The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1865-05-19
The Penalties of Treason-IIaIieck,s
Amnesty Order,

amnesty OfdCf,
The amnesty order issued from
Richmond on the 3d of May by Ma
iorGen. Holleck, is one of the most
important and significant of recent
military documents In form it is
merely a letter of instruction from
the officer commanding the new Mill.
tary Division of the James, to his
subordinate commanding the Depart.
ment OF Virginia. But, in fact, it ia
the first definite disclosure of the pol.
icy Jf President Johnsons admistra.
ton with regard to the treatment Of
the lately insurgent Southern people.
The wcll-known confidential advisory
position held until recently by Gen.
IIallcck at Washington, his selection,
consequently, for command at Rich.
mond, that great head and front of
the rebellion, and his assignment to
the special duty of fixing the status
of loyalty or disloyalty in the Divis.
ion of the James, all show that our
differences are correct.
1tis not a local but q general poll.
cy. What Is true of Gen. Halleeks
command will be true of all others;
and 80, at last, the first step In the
great problem of rehabilitating the
South is taken.
This amnesty order is less remark
able for what 1t grants than for what
it witholds--the rule is less notewor-
thy than the exception. The great
fact it establishes is that the amnesty
provided by the late lamcnted Presi.
dent, is to be the basis of conduct
for his successor. 1t Is not dead
letter, but the most vital and impor
tant law in the statute books TO the ro.
bellous South. We remember very
well when certain journalists and pol
iticians sneered at this amnesty proc.
lamation. BY those gentlemen, who
thought better Of armistices than am.
nesties, it was considered TO he Ri
diculous afrair--as only failing 10 be
"barbarous," by being absolutely idle
and ineffective. Like the emancipa.
tion proclamation, and other famous
acts of the dead President, it was re.
garded by these wiscacres as an idle
amusement Of executive power, and
one rather below its dignity. Reduce
the South, torsooth. to crawl like
suppliants to the mercy seat ut Wash.
ington! So suhjuSatc that chivalric
people as to force them to surrender
at discretion all their civil rulers and
all their great military leaders! The
thing was impossible. And yet,
thanks to the skill and the undaunted
energy of 1t. Gen. Grant and his
subordinates, and to the straight for
ward and never. despairing Admins.
tration of Mr.. Lincoln, and to the un.
swerving faitn. loyalty and courage
Of the North, the thing is accomplish
cd. The rcbellious sections are not
merely to accept clemency, but to
sue for it, Harsh as it may be to the
refined feelings of the leading trai.
tors, and to n secret coterie of sym.
pathetic friends at the North, the per.
sons excepted in Mr.. Lincolns proc.
lamation must now make application
for special pardon, and their filed ap.
plicatons must wait their turn in tho
offices at Washington. The amnesty
oath and certificate of the reviled
rIil-splitter, Lincolrs are terms for
Lee and Hampton and Beauregard
and Wise to study up, and their pc.
titions will be forwaded to the tai
lor's apprentice, Andy johnson, for
consideration and decision.
1t is very clear, then, first, that the
great majority--a few thousands only
being cXccpted--of the people Of the
South are, on the renewal OF their al
legiance, to be restored to citizenship
in the Union on terms more favora-
BILE than they had reason to expect.
Second, the leaders are, as it were,
in the position of men surrendered at
discretion. That this discretion will
he wisely exercised we do not doubt.
Bnt justice will be tempered with
!