Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1865-05-06
The Future.

We have received many communications
N the question which now seems to press
most forcibly on public attention, to wit :;
the treatment which the rebels and
heir leaders are TO receive from the gov.
This question has curiously
nougb been more fully treated in the pull
,iI than anywhere else, aud the clergy
nave rushed into the field 10 advance of
he politicians, discussing the high charac-
Ter of Justice, and admonishiDg the Pres
dent and their hearers of what they think
the religious duty of the hour. The press
has spoken for the most part only in gen.
eral phrases and we have not as yet seen
any attempt to draw line between the
classes who are 10 be made recipients of
mercy and those who are 10 suffer the
penalties Of outraged law 1t seems to us
that it can do very little good to discuss
this question or to attempt to draw this
line And as it is one Of the matters
which is expressly committed to the dccis'
ion Of the President himself, it is probably
safe in his hands. 1t is not likely that at
this hour any public discussion of it will
change his views or affect / is decision.--
In this Pres dent Johnson must be regard
ed as possessing the power aud right 10
decide bis own course, and delei mine the
line Of demarcation between those among
the rebels who are to be punished and
those who are to be pardoned He is
surrounded by coupselors whose advice he
will take, and follow or reject as to him
seems proper. A portion Of the press
and people, while waiting for his decision,
seem to anticipate proclamation declar-
ing the policy to be persued. This is By
no means necessary and it may seem more
wise on the part oil the President TO deter.
mine for himself, in each individual case
that may come before him, whether his
prerogative of pardon shall be exercised
or not. We may therefore leave the mat.
ter in bis hands, where the laws have
placed it. While his decision will be Of
great importance with reference to the iu
ture Of the country, etill that future is now
less dependent on this question tha an on
others, and tho'e other questions may be
more pro6tably considered by the public
The people have their share Of work to
do in restoring friendly relations and
friendly feelings between the North and
South. This work will progress is time,
and its rapidity will be determined By the
people themselves. Nothing will more
surely tend to it than the renewal of bu'i.
ness and mail Intercourse, which will
doubtless commence as soon as the au.
tborities can safely permit it. The inter.
change ot'seDtiment will develop mutual
interests, and restore that bond of nation.
oil union which is dependent on trade and
commerce, and which commerce always
sustains. The people of the North will
soon begin to talk 10 the people of the
South by letters, by newspapers, aud in
person. Families long severed will be re-
united Old bosds of personal affection
will be renewed and made stronger than
ever The churches which have been
severed will begin to think of coming to.
gether again. Each and every influence
of this kind will be Of the highest value il
forming once more that community Of feel
ing which it is the intent and desire of al
patriotic men to re-estabish in all the
land
The most important questions whicl
are now before the nation, involving tht
most eXte nded interests, and OH which ou
future most seriously depends, are no lon
ger questions of war. Ia the election o
Mr.. Lincoln. and Mr. johnson last fall
we accepted the decision of all question:
f relating to the objects aud conduct of th
war, end declined any longer to discus
them. The nation has during the fv
years passed rapidly through what nigh
be called succession of eras' Befor
the war it was fitting and proper to dis
cuss the causes which were leading TO i,
, aud there was broad room for a diferenc
, of fopinion, and possibility that discusso
. might throw light, aud do good. THi
era closed, and when the war became
fixed and terrible fact, it was useless an
longer to discuss causes for they wer
} matters Of history, and neither they nc
n the fact OF war could be changed. Il the
4 became the duty of citizens to discuss tn
methods of conducting and closing II
war, the end to be reached, and the neal
Of reaching those ends There wasa vic
difference of opinion on these uhjects, ar
G those differences were finally brought
issue in the election Of 1854. The rest
u ,c .Iot oloot;on mae Iho oJ nf Al