The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-05-16
TUhsDAY, - Is. Is05.
jefferson Davis and Robert E. Lee.

jefferson Davis and Robert Il. Lee.
There is certain prOpriety, which all
will st once perceive, in linking together
the two names with which we have hesd-
ed this article. They were the ofHcisl and
recognized leaders of the rebellion-the
one of its civil, the other of its military or
ganizhtion. They were acknowledged IS
such by their fellow traitors, by the loyal
people Of the nation, and by the world st
large. And they were not only It's official
leaders, but they were its Zeal and essential
strength. IL their genus treason found
animation, nOurishment, organization and
support. Without their efforts the rebel-
lions would have collapsed months, aye,
years, before it did. They are thus us rep
rssantstives de faeto as well as de jure.
And they are both in our hsnds-Lee as
psroled prisoner Of war, Davis as an arrest
cd fugitive from justice.
Jefferson Davis must dia- We do not
mistake or mis- state the unanimous verdict
OF the North when we take this for grant
ed. He is universally regarded as the
Crest Traitor. Ia him treason is embod-
led snd incsrnsted In his person It win
stand trial before the nation, aud the pun
ishment meted out to him will hereafter be
the EXTREMIST penalty which attaches to it.
For surely there can be no clearer or more
aggravated case than thst which the record
Of the last fOur-sye, OF the last twenty
years make sgsinst Jeffsrson Davis. The
and faaI and know hat
the only wsy 70 satisfy justice-to guAran-
tee the security of the f1ture-to preserve
the Republic from future conspirsoy-is to
hang Jefferson Davis.
But jus.ics must not stop here. If we
execute the civil leader Of the rebellion, we
cannot grant free pardon to is military
Chief, VINO has been for :he last three yesrs
its chief support Wicked and base as is
J 6srsoa Davis, we regard Robert L. Lee
as the wickeder and bsser Of the two. We
cannot say thAt either is greater traitor
than the other, as both are clearly guilty
Of the crime, but if SO grest villainy c'n
be increased and aggravated by attendant
circumstances, Less treason is blscker and
more dsmning than that Of Davis The
latter violated no conviction CT con
science in embsrking in the rebellion.
Selfish sr1 crnel IS he has proven himself
he cannot justly be charged with deser-
iion of principle. He he'd been for years 8
disciple Of Calhoun, and his political Prin-
ciples were well understood. Lee, on the
other hand, was never believer in seees-
sion. He well knew that he was commit
ting treason in leaving the United States
Army and accepting service in the rebel
lion. He wss not with the rebels at the
outset, but clung to his position in the ser
vice of the United States until better One
was offered him by traitors. 1t was selfish
ambition that led him, Judas. like. to betray
his country.
Tne1, too, Robert Z. Lee has done more,
especially during the last two years, to sup
port the rebellion, than JEFF Davis and all
his cabinet put together. It has been the
genius snd the popularity Of Lee, andtbst
alone, that has held the Confsderacy tOgeth-
er sincs the campAiga OF 1864 commenced
with the battles Of the Wilderness. He |
hss continued the struggle long after he
knew it to have been hopeless. AT any |
time during the last twelve months, by |
declaring that The rebellion was failure
and refusing TO continue longer in its ser
vice, he could have crushed the whole
fabric He chose, instead, to crafty spite
and malice by fighting on. He is indi-
vidua'ly responsible for every life lost IN
the subsequent struggle. Before God and
before history he is aejadged guilty OF
wholesale snd wanton murder.
Again, General Lse, as the Commander
iu-Chief Of the rebelious armies, is respon-
sible even more directly than Jefferson Da-
Wis for the crueltes and bsrbarities prac-
tised upon our prisoners. Whether they
were committed by his command or not,
a. sll events his protest would have
put stop TO them st eDes. That protest
was never made, and the graves at Ander-
sonvilIs, Salisbury, Florence snd Belle Ele
shall ever be monuments TO his infsmy.
But perhaps the darkest element IN the
crime Of Robert L. Lee Is his military
treachery. Educated in the United States
army, at the expense Of tho country, hold
ing high position in the service, he retained
that posiIion-Chief of Staff TO our Com
Chief-even after the rebellion
broke out and alter playing the spy for
months, and gaining sll the valuable in
fotInstioa of our Plsns and purposes which
his position afforded, he went over to the
enemy and sold out his knowledge TO the
eading traitors He Insy be regarded as
he representative Of treschery in the army,
Is Davis is Of civil treason. An example
s needed for the army as well as for the ,
country.
Yesl Lee and Dsvis are partners in
reason. They hoped to reap the greatest
molumsnts from it, they were elevated to /
IS highest honors. As their position has I
,sen lofty, let their fall be low-as their t
slse glory has been greatest, let their dis !
race be deepest. They have been the Z
of rebellion. Let them !
sy its penalty.