jack
son bad punished the treason of Calhoun
We should not have witnessed this rebel.
lion. If The guilty leaders of this rebel.
lion shall be properly punished, our chill
drsns' children will not be compelled to
look upon another like it for generations.
BY the blood Of our martyred President,
by the agonies of our starved and mutila. |
ted prisoners, by the loss of thousands
slain In battle, and the desoa.ions of home |
and country, and all the waste of life and |
treasure for the last four years with no
feelings of revenge but in the sincerest
sorrow, We pray that your administration
may be both terror to evil doors and |
protection to all who pursue the paths of
peace, and while We mourn aud lament
our great and good, and murdered chief,
too kind aud too indulgent We fear for
these stormy times, we thank God for the
belief that knowing the character of the
leaders of the rebellion as yo9 do, you
will be an asylum for the oppressed of
every creed and every cline, the home of
peace, freedom, industry, education and
and religion, light and an example to
the nations of the whole earth down along
the bright and benefcent future.
President Johnson, in response, said
fHis feelings fully accorded with those of
the delegation, that justice should be
melted out to the leaders Of the infamous
rebellion. Ga account OF the peculiar
under which be had as
sumed the reins of office, his position was
somewhat embarrassing, and he therefore
thanked the visitors for the encourage
ment offered. He could only reiterate
what he had said upon former occasions.
He though. be knew what mercy and par
doning power was, for he had heretofore |
occupied executive positions, and he had |
been accused of leaning too much to the
side of mercy: but the pardoning power
should be exercised, only With stern, in
flexible justice. The time has come
when the American people should under
stand the true character of the crime OF
treason. The idea had been promulgated.
and by the leaders of the rebellion them.
selves, that treason would become sufi
ciently famous. There men were the
aristocracy Of the South. God protec.
the people from such an arstocracy as
that. Referring to the assassination of
Mr.. Lincoln, President johnson attrib-
uted it to the fell spirit pervading the
rebellion. President Lincoln was indi-
vidually, but one man, and no one would
hesitate to say that he who takes the life
of one man should also forfeit life. Then
how much more should those be punished
who have raised their impious hands and
attempted by ASSASSINATION to take away
the life of the nation. We may grant an
amnesty and extend clemency to the
masses, who were forced into rebellion
In conclusion the President said that be
hoped the time would speedily come when
treason would be driven from the lend
He should do all in his power to cause the
speedy return Of peace.