Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1865-04-27

Resolved That the leaders in the wick
ed and fragrant rebellion which has des-
Olated our land, and filled it with la
mentations and woe, entered upon their
career of gigantic crime by the betrayal
OF solemn public trusts by breach of
sacred Oaths; by plumber and robbery
of public property and by shameless re-
Pudiation OF honest private debts, They
wantonly, and without cause, precipitat-
cd war upon beneflccnt government,
by u cowardly assault upon an uuarmed
vessel while upon voyage of merCiMl
ministratiOn, instigated thereto by an
unhallOwed purpose to ruin, where they
could not Constitutionally and legally
rule and in the progress Of the war
thus inaugurated, they have shown, in in
stances without number, that their ten
der merCes are Crueltics. They have
put at defiance the ameliOrating rules of
civilized warfare; they have carried the
black flag of eXterminatiou and muir
dered prisoners of war in cold blood
They have, with tlendish malignity, des-
eCrated the sacred remains of our patri-
OF young men, slain in the defense of
their cOuntry's flag, by shaping their
bOhNo lAANO NAAhhNNN tlllNl SNN x W. w llNlN-
with to still further excite savage ferOc-
ity. With malignant and Implying
cruelty, they have deliberately murdered
thousands of brave prisoners of war by
slow and horrible starvation in vile pris-
on pens not tit for the herding Of cattle;
and they have looked unmoved upon
sullerings the bare recital of which eX-
cites the horror and provokes the exc
Grafton of the civilized world. They
have repeatedly compelled their soldiers,
many of them impressed into service, to
violate their parole given as prisoners OF
war, the breach of which has ever been
considered a peculiar disgrace among
honorable men. When defeated in the
open field, they have melted to riot
and murder; and have sent organized
bands OF desperadOes in disguise into
our midst, to burn and plumber our cit
les and towns and to rob and slaY our
unarmed and peaCeable citizens. And,
that their career may not want any con-
celyable act OF atrOcity they have final
ly imbrued their wicked hands in the
blood of our revered Chief Magistrate,
striking the assassin blow at the very
time he, in the compassion Of his heart,
peace, and Offering them complete par
don and forgiveness. Upon this indict-
ment, embracing all the crimes known
to the law, from petty larceny to unpro-
yoked high treason against the best
government ever devised by the wisdom
OF man, and characterized by almost I'M
paraleled perhdy, treachery cruelty and
hate, we arraign the leaders of the
Southern rebellion before the bar of the
civilized world, and we do here and now
declare, that so far as we are concerned. |
we will not advise or consent to any |
truce or compromise with such a faith |
less and cruel enemy, and we pledge.
ourselves in common with our loyal fell |
low citizens everywhere, to devote our
time and energies, our fortunes and our
lives, If need be to the work of the to-
suppression OF the rebellion, the I'M !
conditional and immediate abolition of |
slavery, its melting and guilty cause,
and we will never cease our efforts until |
the flag of our Union floats unchallenged
over every foot OfnatiOnal soil, nor until
the leading conspirators and traitors are
either exterminated, or eXpiate their
crimes upon the gallows.
Resolved, That while we will give no
quarter to the leading conspirators
against the life Of the nation, but will
pursue them even to the dens and cav
ems of the earth with memorable and
unrelenting justice, we declare our
selves to be in faver so far as may be
consistent with the public safety, of a !
lenient and liberal policy towards the
misguided masses of the southern peo-
pie; even to the extent of general am
nesty, on condition of their return to
the Union and hearty obedience to the
laws.
ResoIred, That IN the judgement of
iii w., vlal men those in the north who |
have defended and encouraged secession, |
whether by act or voice, cannot escape !
a large share Of the awful responsibility |
for the foul deed we this day mourn |
and the time has come when the utter |
anCe Of reasonable sentiments in the |
loyal states must cease, and we demand |
the rigorous enforcement OF the law
against all who 'adhere to the enemy,
giving him aid and comfort"
ReS0lred That those who have defend
ed the imperiIled national liberties, on
the high places of the field, are entitled
to WELD the ballot and to enjoy all the
rights and privileges Of American Citi-
zenship whatever may be their origin,
race or complexion; and we declare
ourselves to be in favor of Freedom for
all, and of absolute equality before the
law.
Resolved, That to our brave men and
their commanders in the field and upon
the ocean, we tender our heartfelt and
sincere thanks for the signal and decisive
victories which have crowned their
arms, and which are ushering in
the first bright dawnings of lasting
and a just peace, upon the basis Of the
Union as it should be.
Resolped, That the past public life and
! services of Andrew Johnson, now by the
providence Of God, President of the
United States, the sacrifices he has
made in the cause of the Union, his
early, bold and unfinching denuncia-
ton Of the rebellion as Treason and its
authors as Traitors, his well known
ability and tirmness of will, and his de-
vOtion to the cause of human rights,
afford the ground for implicit faith in