New-York daily tribune., 1865-11-18
BREATHING SLAUGHTER.

We observe that certain journals, which were
perfectly willing three weeks ago to sacrifice
tbe negro to propitiate the South, are now quite
as willing to sacrifice the South as a token oil
resentment toward the Southern leaders. The
one remedy that never fails in any time oi need
is the execution Of Jefferson Davis. SO long as
there was a prospect Of New-JerSey going Demo-
cratic, or while there was chance OF New YORK
going to the embraces of Mr.. Van Buren, or
Mr.. Haskin, these gentlemen were wiling,
nav. anxious. to sacrifice the whole negro
race TO secure the "unity" of the Democratic
party and "thc triumph Of Democratic princi-
pies" That investment failed, and now let
us hang jeff Davis" Those who imagine that
the poor old mortal Jefferson Davis, nearly
sixty years of age, and not in the best state OF
preservation, affects our destiny one way or
the other, commit great folly and when they
think that clamoring for his life is the true an
swer to the yearning heart of the nation, do the
nation injustice. When the Free States
spoke in the recent elections, they did not
clamor for the blood Of any one man-they de-
manded principle. The attempt to answer
that demand-the thirty thousand majority i'll
New.York and the triumph n New-Jersey-by
sending a man and rope down to Fortress Mon
roe with instructions TO hang poor, defeated,
helpless. harmless Rebel is an insult to our civ
ilizaton.
No, gentlemen the commonwealths of the
North did not breathe slaughter when they
spoke at the ballot-box. How weary We are OF
death-doing How perfectly hateful this gal
lows appears shadowing the foreground of the
brightest future America has ever seen How
revolving to be told that this galiows Is to be the
only response to the loyalty of America How
sad the present galows-scandals will appear to
our children, as they turn overthe leaves OF lIy-
ing history. and find the greatest achievements
of Christendom side by side with the squabbling
of police detectives over a condemned, helpless
criminal and Chinese tricks with the bodies OF
dead mon. In an humble way we did our share
toward winning the recent victory IN New
York. We know something of the feeling
that actuated our thirty thousand Onion ma
ljority. That majority demanded, in spirit Of
love and Christian charity that America should
not attempt toconsummate the triumphs OF war
without doing justice to four millions Of men
who aided in prosecuting that war. 1t do
manded the perfect acquiescence OF the South
in the results of the war; II insisted that tho
Southern Rebels should feel that they were con-
quered-conquercd absolutely and foreyer-and
that with their conquest every yestigc oi
Slavery, and seridom, and peonage, should pass
away As for poor jeff Davis, keep him in
Ijail, or send him to Europe, or back 10 his old
plantation to live on the charities of his recen,
lslayes. His own future is sad enough. The
one thing to brighten and dignity il would be a
martyrs crown. The highes, ambition he can
have in the world is the opportunity Of leaving
it with the dig;hty that he Of all men could show
p upon the scafod. We are surprised that oul
butterfly politicians do not know this-that they
will not see in these magnificent manifestation;
of popular will something more than the mere
earth-groyeling which regards success as per
sonal profit, and the triumph Of majorities the
coarse gains of gamblers table 1t is this mar
row, sordid feeling which makes politics The
contention of bar-rooms, and not the most I'M
portant of human sciences.