Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-05-25
must be that passion which

demption here as developed through this
rebellion. There, the master yielded his
slave with his life Here, the master
throws up all in defence of his slave There
the master rushed to his ruin, and his end,
and his bondman still lives" Here, the
master blindly strikes at the constitution,
and by it sewers the chain which held his
slave.
But the last throes, and desperate strug-
giles of the rebellion had begun to excite
sympathy for the deluded, erring, wicked
rebels, and there was danger of this mis-
leading us. Pity for Lee, he who is no
traitors second in enormous criminality,
and who, in turning against his govern
ment, adds the great sin of ingratitude to
that of treason, for he was educated at the
public expense, that he might be help in
time of need, and by receiving her bounty
he agreed to defend the government. But
this he cast to the dogs, and with hands
dripping with the blood of an hundred
thousand devoted loyal men, either of
whom was "a thousand fold better than he.
Yet sympathy goes up for this accursed
rebel, the least deserving and most con-
demned of ALL We hear it said along the
streets of Towanda that the heroic Lee, the
great general, and fine gentleman, should
not be hung. Why !? because he has been
more successful in slaughtering the Union
soldiers? ? Why? because, by means of
superior genius, and greater opportunities,
he has been able to do our cause, and our
country, more damage? We can hang all
the Bealls, and his class of offenders we
can take, and these are only the instru-
ments of the great leader, and infinitely
less cul pable but Lee, and his compeers
must have pity. 1t is out Of place here,
and units us for duty. We already see the
fruits of the leniency granted to Lee and
his army, in the aping, and weaker gen
erals, who consented to give safe con-
duct, and protection to a rebel Legislature,
and rebel magnates, to come together to
consult for their own safety, and concoct
new schemes of trouble for us, and Sher-
mani grieve to say it--attempted to imi-
tate Georges, falling from his high position
as a general, to become huckster for a
copperhead nomination for the Presidency,
Just as if the latter could rank him, even
if successful to his utmost wish, where he
stood when before Goldboro. What rank
folly And all this error and laundering,
comes from clemency and had it not been
arrested it would have led us to ruin.
In this hour of our great weakness, in
the midst of this deep danger, the Almighty
is taken hence, and Johnson is placed in the
lead, because better filled for that position
of the great work Of our redemption, which
is yet to be carried out The genial spirit,
the boundless humanity the lofty earnest
ness, and enlarged, and winning nobleness
of Abraham Lincoln were necessary to
lead us through the Red Sea, and over the
wasting wilderness, the trials, and suffer
ings of the Israelites not inaptIy typifying
our own struggle. Now however, men of
sterner mould, of strong sinews, of broader
boldness, are called for to meet the exigen-
cies of the hour Ask, if this is not the
true Interpretation Of our apparent afllic-
ton, why is it, that the only members Of
our administration, that were known to be
leaning to full forgiveness to the rebels, a
full pardon for their crimes, were stricken
down? The rest were i'll as great danger,
but were saved And why? we can not
tell Gods workings, only as they become
visible to our vision. Then, it is our priv
ilege, as it is our duty to understand them
Alright; and this is the inference we draw
from this late severe dispensation. That
there is good designed by it, can not be
doubted Throughout this whole war, Mr.
Seward has been the embodiment of len
iency towards the rebels. He has had con-
fidence in kind words, in persuasion, and
returning reason. His power in this line
10 ~ w Hiioti E'eto3IN': 'tNt
he did US no harm at home, his peculiar
gift in diplomacy, was of infinite advan-
tage, and may continue to be of vast use
to us in our affairs with foreign nations
And may not his attempted assassination
by those whom he has labored so hard to
befrieni, be intended to cure him of an
error, by teaching him further the fiendish
desperation which slavery engenders, and
the wonderful danger there is in trihing
with it.
Looking then, upon Mr.. Lincoln's admin
istration as the first period, or step, in
freedoms upward, and humanitys advanc-
ing strides, we come to the beginning of
the second period, when we are to cross
the Jordon, under a new leadership, and
when we are to go into the full possession
of our national heritage, when graver and
more melancholy duties may exact our ho-
mage, and try our faith.
Now is this aspect Of the case in any
way changed in view of the reelection of
President Lincoln. That election was one
of the leading measures which led to our
fpal triumph Without it, we were really